What Influenced You?

[Anonymous]

When I was 2 years old, my brother received a Lionel train set with the Santa Fe F3A&B, #2243. It happened that My brother ,who was 11 at the time, didn't get to play with them much, because I held on to them like a favorite stuffed animal. I was told I would put them on my pillow when I went to sleep. Also, we lived about 300 yards from the New Canaan branch of the New Haven Railroad. After church on Sundays in the mid fiftys, my Dad would take me to watch the trains at the Stamford RR Station. We would spend 1-2 hours watching freight and passenger trains run by. Wish I had a camera at the time!

[fndbke]

I received a Lionel 675-led set (ate 40's) when I was about 6 - that would have been around 1960. Despite the abuse of myself and three brothers over the years, I managed to save the engine, tender and caboose, although the dump car, refrigeration ca r and tank car bit the dust along the way. I finally got around to reburbishing the engine and tender in 1999. A couple of years of Christmas setups around the tree, followed by a few weeks of damaging my knees on the concrete floor in my basement each January, I finally decided to take the plunge, and am in the process of building out a 600 sq foot O guage layout. The 675 still runs great, 55+ years and counting!

[fndbke]

I received a Lionel 675-led set (ate 40's) when I was about 6 - that would have been around 1960. Despite the abuse of myself and three brothers over the years, I managed to save the engine, tender and caboose, although the dump car, refrigeration ca r and tank car bit the dust along the way. I finally got around to reburbishing the engine and tender in 1999. A couple of years of Christmas setups around the tree, followed by a few weeks of damaging my knees on the concrete floor in my basement each January, I finally decided to take the plunge, and am in the process of building out a 600 sq foot O guage layout. The 675 still runs great, 55+ years and counting!

[Anonymous]

I had had the opportunity to ride the UP(The City of Portland) on vacations to the West to visit relatives and fell in love with trains. When I was in the sixth grade I went to the local hoppy shop with a freind. They had an HO layout set up in the shop. The detail of the engines and rolling stock (Athearn) was so fantastic that I immedicately bought a single green box car kit. I didn't have a layout or even one single piece of track, but I just had to have one of those beautiful cars. I was sixteen then and I have continued to be affected for the past forty years by the bug that bit me that day. I wouldn't change a thing! Bring on DCC and realisitc sound (With a subwoofer of course!).

Dr. J in Hudson, Ohio

[Anonymous]

I had had the opportunity to ride the UP(The City of Portland) on vacations to the West to visit relatives and fell in love with trains. When I was in the sixth grade I went to the local hoppy shop with a freind. They had an HO layout set up in the shop. The detail of the engines and rolling stock (Athearn) was so fantastic that I immedicately bought a single green box car kit. I didn't have a layout or even one single piece of track, but I just had to have one of those beautiful cars. I was sixteen then and I have continued to be affected for the past forty years by the bug that bit me that day. I wouldn't change a thing! Bring on DCC and realisitc sound (With a subwoofer of course!).

Dr. J in Hudson, Ohio

[CP5415]

Who influenced me? My Dad. He was into model railroading long before I was born, so it was around me from day one. Also the fact that he & I would railfan CP's Agincourt Yard.

Gordon

[CP5415]

Who influenced me? My Dad. He was into model railroading long before I was born, so it was around me from day one. Also the fact that he & I would railfan CP's Agincourt Yard.

Gordon

[richardj1]

I started with a Marx windup, too young to remember much until receiving
an American Flyer Royal Blue set for Xmas birthday present in late 40's. Added to with subsequent bdays until Jr.Hi and girls came along in early fifties. Packed away and survived a divorce, subsequent moves and a 900 mile trek across country. Rediscovered and revived interest in mid 80's and am a confirmed S-gauge hi-railer about to revamp a bedroom from an enhanced 5 x 9 platform to an around the room shelf layout. Love this hobby!

[richardj1]

I started with a Marx windup, too young to remember much until receiving
an American Flyer Royal Blue set for Xmas birthday present in late 40's. Added to with subsequent bdays until Jr.Hi and girls came along in early fifties. Packed away and survived a divorce, subsequent moves and a 900 mile trek across country. Rediscovered and revived interest in mid 80's and am a confirmed S-gauge hi-railer about to revamp a bedroom from an enhanced 5 x 9 platform to an around the room shelf layout. Love this hobby!

[Anonymous]

My wife told me to get a hobby. The joke is on her!!!

[Anonymous]

My wife told me to get a hobby. The joke is on her!!!

[pbuck]

at 3 i got a layout on a piece of plywood for x-mass have been hooked ever since that was in 1961 later i found out my grandfather was a boiler maker for the atlantic coast line in tampa fl ever since i found that out i dont look at deisels much i love steam i have a 3rd bedroom i am building a layout in now the room is 11' by 9'9"

[pbuck]

at 3 i got a layout on a piece of plywood for x-mass have been hooked ever since that was in 1961 later i found out my grandfather was a boiler maker for the atlantic coast line in tampa fl ever since i found that out i dont look at deisels much i love steam i have a 3rd bedroom i am building a layout in now the room is 11' by 9'9"

[JA2]

Originally I was given an O27 gauge train set from my cousin. Then my dad brought out his American Flyer set he had when he was a boy. From there I got more. Finally in high school I moved into HO after seeing a friend's layout. College caused me to pack it in. Now over 3 decades later I have started up again this time in N scale due to space restrictions. Such wonderful improvements have happened while I was away. :-)

[JA2]

