My parents - and my trains..................

Classic Toy Trains Forum
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Hi!

In the mid '50s (I was 11 or so), I was allowed to build a Lionel layout in the basement under our grocery store. I did it all myself, and the 16x6 layout turned out pretty good. Most all the trains and materials were funded by a paper route and whatever else I could do to earn a dime. While my parents never actively participated, they never discouraged me either.

When the layout was up and running, I would sometimes find the trains “not where I left them” when I came down to run them. Obviously Dad would secretly run the trains when I wasn’t around, but he never fessed up to it. Having grown up dirt poor in southern Illinois, toys like the trains were way beyond a kid’s fantasy when he was young. Dad passed away suddenly in 1989, and I miss him. I especially wish he could see my room filling HO layout, and run some trains with me - particularly the sound equipped IC streamliner.

My Mom worked in downtown Chicago, and didn’t know one train from another. But, she always made sure that my “big” gift for Christmas and birthdays was train related. And yes, she would ask me what I wanted so as to not “waste money”. One time she supprised me with an All-Nation CB&Q bright red boxcar kit for no “special occasion”. It was a real stretch for me to do justice for it, but the end result was operable and looked good. Mom passed away last month at 94, suffering from the ravages of Alzheimers.

I’m now 67, and have been a train nut since I can remember - thanks in no small part to my parents allowing me to do my own thing. May I just say “Thank You, Mom & Dad”, for helping me get into a lifelong hobby and passion !!!

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Mom always allowed me to set up a 4x8 for Christmas, even though our duplex was small. She has purchased structures and rolling stock for me over the years (N, and now O), and enjoys seeing the progress on my layout whenever she visits. And she was very proud of her “baby” when his layout was published in CTT.

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I didn’t know that. Which issue?

Rich

4

I had a 4x8 Lionel Post War layout in my upstairs bedroom when I was a youngster in the mid-fifties. Every once in a while while watching the new fangled black & white TV downstairs I would hear the trains running upstairs. Going up to investigate to make sure my sister wasn’t messing around with my trains I would find Dad testing his operating skills.

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Jan '08.

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**Mobilman…**thank you for sharing that story. My Dad was the instigator and financier for my trains nearly six decades ago when he was working 7 day weeks to make ends meet. When he did have some spare time, the two of us would disappear into the basement to work on the layout or run trains. In retrospect it might have been appropriate back then for me to reintroduce my Mom to my Dad. [swg]

Fife indeed has a stunning layout and has posted pics here in the past on the SPF Sunday Photo Fun thread as well. It is well worth a “search” to see his layout.

Jack

7

How about a link?

Rich