How did you get started in Model Railroading?

[pcarrell]

Good ole Dad and a 4x8 HO setup he built in the basement when I was 10.

[Tom Curtin]

Grew up watching the New Haven in Danbury, CT.

Received an Athearn freight train set for Christmas when in the 7th grade (1957)

And the rest is history

[steamage]

Watching the Burbank Local run daily past our home. Now I model it.

[Darth Santa Fe]

My grandpa loved trains, and had a whole HO layout in his basement. I don't remember him or the trainroom (I do remember the duck-under for some reason), but I did inherit some of his trains, and I inherited his love of trains.[:D] My first purchased engine was a Life-Like N scale F40PH, because I liked N scale then. When we found the box containing the old HO trains, I got into HO.[:D] I then got a Life-Like HO train set at a garage sale for $5. Been in HO ever since.[:D]

[letsgored]

Growing up a friend of mine and his father had a layout in the basement. I never participated in the building or operation, but I was fascinated by it the few times I saw it. Fast forward to the Xmas before last. I was in the grocery store with my wife and the store had a small assortment of toys for sale --I guess for "last minute" buyers. One item was an HO train set with the store's logo on the engine and each of the rolling stock plastered with some corporate logo. It was probably the first time I had seen model railroad equipment in person since my youth. I didn't buy it (the logos made it pretty ugly), but I sure stared at it a long time remembering my old interest. A couple of days later I poked my head into a Toys R Us just a short walk from work. I don't think I was planning on buying anything, but I had a strong urge to see more model trains. When I asked a clerk he said they didn't have any but told me there were two LHS nearby. It turned out that those LHSs were just a block from where I worked! Soon after visiting one I was back to make my first purchase. That was over a year ago and I'm every bit as excited about the hobby as I was then.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

QUOTE: My Grandfather brainwashed me.

Seems he did a good job.

Watch the screen closely, you are getting sleepy. Darn, hypnosis doesn't work over a computer. [(-D][(-D][(-D][(-D]

[zgardner18]

I was at a party late one night, took a hit, and the rest is history. Now I come to this forum to talk about my problems, so you all can tell me that "Everything will be alright"

My Grandfather brainwashed me.

[SOU Fan]

Got a Life-Like set for not biting my fingernails.[:D]

[jeffrey-wimberly]

It was a Lionel double diesel set that I got for christmas in '64. Been railroading ever since.

[mikesmowers]

I got a Life Like HO train set for Christmas this past year, I had never as much as even thought of model RR befor then. I built my first layout in my shop and fell in love with it. I built a 12' x 20' building to put it in and now am working on expanding it .As of now I am not running any of the train set I got for Christmas.
Mike

[Anonymous]

Well, I will tell my story first. There once was a shortline that ran in my back yard which got my dad into railroading at an early age which, well, got me into the whole "railroading world". I have loved it every since.



BTW, if this topic has already been posted, please lead me in the right direction.