Some quite interesting stories here, I've enjoyed reading them. Mine is simple I missed my trains during my stint in the military and purchased my first N Scale set while in Germany and figured I could always have them with since N was small enough. Fixed my fix with minitrix:tb-wink::thumbs_up:
This is interesting, I've realy enjoyed the stories. I’ve been thinking of doing something like this myself except that I don’t have a lot train layout history to talk about. As a youngster living in Pittsburgh, my dad had a Lionel Layout on what I believe was a 4x10, but I’m not sure. I wasn’t really allowed to play with it except that as soon as my dad left for work, I was behind the throttle. It was pretty cool and he had done a lot of scenery like a lake from a piece of glass, a mountain with double portals for two main lines, and lots of trees and homemade wood houses. Unfortunately, he was badly injured on the job when I was 12 and we lost everything. There was quite a bit of turmoil in my life as a teenager after that, but I did have a small HO layout that I bought with money that I earned from odd jobs. I don’t remember much about it because I was being moved around from house to house and not everybody would give permission to set it up. Finally, I had enough, gave everything away and at 17 I jumped on a Greyhound bus heading for California. Well, it was a rollercoaster ride after that until I found myself in Viet Nam. While in Viet Nam I met a guy that had a very large layout at home. Of course I could only see pictures of his layout, but we talked about it a lot and I could not wait to get back and start one myself. We were supposed to hook up stateside and he was going to show me his layout, but we never saw each other again. I didn’t even think of a layout after that until I was 44 years old and then it was a Lionel Christmas train that only came out at Christmas for the kids. After the kids were grown, my wife and I were supposed to take a trip on the famous McKinley Explorer, than my son called to say his wife left him while he was Iraq and was sending the grandkids to us. We had to cancel our plans to take care of his kids until he could come home. He bought me a Bachmann McKinley Explorer N scale set to make up for us missing our trip to Alaska. That was the absolute first N-scale experience I ever had. When I realized all the possibilities that I could do with this small scale, I was hooked. I could do layouts that I never could do with O scale. Well I still have that set and of course I had to make a lot of modifications to keep it running, but I do like that train.
My wife owns a beauty saloon and every Christmas they do a huge Christmas decorating job. Up on the ceiling runs an LBG train around the saloon and then down below we put up an N Scale train. Nothing special just an oval that runs around. In side the oval is another Christmas scene that changes every year. The looks on the faces of the kids is priceless when they watch the trains rolling in the shop each Christmas season. So that is what started the whole thing. I'm in charge of "trains". So every year I got the bug to have a bigger and more elaborate layout. I started by building the WS Scenic Ridge layout. I quickly discovered that 9.75" radii were not so great for running six axel locos and especially any sort of passenger trains. So I starting building a larger (4' X 8') layout with minimum radii of 11" and 19" for the passenger trains. Still in progress and it may never get finished. But, that's how it started.
