HO Railroading.

[puros_bran]

Any of you boys into model trains?  

Been a life long interest that I've never acted upon with the exception of a few collectible mantle pieces.  

Back in the early 90's when the first wife and I were married we rented a house on Governors Hill (Named after James D Black, one of Knox Co Ky's favored sons) We were across the street from the brick building.. I loved sitting on the porch and watching the trains roll through.

I've been considering an Empire running through here and out to the Coal Tipple and then back around the mountain to complete the circle.. Just can't decide what era or flag. There was a convaluted time when one could see CSX, L&N, SSN, Family Lines, Chessie, and a whole host of mash-ups running through.. That might be the easiest but I don't really know. I'm leaning towards L&N though, just because it was Kentucky's Rail.



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[mark]

Me? No. My son? Big time. Belongs to a couple train clubs and co-owns several huge layouts. He gets into the detail work like painting the bolt rust patterns on the sides of boxcars and building depots from scratch using historic photos. It helped keep him out of trouble when he was a kid and I still get asked "Got any plywood you're not using?"

 

[old_salt]

G scale not HO, My backyard. Vid is shaky, camera in one hand throttle
controls in other. Audio effects courtesy of neighbors doberman
howling next door.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vSv41zhUj50" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" allowfullscreen ></iframe>

 

[RDPipes]

I use to work for the Southern Pacific before it merged with the UP.
Had quite a good size HO layout with endless engines of SP and UP plus all the rolling stock.
Even had a couple of UP DD40's, the big engines were one of my favorites of UP.
About ten years ago I sold it all off and now of course regret it. The saddest thing is
I'll never be able to afford replacing any of it, prices have gone sky high and many pieces aren't even made nowadays.

 

[RobJ]

Great video! Thank you for sharing.

I love trains. I grew up about 3 blocks from the tracks (probably 8 or ten sets actually) and learned to love listening to the train sounds as I fell asleep. Interestingly to me anyway is here I am on the other end of the country and I'm maybe 3/4 of a mile up the hill from the tracks that run along Puget Sound, so I still get to listen to the trains but they're not nearly as loud or as frequent.

When I was a kid my brother and I shared a huge train setup, 4 engines and all sorts of freight cars and a couple of cabooses too. Everything was by Lionel and was from the early '50s. My older brother still has it and added to it over the years with more vintage pieces. I'm not sure now what gauge it was but it was larger than HO by a good bit.

We had lots of great times watching those trains roll in the old basement.

 

[RDPipes]

Great video! Thank you for sharing.

I love trains. I grew up about 3 blocks from the tracks (probably 8 or ten sets actually) and learned to love listening to the train sounds as I fell asleep. Interestingly to me anyway is here I am on the other end of the country and I'm maybe 3/4 of a mile up the hill from the tracks that run along Puget Sound, so I still get to listen to the trains but they're not nearly as loud or as frequent.

When I was a kid my brother and I shared a huge train setup, 4 engines and all sorts of freight cars and a couple of cabooses too. Everything was by Lionel and was from the early '50s. My older brother still has it and added to it over the years with more vintage pieces. I'm not sure now what gauge it was but it was larger than HO by a good bit.

We had lots of great times watching those trains roll in the old basement.

It was most likely "G" scale Rob.
We live right next to the tracks in the 50's, not more the 20-30 feet.
Loved trains but, not a 4AM in the morning.

 

[Stick]

Hi Peeb,

As a kid I grew up with model railways. My brother and I had a small bedroom so dad fashioned a model railway that was attached to the wall and hinged at the bottom. The legs at the top were hinged too so they swung out when the base was lowered. Many fond memories attached to this. My son Billy has shown more of an interest in aero modelling (free flight, r/c indoors and outdoors, airfix) so we don't currently have a train set.

I was impressed by your pics though as they captured the change in season wonderfully.

 

[idbowman]

Model trains are cool.

It's not a hobby of mine - I have neither the attention to detail or the creative ability, but I've always enjoyed the work of other...if I'm near one, I just get sucked into it and can't stop gaping at the thing. It drives my wife up a wall.

