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Will You Run a Train Around the Christmas Tree This Year?

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  • From: Staten Island NY
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Posted by joe323 on Wednesday, December 2, 2020 10:00 PM

groundeffects

I'm not sure who they are, so I'll have to see.  I'll just check youtube for Hawaiian music for your suggestions.  Nah, right now mostly Jimmy Buffet. 

Thanks,

Jeff

 

Now that calls for my kind of Christmas tree  palm tree 

Joe Staten Island West 

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Wednesday, December 2, 2020 9:36 PM

Shock Control
Martin Denny

Martin Denny is one of the very few musicians that I simply cannot stand to listen to.

groundeffects
Right now mostly Jimmy Buffet. 

Much better.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

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Posted by groundeffects on Wednesday, December 2, 2020 8:33 PM

I'm not sure who they are, so I'll have to see.  I'll just check youtube for Hawaiian music for your suggestions.  Nah, right now mostly Jimmy Buffet. 

An update: a photo of the layout is now posted in MR's "photo Galleries" (see above under community".  It is captioned as "N scale coffee table layout decorated for Christmas".

Thanks,

Jeff

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Posted by HVBL on Wednesday, December 2, 2020 7:44 PM

Sure will!! I built an HO 4 x 4 foot with a hole in the center to bring the tree through years ago. These days, I am too old and fat to be laying on the floor so we installed some 44 inch legs for elevation, plugged the hole and set up a shorter tree! The layout is done in white for that kool winter scene look with some small mountains on the corners. The trains still run, the kids love it, and the cats stay on the floor. Bring on that Christmas turkey!!

Rich

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Posted by Shock Control on Wednesday, December 2, 2020 4:20 PM

groundeffects
Yes I will.  I have a N scale layout inside a 2' x 4' coffee table in our living room.  A few years ago I added a small 3 inch lighted Christmas tree (from Noch Scenery company I believe) to the Hawaii themed layout.  As the layout scenery is tropical, during this time of year I add other Christmas themed decorations around the layout such as banners and signs.  So yes, my trains are running around a Christmas tree, even if the tree is 3 inches tall.

Mele Kalikimaka (Merry Christmas)

Jeff

Do you listen to Martin Denny and Arthur Lyman while you run the train?

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Posted by groundeffects on Wednesday, December 2, 2020 2:07 PM

Yes I will.  I have a N scale layout inside a 2' x 4' coffee table in our living room.  A few years ago I added a small 3 inch lighted Christmas tree (from Noch Scenery company I believe) to the Hawaii themed layout.  As the layout scenery is tropical, during this time of year I add other Christmas themed decorations around the layout such as banners and signs.  So yes, my trains are running around a Christmas tree, even if the tree is 3 inches tall.

Mele Kalikimaka (Merry Christmas)

Jeff

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  • From: Columbus, OH
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Posted by millrace on Tuesday, December 1, 2020 1:33 PM

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.

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Posted by BurlingtonNorthern2264 on Monday, November 30, 2020 5:08 PM
Yes, I do. I have this little loop with 18' radius curves on it. It's not much, but I often switch out my consists to entertain the family and cats, who are surprisingly well-behaved around the trains (unless one of them decides to park themselves on the mainline). I've run almost everything on there since I use it as a test track for new engines and such. Usually the regular consist is a BNSF or BN Geep and several freight cars, though you can see anything from F-units hauling passenger cars to a pair of SD40's.
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Posted by joe323 on Sunday, November 29, 2020 10:54 PM

Years ago I ran a Lionel train around the tree but the downstairs neighbor thought we were sawing through the ceiling Since she became my mother in law I thought perhaps something quiet was in order.  This year for example I will be using an HO train.

 

Joe Staten Island West 

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Posted by BRVRR on Sunday, November 29, 2020 6:59 PM

Yes. Lionel "Polar Express". The first thing out of my grandson's mouth when the tree goes up is "Where is the train?"

Tags: BRVRR

Remember its your railroad

Allan

  Track to the BRVRR Website:  http://www.brvrr.com/

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Posted by parts323 on Sunday, November 29, 2020 6:50 PM

Yes. I have a pair of Lionel 2343 Santa Fe f3's pulling n.o.s. Lionel passenger cars from 1994.

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Posted by Darth Santa Fe on Sunday, November 29, 2020 6:37 PM

I've got the standard gauge Lionel #42 going around the tree this year, along with some matching MTH reproduction Pullmans.

_________________________________________________________________

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Posted by Ringo58 on Saturday, November 28, 2020 2:57 PM

jjdamnit

Hello All,

Only if I put a tree in the middle of the pike.

Hope this helps.

 

Maybe a tiny one?

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Posted by jjdamnit on Saturday, November 28, 2020 2:53 PM

Hello All,

Only if I put a tree in the middle of the pike.

Hope this helps.

"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"

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Posted by Shock Control on Saturday, November 28, 2020 2:42 PM

danno54
I run an N scale passenger set around the tree. The long train in the smaller scale looks pretty good and there's more room for structures.

That's cool!  I have wondered if N gauge would look to small around a tree.  Does it look good from a reasonable distance?  

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Posted by danno54 on Saturday, November 28, 2020 2:37 PM

I run an N scale passenger set around the tree. The long train in the smaller scale looks pretty good and there's more room for structures.

