Nostalgia trip back in time: What was your first?....

Classic Toy Trains Forum
1

  1. model train? (could be any scale).
    Mine was a Scout and a Marx UP locomotive (forgot what kind).

  2. What age did you first become interested in trains?
    I can recall in 1961 watching trains on the NYNH&H mainline out of the Bronx and not wanting to go home. I was 4.

  3. Your first car?
    Mine was a 1963 Ford Country Sedan (station wagon)

  4. Your first love?
    Mine was a gal from the South Pacific Island of Miyako. I often wonder how she’s doing (too bad gals change their names).

  5. Your first layout?
    Loop of steel O on dirt basement floor. The sparks shooting out were pretty cool and everytime I smell 3in1 oil, reminds me of the trains I once had.

2

  1. Original Lionel Texas Special passenger set

  2. 1954? I was 2 years old, great grandfather actually held me on his lap while he played with his trains.

3)1974 Vega Hatchback

  1. my wife, but we didn’t get married till ten years later and that was 25 years ago.

  2. two level layout my dad built in the basement of the house on Long Island (1958, about 6 years old). Lots of Plasticville structures, some from my great grandfathers layout.

3

  1. A Marx freight, see photo below.

  2. 4 1/2 years old. See photo below.

  3. A 1964 1/2 Mustang hardtop, dark blue

  4. Carla, a cheerleader for the 7th grade.

  5. See photo below.

4

Dave, Great Idea!!

  1. A/F 4-8-4 set. My Dad built a 10 x 12 American Flyer layout for me about 1957. Still have all the trains!!! He was a design engineer for GE and thought A/F was better designed. He also thought the 1958 Edsel S/W we had was ahead of its time. Many adult years spent with HO layout. My first Lionel set was a like new 1938 259E set w/ boxes purchased for $25.00 in 1988. Having fun since then.

  2. About 3 or 4. The Delaware & Hudson passed my Grandparents back yard, and every train engineer and fireman waved and blew that steam whistle Every time they passed me.

  3. My Dads last car, a 1962 Ford Galaxie 500 2 dr hardtop. My Mom got me a 1968 Mustang (year old) after H/S. Sold it for $400.00 to buy food for 1st child.

  4. My wife Patti. Engaged on 1st anniversary of first date. Married 31 years 6/28.

  5. See #1
    Thanks Dave

5

  1. My first electric train set was a SF freight in HO scale. My first Lionel was an MPC starter set.

  2. No idea.

  3. 1976 Ford LTD

  4. Erica Labrie, 1st grade.

  5. A 4 x 8 plywood table in 1976. I ran cheap HO trains on it. 30 years later, I started my second layout - O gauge, for my kids and I to enjoy together.

6

David - Neat idea…

  1. model train?
    Mine was an 0-4-0 Lionel 1615 switcher. I still have it and run it.

  2. What age did you first become interested in trains?
    I was 4 maybe 5 and I remember the B&O engines and tank cars that we passed when I went with my Grandmother to pickup my Grandfather at the plant where he worked.

  3. Your first car?
    Mine was a red 1963 Ford Falcon Futura

  4. Your first love?
    Mine was Janice Madkins in first grade. Her father drove the firetruck at the fire department and I thought that was cool.

  5. Your first layout?
    A loop of O-27 around the Christmas tree in my grandparents house. We lived with them until I turned 4. I still have the Plasticville buildings, track and transformer along with the original rolling stock for the set.

Mitch

7
  1. A Lionel 224 with freight cars, which I got for Christmas in 1946 at age 4.
  2. I was born with an interest in trains. Spent many hours watching steam on the LIRR in the late 40’s-early 50’s.
  3. First car was a '53 Mercury hardtop that I bought in '59. 4. First “crush” was Linda in 7th grade. First “love”, Cathy in senior year High School. Yes, it’s a shame maiden names are hard to trace.
  4. Christmas layouts many years later…early 80’s. Joe
8

1.) HO Burlington streamlined passenger set pulled by a silver F7 by Tyco. Sold it a few years ago.
2) As a yout’ - visiting the Branford (CT) Trolley Museum, and the O gauge club in a church basement in my hometown during their holiday open-out, riding a steam-pulled excursion train in Essex (CT) and North Conway (NH).
3) 1973 Dodge Charger SE - I low-bid for it in a church auction when I was 16. Then I had to ask my dad for the $300.
4) Hmmm, there’s been so many - unrequited of course. I’d say Cathy Daniels in junior high.
5) HO 4x8 figure eight layout on a ping-pong table that took up a spare bedroom.

9

Hello Dave:

Great topic idea!

  1. Used Lionel set with the S2 turbine (hence my photo on my signature line)

  2. I got the used set for Christmas when I was five or six. That was the first time I was exposed to electric trains.

  3. 1976 Cadillac Coupe de Ville. It had a 500 cubic inch engine and every time I filled that gas tank (about 12mpg) I would have to add a quart of oil. But it was a sweet ride.

  4. Mrs. Fosse. My third grade teacher. Boy, she put a spell on me…

  5. My Lionel train set was set up on a piece of plywood, painted green. That was my layout.

Regards,

John O

10

My Dad shared his '49 6020 enging and set with me for several years, but I guess the first purchased as a gift to me was the Sears set with the 8040 plastic engine. I still have all my trains.

I got interested in trains when I was about 3. We had a 4 main line of the West Shore line at the bottom of our hill. Trains all the time. My Dad has some friends who worked for different railroads, and I got to ride in some engines from an early age.

First car was a 75 Ford Pinto wagon, but I learned to drive in a old Chevy Luv. It was an experience.

First love, my wife, when I learned what Love means, but first serious like for a girl, Michelle in the 3rd grade.

First layout (other than Christmas tree), would be a 10x12 room layout in our basement. Single layer on grass matt with black paint for the roads. Still have some black paint on some accessories from where I was a little over zealous with the paint.

Thanks for the topic, brings back some good memories.
Dennis

11

  1. model train? (could be any scale).
    Mine was an O gauge Hornby clockwork tank engine 0-4-0

  2. What age did you first become interested in trains?
    As early as I can remember about 1951

  3. Your first car?
    Mine was a 1948 Austin 10

  4. Your first love?
    Mine was a girl from our church school Lindsey Leeden

  5. Your first layout?
    Loop of steel O on carpet. First real layout was OO about 1964

12
  1. Aurora Postage Stamp N gauge train set. Santa dropped it down the chiminey in 1968. It was a Santa Fe passenger set.

2.About 10 yrs. old. I was a slot car nut, then Aurora started cross marketing the “new n gauge” trains.

  1. '65 Plymouth Belvidere - Steel dashboard, vinyl seats, am radio. Took out the radio and put in an 8 track.

  2. Lynn Trevarthen - daughter of the high school principle. She was a wild one.

  3. N gauge on a 3 x 5 piece of plywood

And my biggest disapointment as a kid - the '69 Chicago Cubs. That was a heartbreaker.

13

  1. My first train was a Lionel NP 44 tonner set - XMAS 1963

  2. I first became interested in trains in 1962 when I saw a UP GP-9 pulling a drag of reefers out of a produce warehouse in Kennewick, WA (where I was born).

  3. My first car was a 64 chevy truck.

  4. My first love was in sixth grade. We parted ways after her dad caught us smoking.

  5. My first layout was 027 for the train in item 1 after dad bought more track.

14

My first? Debbie.

Edit: Oops, sorry, didn’t read the questions.