 

[puros_bran]

Hi Peeb,

I was impressed by your pics though as they captured the change in season wonderfully.  

Not my pics, I borrowed them from the rightful owners as listed at the bottom of each pic..    Interestingly not the same decade between the CSX and the other two lines, and barely the same decade between the Clinchfield and the L&N.  

Here's another shot of the same main line, one rail crossings up from the other three pics..

 

[puros_bran]

G scale not HO, My backyard. Vid is shaky, camera in one hand throttle
controls in other.  Audio effects courtesy of neighbors doberman
howling next door.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vSv41zhUj50" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" allowfullscreen ></iframe>

That's awesome.

Those CN cars just happened to get lost in the system and permenantly attached to the California Sub eh...

 

[old_salt]

Great video! Thank you for sharing.

I love trains. I grew up about 3 blocks from the tracks (probably 8 or ten sets actually) and learned to love listening to the train sounds as I fell asleep. Interestingly to me anyway is here I am on the other end of the country and I'm maybe 3/4 of a mile up the hill from the tracks that run along Puget Sound, so I still get to listen to the trains but they're not nearly as loud or as frequent.

When I was a kid my brother and I shared a huge train setup, 4 engines and all sorts of freight cars and a couple of cabooses too. Everything was by Lionel and was from the early '50s. My older brother still has it and added to it over the years with more vintage pieces. I'm not sure now what gauge it was but it was larger than HO by a good bit.

We had lots of great times watching those trains roll in the old basement.

It was most likely "G" scale Rob.
We live right next to the tracks in the 50's, not more the 20-30 feet.
Loved trains but, not a 4AM in the morning.

Lionel stock is O Scale, sometimes referred to as O27. When referring to
Locomotives & rolling stock everthing is "Scale"

Gauge refers to the distance between rails, 45mm for "G"

Lionel track is 32mm apart

 

[RDPipes]

Great video! Thank you for sharing.


It was most likely "G" scale Rob.

Lionel stock is O Scale, sometimes referred to as O27.

Oops! your so right sir my mistake. :fpalm:

 

[RobJ]

Well now that my interest has been peaked I'll need to ping my older brother to see what details he can provide.

 

[Fazby]

I am a dabbler in HO. Not a railroader or a modeler - I am more of the category of "plays with trains". I have a 4x8 stretched to 4x10. No particular railroad or period. In fact I prefer demonstrator engines. They can be any line. Not prototypical by any stretch but it provides fun with switching.

 

[puros_bran]

Okay Fazby, you don't have to show the board but you have to show me. :lol: Pm me some pics if ya ain't gonna post them.

 

[Fazby]

I am sorry. No teasing is or was intended. However, I am photography challenged. No camera; no cell phone. (My wife and I may be the last holdouts on the planet...)

 

[puros_bran]

You're Fired!

 

[RDPipes]

I am sorry. No teasing is or was intended.  However, I am photography challenged. No camera; no cell phone. (My wife and I may be the last holdouts on the planet...)

Hey, I haven't a cell phone either, no need for it. We grew up and lived without the dadburn things this long why do we need'em now I say.

 

[Brewdude]

Used to have a Lionel setup as a kid. My Pap took a 4 x 8 sheet of plywood and we set it up on that. Remember having a steam engine that you put little tablets into the stack, and would puff out "steam". Plus one of the open cars held little barrels that would side up to an unloading platform, and they would unload by vibrating.

It had some other features like buildings and trees and such that we put in. Not anything elaborate or fancy, but was cool to me. Powered by a big battery with a large lever on top to control the speed.

Played with it for a couple years and lost interest. The folks found another home for it. Much later I found out that Lionel stuff was pretty valuable to collectors.

I've seen some elaborate setups that some in the model railroading community have. A few take up entire basements and are very well presented. Fascinating to watch, but doesn't make me want to take up the hobby again. For those that are into it no doubt it's a very satisfying hobby.

peeb, your vid is very cool. Nicely thought out.


Cheers,

RR

 

[Fazby]

Fired? Woo Hoo! (Not Woo Woo, chugga chugga) Unemployment benefits and you get to pay for it!