My story has one clincher and I can't believe I left it out. I was working at a local hobby shop in Dayton, Oh. Arriving one morning determined to get the area dusted (allergies, leading to sneezing and itchy eyes), windows and glass cleaned, not to mention snow shoveled off the stoop. I found sitting on the deck top an HO, Stewart F3 A unit, in the SP Black Widow livery, waiting to be put on display. Curious as to how it would perform. I took it out of the box and ran it on our test track and was very surprised at it's performance. Nothing like an Athearn locomotive. I then took a look at the chassis and discovered... as most of you already know... it had a Kato chassis or mechanism. I arranged to purchase that locomotive on the spot. Yes, yes, I did get the work done...despite the play...GRIN! Next: (And a few days later) I test tracked an Atlas GP9, in the ATSF, Zebra Stripe livery. I noted that it too operated with the same smoothness. Quiet! It was suggested we test a new power pack with momentum and I put the two together. I couldn't believe the improved performance. It was better then anything I'd ever seen before. I arranged to purchase it on the spot. The locomotive not the power pack. Next: (A week or two later) I was talking to the train manager about the overall performance of the two HO locomotives. With a twinkle in his eye he suggested, I give a N scale Atlas, SD9 in Black Widow Livery a spin around the test track. Shrugging my mental shoulder at the idea... thinking this is a waste of time. I took the unit out of the case, out of the jewel box and set it on our test track. To my utter surprise the darn thing ran like the HO models. Picking it up I noted the Kato emblem. The what? Kato? Well, that wasn't good enough it was time to check out the mechanism. Pulling the shell off, I could see it was a miniature HO Kato unit. Well, almost! I mean they are all miniatures of the 1X1 foot scale...right? Did I say that I arranged to purchase this locomotive on the spot? There went that months pay check I said with a big grin! The more train equipment I collected the more I dug myself into N scale and the above fore mentioned was the deal clincher. It was to be N scale at home and HO at the clubs. This started a serious collection of Kato, Atlas and some Life Like locomotives. Oh, I already had my mind made up about Bachmann. At that time they deserved a negative reputation. They had done that to and all by themselves. Edited add on: This reputation "Bmann" established would change, starting with the turn of the century 2000. You ought to see my J Class, Bachmann stove pull my old heavy weight's and newer streamline Norfolk Southern and Norfolk Western , Rivarossi and Con Cor cars up my 2% grades. Best locomotive "Bmann" has put out. Today, the HO, Stewart and Atlas units have a new home on Steve's layout. The Atlas one has a DCC decoder installed in it. It can still hold it's head up high. Of course, I still have the N Scale, Atlas SD9 (Kato mechanism) that runs with an AB set of F3 Kato Units. Good looking set as they pull a hot shot express freight train. Oh, did I mention..."No more tight radius curves". biggrin: No more Horn Hook or Rapido Couplers. Well, not entirely but I'm working on replacing all the couplers. I said with a big wide grin while doing cart wheels, shouts of glee, and wondering why some of the rest of you haven't caught on? mad: Thanks for the read and you all come back anytime...you hear? .
This is a very interesting thread for me. My start, as well as for my 5 years older sister, was Lionel around the christmas tree - mine in 1945. Well i still have one of those tinplates steamer, bay ruth box and Sunoco tank and caboose. My parents, grandfather, uncle and many neighbors worked for the NKP in Lima, Ohio and many neighbors worked for the "LOCO" Lima Locomotive Works. As I grew i got other O27 Lionel and got to put my 4x8 up in the dining room after Thanksgiving and run new Christmas presents until just before Easter. i always saved allowances, etc for trains except for a ball glove, basketball and bicycle. In junior high i started into HO and built a 4x8 in the basement - not elaborate but fun to run. My dad and i talked about N scale but I didn't get into it until the late 80's and 90's. That was driven by a friends layout of the D&RGW N scale that he and his son had built mostly with Arnhold in the 80's - Chuck and his son were and are a big railfans. (I was living in Golden, CO then) I liked thte appearance and that yuo could make a railroad in a reasonable space and somewhat reasonable cost as compared certainly to O-27 and also to HO in my perspective. I bought a collection from a garage sale and enjoyed it, but life and career slowed things down until 5-6 years ago. Now I am build a 2 level around the room with a peninsula and oval helix in the adjoining room to model the NKP from Lima to Bellevue. I worked the NKP as a fireman in 1964 through 1966 out of Lima to Frankfort IN and Bellevue, including living a week sleeping on a caboose in Fremont, OH. What anexperience working on the RR and sharing my family's history and culture. Thus, being able to do 9.5 scale miles of the Lima to Bellevue is amazing. It is a lifetime project and I have extremely limited experience but the help of this group as well as others has been rewarding. Also, finding another NKP multi-generation enthusiast who grew up in Bellevue is special since we live in rural southwest Colorado with 4500 in the county. Of course Ridgway, Ouray, Durango etc is also a special railroad place.
