I've been working on the railroad (a video & some pics of my Lionel train collection)

[Hiawatha Pete]

Last edited Sat Apr 25, 2020, 01:54 PM - Edit history (1)

Hello again DU'ers,

Being a few weeks into the lockdown here has given me time to further engage in a lifetime hobby of mine: model railroading.

Though nowadays the hobby seems to be in decline, with a demographic consisting mainly of boomers - and gen-x'ers like myself - in the postwar period having a Lionel train set for the kids was almost as much a part of the American Dream as a house with a picket fence and a car in the driveway. And after declining sales in the 60's, Lionel trains had made a comeback in the 1970's - with the trains being marketed more as collectibles for grown-ups rather than as toys for children.

I've been collecting Lionel trains for most of my life and thought I'd share a video and some pics showcasing the layout I've built & train collection I've acquired over the years since receiving my first Lionel train set when I was 8 years old.

So here is a short video (and below that, some pictures) showcasing my 8 x 9 foot Lionel O-gauge three-rail layout and my O-gauge model train collection – featuring engines & rolling stock from Lionel, MTH, Weaver, Williams, Atlas-O, K-Line, Ready Made Trains & Buffalo Creek Graphics. Steam, diesel & electric power. Passenger & freight.

Over 150 pieces of rolling stock in 10 minutes! From my web page at: https://northamericabyrail.info/model-railroading/

Hope you enjoy, and keep safe.

Layout Video:

Layout Overview Pic:


Train Pics:

Lionel/MPC Canadian Pacific F3 A-B-A & GP9 diesels pulling “The Canadian”


MTH Canadian Pacific FA2 A-B-A & GP9 diesels on the “Expo Limited”


MTH Canadian Pacific Royal Hudson steamer with a local freight


MTH Canadian National SW8 diesel with a transfer freight


MTH Canadian National Bullet Nose Betty steamer pulling the “Inter-City Limited”


MTH Canadian National F3 A-B-A & GP9 diesels pulling the “Super Continental”


Custom-painted MTH VIA Rail F3 A-B-A diesels with the “Skeena”


Williams Pennsylvania GG1 electric on the “Broadway Limited”


Williams Burlington E7 A-A diesels with the “Denver Zephyr”


Lionel/MPC Southern Pacific Daylight steamer with the “Coast Daylight”


Lionel Trains Inc Erie Lackawanna PA1 A-A diesels pulling the “Phoebe Snow”


MTH Canadian Pacific RS3 diesel with a branchline freight


MTH Ontario Northland E8 A-B-A diesels with a time freight


Weaver Canadian Pacific Empress steamer with the “Dominion”


Lionel Trains Inc Canadian Pacific F3 A-B-A diesels pulling the “Atlantic Limited”


Lionel Postwar Milwaukee Road GP7 diesel with a local freight


Lionel Postwar Union Pacific Alco A-A diesels with a time freight


Lionel/MPC Grand Trunk Western GP7 diesels with the “Maple Leaf”


Lionel Trains Inc Canadian Pacific GP9 diesel with a time freight


MTH Canadian Pacific E8 A-B-A diesels with a dead freight


Lionel/MPC Milwaukee Road EP5 electric & SD18 diesel pulling a time freight


Corgi TTC PCC streetcar

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. Wow! What an amazing and gorgeous layout, my dear Hiawatha Pete!

You have created a beautifully detailed little world. I can imagine how much fun you've had with this layout and all those trains!

And the video! Even these little models give more than a hint of their bigger brothers. Beautifully created and filmed!

Thanks so much for sharing!

[Hiawatha Pete]

2. Thanks California Peggy!

It's been an ongoing labor of love...

We moved few years ago, and it took some time to reassemble the layout in the new house and get it up and running again.

I'd still like to put up a backdrop, like we had in the old house but couldn't be moved as it was glued to the wall. That's why some of the pics have a backdrop and others don't.

Also used kitty litter for track ballast in the new house, looks better than the darker model RR ballast I had before!
I love my cat, but she cant get to the train room fortunately. Otherwise I'd be filming a remake of godzilla but with a giant cat instead...

Thanks again for checking out my pics & vid! Have a good weekend.

[malthaussen]

3. Ah, yes, in the early '60s, my father filled our basement with those...

... including the iconic Santa Fe F3, and many of the animated structures. It was a pretty big layout, but we moved in 1966, and that was that.

I got into HO modelling in the '70s, but only structures and dioramas. The old "no room to lay track" problem.

But I subscribed to Model Railroader for years.

-- Mal

[Hiawatha Pete]

5. Love the old Lionel Santa Fe F3!

For me that one is still on my dream & drool list...

[2naSalit]

4. That's really cool!

I have never seen a collection of Canadian rail representation. That's a lot of trains. I went to the rail museum in northern Illinois a long time ago and they had a Zephyr train there. Made me wish I could have been a passenger on one of those.

[Hiawatha Pete]

6. Thanks for checking out my vid & pics!

It took a long time to acquire my collection of Canadian roadnames, O gauge isn't as popular as the other gauges up here.

As you noticed I also have a roster of U.S. equipment as well...

They still have the Nebraska Zephyr at the Illinois RR museum and they offer rides on it from time to time:
https://www.railpictures.net/photo/721933/

[2naSalit]

7. Wow, they've come a long way

since I went ther in the late 1970s. The train wasn't even running then but they had a vision to have it running someday. Glad to hear it. If I ever end up in that part of the country again, I will make a point of going back there to have another look.

I don't know why I have such a passion for old trains and antique semi trucks but I do. I even like several old cars and motorcycles. Maybe it's because I grew up around so many antiques and some new things that are now considered antiques.

[malthaussen]

8. You need some Milwaukee Road passenger cars...

... so you can run the Hiawatha.

-- Mal

[Hiawatha Pete]

9. I like your way of thinking!