Shock Control Nice! Be sure to get a picture when the cat knocks it over! ;)
Nice! Be sure to get a picture when the cat knocks it over! ;)
He would never.......wait yes he would! Lives up to his name, Jack. Any guesses on the last name?
Ringo58
Its up!
Happy Holidays everybody!
My lionel Yukon Special is in my backseat waiting to be set up today. Had to dig it out from the parents basement!
joe323My Lionel Hanukkah train sits above my layout all year round now anyway.
As I mentioned earlier, our white tree with blue garland goes well with the silver and blue B&O Budd passenger train running underneath!
Actually we ended up using one of those plastic "Holiday" train sets under the tree. Never ran it much anyway in the past
My Lionel Hanukkah train sits above my layout all year round now anyway.
Joe Staten Island West
I'm starting to change my mind about not running a train this year, assuming I can get my track out of the boxes it went into before the move.
Assuming things go to plan, I'm going to run some of my older equipment that I plan to rebuild from the rails up anyway (once the holidays are over), so if some grab irons get broken, it won't matter. I might run some of my better equipment, but I'll make sure to not leave it alone.
For me, the biggest issue has always been the poor quality of my existing track. Hopefully with some cleaning the power can get where it needs to go.
So that's why they got rid of cabooses. At least mine are rugged enough to sustain some rough handling, once the cats know I have Genesis tank cars it'll all be over.
I ended up running my superdetailed F7A/B pair with some Rivarossi passenger cars to make a really, really short Empire Builder for the cats, and luckily no derailments occured. I'm feeling hopeful this time.
I've never done one, really. This year, though, my wife said she wanted something under the tree. After debate on the matter, we decided to go classic and have a Lionel O27 set on the way.
Shock Control Do you think this may be the real reason why cabooses were eliminated from freight trains?!?
Do you think this may be the real reason why cabooses were eliminated from freight trains?!?
That's it SC!
All this time I thought it was because of the development of GPS to save on labor. Now I realize it's because too many people and cats like cabeese The railroad just doesn't have time for that sort of thing
Funny stuff
TF
BurlingtonNorthern2264...Our first cat as usual is well behaved around the trains, she likes to sit and watch them go around. She does seem to have some sort of attraction to cabooses, which means I need to choose my caboose choices carefully.
BATMAN Mr doom and gloom. The three or so weeks I have a real tree up in the living room is the most relaxing time of the year for me. Whether it is sitting with a drink watching a movie or playing the guitars while looking at all the Christmas lights outside it really recharges my batteries. The usual twenty we have for Christmas won't be here but I will and so will my wife and two kids. If it was just me alone I would still have a tree, it is good medicine.
Mr doom and gloom. The three or so weeks I have a real tree up in the living room is the most relaxing time of the year for me. Whether it is sitting with a drink watching a movie or playing the guitars while looking at all the Christmas lights outside it really recharges my batteries.
The usual twenty we have for Christmas won't be here but I will and so will my wife and two kids. If it was just me alone I would still have a tree, it is good medicine.
I completely agree. This whole year has been so unpredictable with everything going on that I actually got my tree and lights up early on the weekend after Veteran's Day and lighting them since. Usually, I wait until the week of Thanksgiving to put stuff up and then only start lighting things the day after. For me, putting up the tree and decorations help me to relax and give me a sense of calm to wind down the end of the year. This year, putting stuff up early has given me that boost I've been needing after all the ups and downs that I've been through this year. Last weekend I got all of the presents wrapped, most of them double or even triple wrapped to keep everybody guessing what I got them. Sad thing is, I'm the only one in my family that gets presents anymore. Last year, my parents started to just give cash. My brother and his family got me a gift card and the Mister Rogers issue of Life magazine, which I already had. While I get them gift cards, I also look for things that they would like or could use. I may live alone and am the only one who actually sees the tree (although my neighbors can see it in my office window), I always put it up because it helps me and my mood. Plus, as I discovered this past week, there's something soothing after logging off from work since I'm working from home now and watching and hearing my Lionel trains roaring around the tree.
Kevin
http://chatanuga.org/RailPage.html
http://chatanuga.org/WLMR.html
Shock Control Pennsy_I1 As much as I'd like to, I have three cats and a dog, so running a train around the tree is off the table. Plus, I just moved and my track is still in a box somewhere. I have two cats and they leave the train alone. If they knock down a telegraph pole or a tree, I laugh. Life's too short...
Pennsy_I1 As much as I'd like to, I have three cats and a dog, so running a train around the tree is off the table. Plus, I just moved and my track is still in a box somewhere.
I have two cats and they leave the train alone. If they knock down a telegraph pole or a tree, I laugh. Life's too short...
It's not a telegraph pole or a miniature tree, it's the equipment.
Had some damaged by one of the cats when I got stuck in a hotel in Tennessee after a car accident and set up a loop of track to pass the time.
