For me, the year was 1968. The Vietnam war was on, hippies were protesting the establishment, Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy had been killed earlier in the year, and 2001 A Space Odessy was playing at theaters.
I was five years old, and my folks bought me a Marx NYC set - or rather santa brought it to me… Though it no longer works, I still have the train, and have repainted and decaled it back to it’s original appearence.
Tracklayer
my first train, was actually pretty good, when i was 11 yrs old my grandpa got me hooked, so i ran around ranting about trains to every one and how much i wanted one for christmas! well my stepdad got me a santa fe, train set, and then my other grandpa (not the one that got me hooked) got me a pretty nice burlington northern set, so i got two sets… it was awsome… (my parents were split and living in diferent states) When i got back to my house form my two week vacation my grandpa (the one that got me hooked) had built a 4x8 table and laid track!! it was awsome! and my dad bought me some other stuff… sadly I went through a stage… and most of it was sold and the 4x8 torn down… But im back at it now… LOL it’s a little harder to come by stuff though lol…[:)]
THE very first train I remember was a battery operated affair… It had a steam loco, a few cars, and a caboose… The track was HO sized but went together much like lionel track does. The loco had puffing smoke but as I remember, it didn’t run very well… The batteries went in a pack that hooked to the track through a station/terminal track. I was probably 4 at the time, the folks didn’t have much to spend, so I was probably lucky to get that. I kind of wish I still had it, just for the memory sake but, like so many other childhood toys, it’s long gone…
The first Model train I had (and still have) was my N scale C-liner… 1971 or 1972, didn’t care about who was president, vietnam, or the hippies protesting downtown. For the next several weeks, I got to watch my father play with my trains as he cut, nailed, wired, soldered, the classic 4x8 train board on the dining room table. Ah the memories… That’s all I have left of Dad now…
Jeff
Wow. That’s funnny. We must be the same age. My first set was a Marx 027 freight train.
I don’t recall what the road name was but I know it got me hooked. Did you ever buy the under truck coupler adapters that let you couple up to the Lionel rolling stock? I remember it was hard to find Marx stuff when I got it.
You just brought back a REALLY old Christmas train memory for me. THANKS!
PS-I’m 41 years old.
Certainly do, I see some of it nearly every day. Lionel, early 50’s. Still have it, though it’s stored away except for the loco and tender ( 2-8-4 ) which are on display in my office.
The two middle sets of “drivers” are flangeless to allow negotiating Lionel’s somewhat sharp curves. [:-^][(-D]
I feel deprived. I never had one. Maybe I’ll put one under the tree next year and start the tradition for my son.
We never did ‘Christmas’. Hence, no first Christmas train…
I never had a christmas set but bought one for 1 of my many daughters. Now she loves trains almost as much as me. Should have bought them for the rest of the kids. Joe A.
Yep, seeing that it was under ten years ago that I got it. It was a Bachmann set with EZ track (great stuff for train sets). Got the track all setup and then everyone had to help figure out why the train wasn’t running. It took about ten minutes before one of my cousins pointed out that it wasn’t plugged in. [:I]
Mine was a Union Pacific N scale F unit set, it was around 1969 or 1970.
it’s long enough ago that i don’t remember actually getting it , but i do remember having the set . it was O 3 rail but not lionel , maybe marx . it was a freight set . anyway i had fun with it for years but it was given away when my brother and i got into HO . i wonder if it’s still running somewhere ?
Yes It was in 1976, It was a Lionel steam set. i made montains out of cardboard boxes.and made a crossing out of popcicle sticks ,lol
Carl…
I sure do. 1965, “Santa” left a Lionel Seam Freight Train Set running under the tree. And he also got quite a deal on it. $12.00. Still have the original box, paperwork, etc … and it still runs every year under our tree. Lionel stated on the box “A Liftime Investment in Happiness” and they have certainly delivered on that as my children love to see the train set up each year under our tree.
Merry Christmas to all …
Paul
December 1959, age 5, Lionel 2-4-2 + 3 freight cars and a caboose. It hooked me for life!
Good idea spacemouse!!! Yep, remember it well. It wasn’t set up under the tree but each piece was individually wrapped. It was a Lionel Scout set, the best Santa could afford in those days (1946 I believe). No smoke but id did have a head light and I loved running it at night.
Christmas 1949 I found a Lionel running under the tree,now it runs every Christmas under my own tree. Merry Christmas.
I had a Bachmann G scale set with a 4-6-0 and a few cars given to me by my Grandpa at Christmas when I was 5. It runs off D batteries but is still some fine looking G scale, even made chuffing sounds from the tender. I still set it up from time to time, problem is finding a big enough space to do it…heh heh…
Yup, I remember my first set.
It was a Model Power Alco M630 in BLECH!!! the Other Canadian Road.
I’m pretty sure it was from Santa but just after New Years, my Dad brought home the last 2 sets he was trying to sell in his store!
So I ended up with 2 train sets to go along with the two my little brother got!
Gordon
Hey there loathar,
I just turned 42 back at the end of November…
Tracklayer