Originally I was given an O27 gauge train set from my cousin. Then my dad brought out his American Flyer set he had when he was a boy. From there I got more. Finally in high school I moved into HO after seeing a friend's layout. College caused me to pack it in. Now over 3 decades later I have started up again this time in N scale due to space restrictions. Such wonderful improvements have happened while I was away. :-)

[Anonymous]

Fear! The first memory I had of a train was when my dad held me as a youngster as he stood next to the GTW tracks in Royal Oak, MI when a train was coming by. I think I can pick out the locomotive in my memory. It was an EMD yard switcher and the horn about scared me out of my pants, not to mention its ominous size and the ground shaking it produced. Well, this fear turned into fascination of all things and from then on, being near railroad tracks made the pricklies go up and down my spine in anticipation of one of those approaching monsters. Wow! What a thrill! Combine this fascination with the first time I saw a model railroad and I was hooked! A way to control the monster in miniature form and miniature realism was possible and alluring! I just don't know how else to say it.

[Anonymous]

Fear! The first memory I had of a train was when my dad held me as a youngster as he stood next to the GTW tracks in Royal Oak, MI when a train was coming by. I think I can pick out the locomotive in my memory. It was an EMD yard switcher and the horn about scared me out of my pants, not to mention its ominous size and the ground shaking it produced. Well, this fear turned into fascination of all things and from then on, being near railroad tracks made the pricklies go up and down my spine in anticipation of one of those approaching monsters. Wow! What a thrill! Combine this fascination with the first time I saw a model railroad and I was hooked! A way to control the monster in miniature form and miniature realism was possible and alluring! I just don't know how else to say it.

[Anonymous]

I received a Lionel set for Christmas in about 1949 (didn't everybody?). As I got older, I loved to watch those gorgeous GG-1s on the Philadelphia-Harrisburg main line; I could see them from my elementary and junior high school classrooms in the 50's. I spent more time daydreaming about trains than paying attention to the teachers.

[Anonymous]

I received a Lionel set for Christmas in about 1949 (didn't everybody?). As I got older, I loved to watch those gorgeous GG-1s on the Philadelphia-Harrisburg main line; I could see them from my elementary and junior high school classrooms in the 50's. I spent more time daydreaming about trains than paying attention to the teachers.

[katwoman99]

I remember several things--living near Pennsy tracks, a school field trip to a local firehouse with a model railroad in it, a family reunion in Nashville where I got to climb on the NC&stL locomotive in the park, a grandmother in Ohio who told stories of the Ohio River & Western.

[katwoman99]

I remember several things--living near Pennsy tracks, a school field trip to a local firehouse with a model railroad in it, a family reunion in Nashville where I got to climb on the NC&stL locomotive in the park, a grandmother in Ohio who told stories of the Ohio River & Western.

[Anonymous]

My father had an old N guage Atlas layout set-up on our dining room table when I was younger. In 1977/78 he built a small HO layout in our basement for me, which I had set up and kept running until I enlisted in 1990. I am now beginning to set up an N scale in a spare bedroom.

[Anonymous]

My father had an old N guage Atlas layout set-up on our dining room table when I was younger. In 1977/78 he built a small HO layout in our basement for me, which I had set up and kept running until I enlisted in 1990. I am now beginning to set up an N scale in a spare bedroom.

[Anonymous]

Rode on a Mo-Pac caboose with a brakeman that was my grand-fathers childhood best friend. Trip was about 100 miles, from Ozark Ark. to Little Rock, Ark. I was 4 years old at the time. That was in 1970. Couldn't get enough railroading to suit me, so I started my own Mo-Pac divison. Rick Covert, Ozark Arkansas

[Anonymous]

Rode on a Mo-Pac caboose with a brakeman that was my grand-fathers childhood best friend. Trip was about 100 miles, from Ozark Ark. to Little Rock, Ark. I was 4 years old at the time. That was in 1970. Couldn't get enough railroading to suit me, so I started my own Mo-Pac divison. Rick Covert, Ozark Arkansas

[Anonymous]

An American Flyer passenger train set for Christmas 1958, followed each birthday and Christmas with track,tunnels,floodlights,aircraft beacons,turnouts(modern terminology)freight sets and on and on. Drifted away in my 20's from the hobby but came back in H.O. full force in my 30's.Now in my 50's just gave my daughter a list of 4 things this evening I'd like from Walthers for this Christmas (hint,hint)Three year old grandson is livin and lovin it already.

[Anonymous]

An American Flyer passenger train set for Christmas 1958, followed each birthday and Christmas with track,tunnels,floodlights,aircraft beacons,turnouts(modern terminology)freight sets and on and on. Drifted away in my 20's from the hobby but came back in H.O. full force in my 30's.Now in my 50's just gave my daughter a list of 4 things this evening I'd like from Walthers for this Christmas (hint,hint)Three year old grandson is livin and lovin it already.

[BNSFNUT]

Got a Lionel train set for Christmas way back in 1949 and its been full throtle from then on. Having a real railroad 150 ft from the house for a few years did not hurt.

[BNSFNUT]

Got a Lionel train set for Christmas way back in 1949 and its been full throtle from then on. Having a real railroad 150 ft from the house for a few years did not hurt.

[Anonymous]

Back in the early 1980's I was living in Denver. I had noticed the Caboose Hobbies on my many trips down Broadway. In those days, the store was about 1/3 the size it is today but even then I wondered if so large a store could really be all model trains. Curiosity finally got the better of me and I went in to check it out. The rest, as they say, is history.
Jerry Smith