I just took a time out to read through this thread. It appears that many of us share similar experiences. I want to thank all of you for participating here. Yes, George aka Mtntrainman, sneeze, cough, cough, cough, sputter, snort, wheez...I did resurrect this thread. Sure get's dusty in Big Bear Lake, this time of year. Let's get back to our layouts and the fun a waiting. What an awesome hobby!
Back about 20 years or so ago my dad wanted to get back into model railroading. Due to very limited room for a layout he decided to go with N-scale. After helping him with the layout I got hooked on N as well. Ever since then I've been wanting to build my own layout. Now that I've decided to do so N-scale is the obvious choice. Basically for me it's being able to put more layout in a smaller space. Not more track as such, but rather more scenery, more detail, more variety in the same space. My ultimate goal is a large layout based on the C&O's coal operations in southern West Virginia during the mid-50's.
It was sort of predetermined that I would be a model railroader and a model car builder, and a certified "car guy". I was brought up in Western PA near Youngstown, OH, and from a large family with uncles and granduncles who worked for the PRR, Bessemer and Lake Erie, Sharon Steel, and various car dealerships as mechanics. My dad worked for a stint at the Greenville Car Company where he learned plumbing and became the town's plumbing contractor. Back then I roamed the PRR yard at Sharon Steel, and always had my little plastic steam engine in my pocket, and spent hours imagining it was real. We moved just outside of town and my dad built me a large Lionel O-27 layout, and literally connected me to friends and relatives with layouts at age 6 to run trains. We moved to Florida in 1955 and getting started again, we lived in a mobile home but always kept the trains boxed until some day in the future when we bought a house. That occurred in 1958 and I was into stamp collecting, the new AMT model car kits, and built an HO layout and still have the locos and rolling stock. Hurricane Cleo put an end to my layout as the plywood was used for window protection, and I started chasing women, living life in Ft Lauderdale, school, college, marriage, tennis, surfing, hobie catting, etc etc. Then in 82, I was injured at tennis, and visited my new inlaws who were heavily into model railroading in Chattanooga, TN, and I was sold. Built a new HO layout, but soon abandoned it for N when I saw its size reminded me of that little plastic loco I kept in my pocket at age 6. At the same time, one of the best model railroaders ever, the late Al Bacci, mentored me and we built a large garage layout which spanned two marriages and two homes. I gave it to a magazine editor who still runs it today. Over the period of time, I have probably owned over 1000 different locos, still have 650 on hand, all running good, which span from old Arnold to present day manufacturers. I am working on my uniquely designed for my physical limitations all Kato Unitrak layout run trains everyday, still hyperactive and super enthusiastic, and always have at least 6 or 7 projects underway, which ranges from re-motors and upgrades to structures. I have all of the plans and supplies to landscape my layout but my procrastinating nature has delayed it because I get so much enjoyment running trains when I sit down. Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman
(cut & paste from my blog!): I woke, one Christmas morning, to find something wonderful under the tree….. the mysterious box was wrapped with care, large and flat with some good heft to it. I had absolutely no idea what the wrapping was hiding from the world, but I was determined to find out! I patiently opened other presents as Mom and dad had asked me to, and the socks and sweaters and gift cards rolled pastinto a pile of “I’ll wear/use it later” as I focused on that one. big. box. sitting there in front of me. I was Foutreen years old, and I had been growing up and growing out (fat childhood- TONS of fun! haha) and my obsession with Super Nintendo, I think, left my parents wanting me to put my far-too-developed sense of ‘how things work’ to good use.As the presents dwindled, my anticipation grew. I had recalled the “Great American Train Store” that we’d visited recently on Downtown Plaza in Sacramento, how I had been absolutely floored by the model railroads contained in that little storefront and how I wanted to know everythig about this hobby, I wanted to put down tracks and paint some mountains and build my own little empire…. well, it seems I got my wish. I tore that damn wrapping off in jittery excitement, and I found this inside- Life-Like Products’ American Workhorse N scale trainset. I was in awe. I hastily opened the package and found the box contained everything! Buildings, trees, fences