I was born into this hobby when my dad won a Lionel trainset in a card game when in the Navy during the Korean War.
After 2 sisters, I came along and was thoroughly indoctrinated into the world of Lionel trains and never outgrew them.
Over the years, My late father and I have amassed a collection that dates from 1929 to Lionel postwar items and Lionel/MPC and continues to this day with Williams and MTH locomoitves and rolling stock
We always had a separtae room dedicated to a Model Railroad in every house I lived in growing up. I'm 54 and have a 28' x 12' layout in my current home as well as maintaining Dad's scenic layout in my mother's house.