What Influenced You?

[Anonymous]

My dad bought me a Lionel train set when I was 2 years old (1940). When I was old enough to set it up myself other than Christmas time, he helped me build a 4x6 layout. When in college I switched to HO (1957). It's been a good time!

[Anonymous]

My dad bought me a Lionel train set when I was 2 years old (1940). When I was old enough to set it up myself other than Christmas time, he helped me build a 4x6 layout. When in college I switched to HO (1957). It's been a good time!

[Anonymous]

CHRISTMAS 1948 RECEIVED A LIONEL TRAIN SET IT INCLUDED 1 2-4-2 STEAM LOCO (DIDN'T HAVE SMOKE UNIT, A TENDER WITH AN A/C OVERRIDE WHISTLE, CABOOSE, SUNOCO TANKER, PRR GONDOLA
AND COAL HOPPER CARANY OH YES 12 SECTIONS OF CURVED TRACK, AND 4 SECTIONS STRAIGHT TRACK EVERYTHING 0-27 GAUGE.

STILL HAVE EQUIPMENT

CHOOCHOO

[Anonymous]

CHRISTMAS 1948 RECEIVED A LIONEL TRAIN SET IT INCLUDED 1 2-4-2 STEAM LOCO (DIDN'T HAVE SMOKE UNIT, A TENDER WITH AN A/C OVERRIDE WHISTLE, CABOOSE, SUNOCO TANKER, PRR GONDOLA
AND COAL HOPPER CARANY OH YES 12 SECTIONS OF CURVED TRACK, AND 4 SECTIONS STRAIGHT TRACK EVERYTHING 0-27 GAUGE.

STILL HAVE EQUIPMENT

CHOOCHOO

[Billba]

When I was 2 yrs. old, Union Pacific steam ran across the back of my dad's farm in Kansas. My first train set was a Marx 027 0-4-0 for Christmas. My 5 yr old brain told my parents that "Real trains only have two tracks!". Received an American Flyer Atlantic S gauge high rail the next year. Still have it. Learned about HO and magazines in the late '50s and was hooked. Have a rough start on an HO/HOn3 layout and I am learning and enthusiastic .

[Billba]

When I was 2 yrs. old, Union Pacific steam ran across the back of my dad's farm in Kansas. My first train set was a Marx 027 0-4-0 for Christmas. My 5 yr old brain told my parents that "Real trains only have two tracks!". Received an American Flyer Atlantic S gauge high rail the next year. Still have it. Learned about HO and magazines in the late '50s and was hooked. Have a rough start on an HO/HOn3 layout and I am learning and enthusiastic .

[Anonymous]

I grew up with a NH branchline in my backyard.
Even got to help couple and set out cars for a while.
Well before the tracks got taken up, I had my first HO on a 4X8
and I have been INTO it since...

[Anonymous]

I grew up with a NH branchline in my backyard.
Even got to help couple and set out cars for a while.
Well before the tracks got taken up, I had my first HO on a 4X8
and I have been INTO it since...

[Anonymous]

My father was a warehouse forman for the Soo Line in Milwaukee so I had a chance to see trains up close quite often. We also used his railroad pass to travel on vacations. My interest in model railroading was started with a Lionel train set for Christmas bck in the early '50's.

[Anonymous]

My father was a warehouse forman for the Soo Line in Milwaukee so I had a chance to see trains up close quite often. We also used his railroad pass to travel on vacations. My interest in model railroading was started with a Lionel train set for Christmas bck in the early '50's.

[Anonymous]

One of my cousin's and I both had train sets and we played with them when we where together.

[Anonymous]

One of my cousin's and I both had train sets and we played with them when we where together.

[Anonymous]

1933 worlds fair model trains and watching the C&O mikes in Indiana

[Anonymous]

1933 worlds fair model trains and watching the C&O mikes in Indiana

[Anonymous]

Riding behind a smoke, cinders and steam belching CN Pacific 4-6-2 to the beach every summer in gas-lit, arched-windowed wooden coaches was what peaked my interest in railroading. The prime excitement every day was to meet the noon train, and hitch a ride in the baggage car to the wye, water tower and back, as the crew turned and watered her for the trip back to the city at 7:00 p.m. (The second highlight of the day.) As a consequence of my enthusiasm, my dad got me a tinplate train set for Christmas one year.

[Anonymous]

Riding behind a smoke, cinders and steam belching CN Pacific 4-6-2 to the beach every summer in gas-lit, arched-windowed wooden coaches was what peaked my interest in railroading. The prime excitement every day was to meet the noon train, and hitch a ride in the baggage car to the wye, water tower and back, as the crew turned and watered her for the trip back to the city at 7:00 p.m. (The second highlight of the day.) As a consequence of my enthusiasm, my dad got me a tinplate train set for Christmas one year.

[Anonymous]

Voted other. It was a visit to a model railroad shop on the purpose of starting in the hobby. I was interested in trains since I was quite young. But I never did anything about it. I saw an article in Boys' Life magazine in the 60s that really kept it on my mind. Shortly after I got married and had some ca***o spare my wife and I visited a hobby shop to get started. She thought it was just a passing phase. Well, here I still am some 29 years later and she's still wondering when this phase will pass.