and telephone poles… track and train and power pack too! I was well on my way to creating an empire in miniature! I opened every box, looked over every little piece… I thought this was the most fascinating thing, that every little detail was there, just like the real thing, but miniaturized! The level of detail floored me. As I opened up the jewel cases containing my new obsession, I found that the locomotive stood out among the other pieces as just about the coolest thing I had ever seen. I had no idea about trains, no clue how they worked or what they really did….. but I knew one thing; “This is beautiful“. I pored over every detail, I played with every little part and piece. Eventually I would take it apart and put it back together (about 25 times!) but today, Christmas, I just wanted to watch it go. Flash-forward to today; it’s twelve years later, this month. I ventured onto Ebay, and decided to track down a duplicate of my first Iron love, my Northern Pacific GP-18 Locomotive. I tracked down the perfect copy, the perfect engine- it’s been fitted with newer style couplers but that’s just fine by me. Last night I came home from grocery shopping to find a small box in the mailbox, a parcel that could have contained anything…. but I knew what it was. I opened the box, carefully pried-loose the little engine from its plastic padded protection, and I was fourteen years old again. For just a moment, I was a short, tubby antisocial kid with a brand-new love for something small and inanimate. Recalling the times past I had bought action figures and toys that I had once owned twenty years prior, I felt the renewal of my inner child’s spirit, a giddy feeling that recalled imagination and the oblivious joy of simply playing. I smiled.
Thanks George. We are all here for perhaps the same reason, the love of Model Railroading and how we interpret our modeling experience may vary. Nothing wrong with that.
I switched from HO to N 16 years ago for the simple reason of having more layout in the same space as my HO. I like to run long modern era mainline trains and 15 cars in HO just didn't cut it for me. If I had a ton of space HO would be more tempting but for a basement less californian N seems better suited for a home layout.
Well a little pre-story about how I got hooked into trains in the first place.. When I was a little boy.. up to the age of 8 I lived 3 miles from the illinois railway museum.. Obviously it doesn't take much to get someone interested in trains being so near to that.. My father used to farm the field across the road from the museum..(in a league of their own its the cornfield in the background for the station scene) There were quite a few summer days where I'd sit out in the bed of his truck and watch the trains go by.. What a life eh? My dad has an old 0-27 steamer set that I fooled around with for awhile.. Then we started on HO while still up in Union IL. Fast forward a little closer to now.. The move to Morris IL.. I had drifted away from trains a little in my high school years.. but then as a senior (2005) found a few people that were somewhat interested so it brought back my interest.. if only for about a year.. Fast forward to 2007.. In my dating escapades before meeting my current gf.. I had a date with a nice girl in the western burbs.. So I had a nice drive up rte 47.. Getting into Elburn IL.. I hear a train in the distance.. (At this point I was out of trains enough to not even know about the heritage units and the dynamic duo) All of a sudden I see 3 green and yellow lokies heading eastbound.. I had a OMG moment.. and realized I needed to get back into model railroading.. (The date afterwords was a complete wash) So having a 90 approx year old farmhouse that I still live in with my parents.. The HO room in the basement had been neglected for a little while.. While trying to reclaim it.. I noticed that in the space allotted.. HO was a very tight fit.. Especially with modern units.. For years after seeing the heritage n trak club at the morris library.. I had wanted n scale.. So on a trip to see relatives in Tennessee we stopped at a hobby lobby.. Noticing that there was a sale on trains I snagged up a bachmann set with the ATSF F unit in warbonnet.. and it started there. I had started it.. and then of course.. took another break till the end of 2009.. When I fully pulled away from HO.. I started last year knowing what I wanted to find.. CNW heritage unit.. check.. CNW dynamic duo.. check.. and magically coming home and also ordering a bunch of other stuff.. check.. I was also able to run at the Heritage n trak in 2010.. Which Im still overly thankful for.. and the videos are on my youtube page which I have linked in my signature. Plus now my GF understands my fascination.. Even though when we go to the hobby shop she usually just looks at the layout people... haha
