Quite a coincidence. My first train set was an O gauge Marx freight set pulled by an F7 diesel. My uncle, who was very handy, put it on a 4 x 8 plywood layout in the basement. Probably 1962. I will never forget that set or those wonderful days.
My first train set was 1999 from LGB,but now it is a virus with never ending story in gauge H0 and G.
The virus was coming through a german writer,Karl May and is now for all my hobbies, model railroading and literature
Mine was a pre-war standard guage Lionel, got it for Christmas in 1946.