[Anonymous]

Voted other. It was a visit to a model railroad shop on the purpose of starting in the hobby. I was interested in trains since I was quite young. But I never did anything about it. I saw an article in Boys' Life magazine in the 60s that really kept it on my mind. Shortly after I got married and had some ca***o spare my wife and I visited a hobby shop to get started. She thought it was just a passing phase. Well, here I still am some 29 years later and she's still wondering when this phase will pass.

[Trainnut484]

My late father was a engineer for the Santa Fe, and when I was around eight years old, "Santa Claus" gave me an HO set for Christmas. I've been hooked since then.

Take care[:)]

Russell

[Trainnut484]

My late father was a engineer for the Santa Fe, and when I was around eight years old, "Santa Claus" gave me an HO set for Christmas. I've been hooked since then.

Take care[:)]

Russell

[Anonymous]

When I was young a neighbour had a O scale layout in his basement. I had to sneek a peek through the window to see. Then my oldest brother received a Lionel set for christmas. He destroyed it but I was hooked by then.
Ian Frost

[Anonymous]

When I was young a neighbour had a O scale layout in his basement. I had to sneek a peek through the window to see. Then my oldest brother received a Lionel set for christmas. He destroyed it but I was hooked by then.
Ian Frost

[Anonymous]

My father had HO that he set up on the floor in the summer while my brother and I were in Connecticut with my mother at her parent's.
I got a Lionel from my grandfather that we put up on the livingroom floor around Christmas time.
My dad's Model Railroader magazines were available.

[Anonymous]

My father had HO that he set up on the floor in the summer while my brother and I were in Connecticut with my mother at her parent's.
I got a Lionel from my grandfather that we put up on the livingroom floor around Christmas time.
My dad's Model Railroader magazines were available.

[Anonymous]

Well I grew up in a small RR Town.Proctor Minn home of the DM&IR.Watching those big m-3's steaming ore in the yard (2 blocks from home) gets into ones blood.Even security couldnt keep me out of the yard i was so enthralled with trains.So, at 7 years old my Dad trying to figure out a way to keep from getting the calls from the security boys(they couldnt catch me but they knew me)Bought me a used HO setup that involved a dozen sawhorses 6 sheets of plywood a large seperate control console and 6 boxes full of track.(all for 25 bucks back in 1965)It kept me occupied but it didnt keep me outa the yard [;)]

[Anonymous]

Well I grew up in a small RR Town.Proctor Minn home of the DM&IR.Watching those big m-3's steaming ore in the yard (2 blocks from home) gets into ones blood.Even security couldnt keep me out of the yard i was so enthralled with trains.So, at 7 years old my Dad trying to figure out a way to keep from getting the calls from the security boys(they couldnt catch me but they knew me)Bought me a used HO setup that involved a dozen sawhorses 6 sheets of plywood a large seperate control console and 6 boxes full of track.(all for 25 bucks back in 1965)It kept me occupied but it didnt keep me outa the yard [;)]

[Anonymous]

My Mom and Dad like trains, my Grampa had a HO layout which was used so much that by the time he gave it to me it hardly worked. But when I was 8 my dad and Grampa gave me a Lionel starter set. I kept getting more track (even Louis Marx track) and cars after that. Suddenly my starter engine was to weak to pull all my cars at once, so we got a super-power GT GP-9 which in turn needed a big transformer. Then I got the HO, but it was in bad shape. I put the trains away for awhile, and just helped build my Grampa's new Garden Railway in California. I got my Lionel out again just last week and made a small layout in my bedroom. That in brief is the history of my model railroading. But I am interested in full size trains too. I have been round-trip cross-country by train 6 times. My Dad hates planes. We like trains, so there you have it.

[Anonymous]

My Mom and Dad like trains, my Grampa had a HO layout which was used so much that by the time he gave it to me it hardly worked. But when I was 8 my dad and Grampa gave me a Lionel starter set. I kept getting more track (even Louis Marx track) and cars after that. Suddenly my starter engine was to weak to pull all my cars at once, so we got a super-power GT GP-9 which in turn needed a big transformer. Then I got the HO, but it was in bad shape. I put the trains away for awhile, and just helped build my Grampa's new Garden Railway in California. I got my Lionel out again just last week and made a small layout in my bedroom. That in brief is the history of my model railroading. But I am interested in full size trains too. I have been round-trip cross-country by train 6 times. My Dad hates planes. We like trains, so there you have it.

[Anonymous]

Unlike the majority of answers I am not atrain person Ineeded something to do that required the use of hands and brain with long term interest and a tangible result,without other people. I am currently building an N scale version of Progressive Rail MODELRAILROADER June 2002. I find the standard of American outline models vastly superior to anything I used in the U.K.

[Anonymous]

Unlike the majority of answers I am not atrain person Ineeded something to do that required the use of hands and brain with long term interest and a tangible result,without other people. I am currently building an N scale version of Progressive Rail MODELRAILROADER June 2002. I find the standard of American outline models vastly superior to anything I used in the U.K.