Check out the photo below. I found it on the web while looking for Lionel signs. A very small dealer display, but I think it’s so great! This would be a neat little project and would be small enough to fit in any room. I’d consider putting it on a coffee table or an end table. Even one of those cheap, round particle board tables that women buy to throw a table cloth over. It would fit anywhere and Thomas would look perfect on it. I’m making one, and I’m going to put it in the corner, next to my easy chair. The kids are gonna love it!
It is pretty cool, Roy. Just a simple circle of track, a few accessories and a train. I’d even replicate that sign. You could stack up 2, 3 or 4 on a pole and have them all running at once. Each level, the train travels in the opposite direction as the one below it. Imagine a vertical, multitrack layout that only takes up 30" of floor space! Someplace to run all those trolleys, old PW Scouts, Thomas and Percy, docksiders, etc. The more I think about it, the more ideas I get for it. I am definitely going to build one.
The pro golfer in question is Ed Dougherty. He has probably the greatest collection of postwar Lionel display layouts and advertising memorabilia ever assembled. There was an article on him in CTT in the mid-90’s. He was also featured on an episode of Tracks Ahead, which actually showed this layout in operation. It was really neat to see the drivers of the engine spinning away as the centre spun around!
Jim- That sure would be neat to replicate for your Kid’s Layout alright! You can start your own sign & billboard business for Toy Trains. Billboards with slogans like: “Life can be the pits, if all you eat are Grits”[;)][:P] & Charley Horse Dog Food Products with Breath mints for Dogs that get Horse Breath. [:D] Along with their slogan: “May the Horse be with you” I’m sure you get the idea. Good Luck.
That’s also in the “Lionel Display Layouts You Can Build” book. Great book for small layout ideas.
Anybody ever see in I LOVE TOY TRAINS video, the layout where the train spirals up, like a O27 helix, then travels over to another spiral down. The shot lasts about 2 seconds. A SantaFe warbonnet is pulling some passenger cars. It’s pretty cool.
Gotta hand it to Lionel. They did come up with some clever displays. Another one on Ed’s site looks like a ferris wheel with Lionel freight cars in the “seats”.
I really am nuts about this diminutive display layout. I guess it’s because it’s so small, it would fit anywhere. I’ve even given thought to putting it on a sliding shelf just under our tabletop layout. I think it would look great right next to my chair. I could watch one of our small locos putt putt around while watching tv or reading. It could give the kids some hands-on experience with scenery and operating the controls. My daughter could take it to school for show and tell . . .