I do like to set up switching puzzles with my track and use the freight car boxes as industries. That thought brings back the sight of Chessie, my fat cat, sitting at the end of a siding and silently hoping I'd do a little kick switching.
You're right about life being too short. I laugh when the cats go after my phone charger or get into a suitcase, but not when a perfectly good engine leaves the rails as a result of a "giant" feline taking a swipe at it.
They have too much energy. Maybe if I find my laser pointer I can feel a little more secure.
Pennsy_I1As much as I'd like to, I have three cats and a dog, so running a train around the tree is off the table. Plus, I just moved and my track is still in a box somewhere.
As much as I'd like to, I have three cats and a dog, so running a train around the tree is off the table. Plus, I just moved and my track is still in a box somewhere.
For the past three years, i've used a 5x6 platform under the tree. Previously, I've ran O scale however I decided to run some HO equipment this year. My family has five cats and a dog and we haven't had any issues with the set up. Current consists are a Genesis 60E with a Mainline ES44AC hauling an intermodal and a ScaleTrains SD45 hauling a 60's era consist. Note: Locos DO NOT stay on the layout but the cars do. Setup even has DCC!
I haven't done that since my wife died five years ago.
Mark P.
Website: http://www.thecbandqinwyoming.comVideos: https://www.youtube.com/user/mabrunton
BATMAN If it was just me alone I would still have a tree, it is good medicine.
Can't do a real tree when the whole house is a construction zone.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
SeeYou190 the whole holiday season is a loss.
the whole holiday season is a loss.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
riogrande5761A mini Christmas tree would work in that situation. Don't be a bah humbug!
OK, you got me... we do have a 18" tall ceramic tree set up on the kitchen counter.
Actually COVID problem is ours, not the grandkids. My wife and I came down with it about a week after Veterans Day. Symptoms were those of bad sinus infections. Recovering now but still little very energy to do anything more than essentials.
Dave
USAF (Retired)
I have a 4 set miniature train ornament that I use for my Christmas tree, but for the two years I haven't placed around with the normal size Empire State Building or the decorated gift wrap jewelry boxes.
We have a miniature Christmas tree that measures 13 inches. It's been our family tree for over 20 years now. No room for a normal real tree in the living room.
A few years I thought of making a small diorama in HO Scale around a Christmas festival with a small Z Scale locomotive and cars as a ride. (One day I'll design and make it.) It would look good next to the tree.
Amtrak America, 1971-Present.
SeeYou190 I'm not even going to put up a tree this year... too much construction in the house. -Kevin
I'm not even going to put up a tree this year... too much construction in the house.
A mini Christmas tree would work in that situation. Don't be a bah humbug!
Shock Control millrace Yep, this is the first year. I've thought about it in the past, but I have a small house and no space for anything elaborate. I found HO trains are just too small and finicky when the track is uneven, and even a stray needle will derail it. But I started a garden railroad this year so I set up a G scale loop around the tree, and that works very well. I run only HO around the tree. I use the pre-fab track with the roadbed that snaps together. The train runs for hours and hours without a single derailing, assuming that the cats don't knock a tree or telegraph pole onto the track.
millrace Yep, this is the first year. I've thought about it in the past, but I have a small house and no space for anything elaborate. I found HO trains are just too small and finicky when the track is uneven, and even a stray needle will derail it. But I started a garden railroad this year so I set up a G scale loop around the tree, and that works very well.
I run only HO around the tree. I use the pre-fab track with the roadbed that snaps together. The train runs for hours and hours without a single derailing, assuming that the cats don't knock a tree or telegraph pole onto the track.
ripvanwnkl Not this year since no little grandkids coming due to COVID. In previous years I tried HO and O scale with some problems. Couple of years ago I got the battery-powered Lionel Ready to Play Polar Express Set #7-11803 in unique quasi-G scale. Works great!
Not this year since no little grandkids coming due to COVID. In previous years I tried HO and O scale with some problems. Couple of years ago I got the battery-powered Lionel Ready to Play Polar Express Set #7-11803 in unique quasi-G scale. Works great!
Whaaaaat? Just because the grand kids aren't coming doesn't mean we "big kids" can't enjoy a train around are tree! Get crack'in!
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
millraceYep, this is the first year. I've thought about it in the past, but I have a small house and no space for anything elaborate. I found HO trains are just too small and finicky when the track is uneven, and even a stray needle will derail it. But I started a garden railroad this year so I set up a G scale loop around the tree, and that works very well.
I never run a train around the Christmas tree, but I set up the Christmas tree each year, and I hang a big lighted wreath over the fireplace. Yesterday and today, I spent most of the day setting up our Dept 56 North Poles series in our entertainment center. Gotta keep up your spirits even during difficult times.
Rich
Alton Junction
richhotrainGasp! Is the wife good with that?
Not really, but with Covid concerns the kids will not be coming this year, and the whole holiday season is a loss.
My wife is in every high-risk group there is with this virus, so I am absolutely as careful as I can possibly be.
I have promised to make up for it all next year... in double.