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Posted by Shock Control on Saturday, November 28, 2020 2:14 PM

nealknows
Not around the Christmas tree; I will try to put one around the Hanukkah bush Wink (A very short small shrub)

One of our cats is Jewish, and in recognition of his ethnic heritage, we have a white tree with blue garland.  It goes well with the silver-and-blue B&O passenger train running beneath.  Cool

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Posted by nealknows on Saturday, November 28, 2020 1:14 PM

Not around the Christmas tree; I will try to put one around the Hanukkah bush Wink

(A very short small shrub)

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Posted by CapnCrunch on Saturday, November 28, 2020 11:51 AM

Absolutely!  

Last year I was tired of lugging our full-size fake tree up and down from the attic.  We decided to downsize the tree and get a table top version that would be easier to manage.  It struck me that this would also be an opportunity to use some HO train stuff stored in the attic and set up a train around the tree to entertain the grandkids and, hopefully, get them interested in trains.

I found a sturdy plastic card table to be the base for the tree and the train.  The table was wide enough to create a small oval instead of a circle.  I used structures that my dad had built for his layout years ago and made a small village for the train to go by.  The height of the card table gives plenty of room to stack presents around and under the setup.

  xmas rr 3 by Tim Neely, on Flickr" alt="" />  xmas rr 1 by Tim Neely, on Flickr" alt="" />  xmas rr 2 by Tim Neely, on Flickr" alt="" />

Tim 

          Late to the model railroad party but playing catch-up.....


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Posted by Shock Control on Saturday, November 28, 2020 11:08 AM

Thanks all for the replies!  

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Posted by Billwiz on Saturday, November 28, 2020 10:52 AM

Every year.  I used to alternate between HO one year and O (3 rail) the next but last year my wife gave me the Lionel Polar Express for my birthday and now that runs around the tree.

 

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Posted by chatanuga on Saturday, November 28, 2020 12:03 AM

After I got my cats, I moved my Lionel trains upstairs into my office on a smaller loop than I had in my living room.  I wanted to put up my tree, but, like the Lionel trains, I didn't want the cats to get to it.  The loop of track my Lionel trains are on passes in front of the window in my office, which is above my living room facing the front of my townhouse.  So, naturally, it was a perfect place to put up my tree, which I've now been doing since 2008.  Here are some videos I've made.

Kevin

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Posted by ATSFGuy on Friday, November 27, 2020 7:43 PM

Sure, I usually bring it out after December 10th. Stay tuned for pictures!

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Posted by PC101 on Friday, November 27, 2020 6:15 PM

Wind up Bing 0-4-0.

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Posted by selector on Friday, November 27, 2020 4:44 PM

My re-entry to the hobby was fueled initially by my wife and Mom-in-Law who conspired against me.  I wasn't going there at all, but one Christmas 20 years ago they got me the gift of that horrendously expensive subscription-based On30 Bachmann train set.  Somewhere, a whole family got to Hawaii on a paid vacation with the net we paid out. Huh?

I ran it every Christmas for maybe 12 years, and then, with a move, it became that pain where the sun don't shine.  Two years ago, I decided it would run on my current HO build.  Got it most of the way around, but there are two spots where I need to grind at something for clearance. 

Maybe next year.

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Posted by HO-Velo on Friday, November 27, 2020 4:34 PM

Afraid not, but a wonderful tradition and I do miss having a train around the tree.  Do have fond childhood memories of the 3-rail Marx my father set-up around the Christmas tree, metal tinsel shorting the track and all.

I had a Lionel 3-rail train-set around our tree every year, but stored away after the kids left home.  Then roused from a long sleep the Lionel moved a thousand miles, where it circulated my son's tree to the delight of his children.  The old set was reawakened last year and will again be bringing holiday smiles to a third generation of wide-eyed little faces. 

Happy Holiday Season, Peter  

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Posted by Shock Control on Friday, November 27, 2020 3:45 PM

I do a pretty elaborate HO Christmas tree layout every year.  It takes many hours over many days.

I have foam board covered with white cotton sheets for snow.  I try to get as many trees, buildings, and telegraph poles up as quickly as possible, to discourage the cats; otherwise, they will sleep in the snow blankets and shed all over the snow.

I recess the train track pretty far in.  This accomplishes two things:  1), the trains look more realistic when viewed through scenery, and 2) the cats will probably not progress that far into the layout to destroy anything.

The worst that happens every year is the occasional downed tree or telegraph pole used overnight as a cat toy.

And then there was the one year that a cat threw up right on the track. Luckily, that hasn't happened in a long time. 

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Posted by mbinsewi on Friday, November 27, 2020 3:38 PM

I have an On3 set I'll like to set up.  Not sure if I will.

Mike.

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Posted by Ringo58 on Friday, November 27, 2020 3:36 PM

 

The girlfriend really wants one this year so were searching for one. I have an old lionel "The yukon special" from when I was a kid and want to use that. The only thing Is I want to repaint the Alaska GP7 into a MILW unit and find some christmas cars for it. She wants a really big one so I hope thats big enough. If not I will try to find a battery powered G scale set as electric G scale is waaaaay too much money for a once a year thing. Since I have all HO, I was looking into some on30 or regulaR HO but I think the cat would like the small stuff to chew on so I am avoiding that

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Posted by Track fiddler on Friday, November 27, 2020 3:35 PM

I miss running my train around the Christmas tree.

I have three Great Land Express collector editions that I still have.

Something had to go after we downsized to a one-bedroom condo as a plan for retirement.

There is no tree because sacrifices were made and my 4x8 model railroad is where the tree would normally go, ...Priorities I guess.

Here was our tree two years ago.

A six-story job in Branson Missouri.

Still have my favorite Christmas tree ornament too.

 

 

TF

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