Any model train fans here?

[Haltickling]

I used to have a rather large model train installation before we needed the spare room for the kids. It was a 1:160 scale, with a German small town as setting. However, it was nowhere nearly as professional as those in the pics I found on the web (for more pics, click on the links below the samples):

http://www.1zu160.net/galerie/roschi.php

http://www.1zu160.net/galerie/markus.php (this one features an American scenery)

http://www.1zu160.net/galerie/fec.php

http://www.1zu160.net/galerie/alfred.php

http://www.1zu160.net/galerie/wiencirz.php

😎

 

[His Divine Shadow]

Ah, the good old trains. I haven't used on in years, but I remember spending many a good hour finding just the right place for all the buildings and people. Paper mache (sp?) and chicken wire, trying to make halfway decent looking mountains, and placing all those trees. I never quite finished my setup, but I had it close to halfway done before I began to experience a lack of time to work on it. I still keep the revolving becon tower that was part of it plugged in at night...that thing is sooo cool!😀 Good old Lionel.

 

[dreamboy]

Our trains were an important part of my childhood. That was one common thread between my father and me. It was his outfit, but I spent almost as much time as him working on the setup; we had scores of hours of enjoyment together watching, creating and re-creating. We started out with Lionel trains, and later moved on to HO gauge. My mother could not see the usefulness (saw only $$ being spent), but we didn't care, as cars and track were endlessly added and rearranged. It ended up being more valuable than simply wasted evenings in the corner of the basement. Alas, when my father passed away, the train set, en masse, went to his grand son (my brother's son). 🙁

Ah, the good ol' days! 😛

 

[tommytikl]

Wow, those are some GIANT setups...I love trains and they can take up time but good time esp. when you work with someone on it.
My father is starting a new one that may or may not link to his small set...Retirement is setting in with my father nicely 🙂
My father loves the BIG trains like the first pic provided by HAL.
I prefer the HO or O size trains, simply so one can get them to "Scale" easier and you can get more train and land on one board.

I ran a train set under the Christmas tree this year...it was hours of entertainment for the cats!! LOL

 

[Haltickling]

That's why I prefer the N size (1:160); all of the above photos are from N-scale setups.

My father bought me a HO model train, complete with landscape, but I didn't get much playtime with it: He pushed me aside constantly, complaining that I'm doing it all wrong, and using that as an excuse to play without me... 🙄

He was quite astonished when I showed him my N setup (10'x4'), about 15 years later! 😛

 

[tommytikl]

pushed me aside constantly,complaining that I'm doing it all wrong, and using that as an excuse to play without me...

Ahh yes...father knows best...
All fathers do this at one point or another...and I have no idea why...

Oh and congrats on the N setup...that is small...now 'O', THAT is small!!!

 

[milagros317]

I had an "O" size Lionel train set as a kid. Nowhere near as elaborate as your pictures, Hal. When I was deemed too old to play with trains (and truthfully wasn't playing them much anymore), my parents gave the whole set to one of my younger cousins as a present.