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re: Anyone do the tradition of an electric train under the Christmas tree?
Posted on 12/25/15 at 9:22 pm to Marco Esquandolas
Posted on 12/25/15 at 9:22 pm to Marco Esquandolas
Notbin like it,.my buddy saw the NW 611 run,my favorite whistle,Id love too see and hear it in real life
1
Posted on 12/25/15 at 9:31 pm to chinhoyang
Chinhoyang...
There is a guy that was in Metairie for 30 years named Bill Harrison...he lived on Avron near Transcontinental. He was a dealer that didn't advertise and operated out of his garage. Back when Madison Hardware, which was the all time premiere train shop in Manhattan, closed their doors in the early 1980's, he bought their entire parts inventory.
Bill has more pre war and standard gauge parts than you could imagine. And his inventory is all crazy organized and he has a database for every part he has--in the hundreds of thousands.
He moved back to Schenectady, NY to be closer to the grandkids about 4 years ago, but I know him well. If you ever need a strange part for Standard gauge, Bill just might surprise you and have it.
Trains and repairs were his hobby--he was a merchant marine and was an Exec. VP at International Shipholding--so he was not reliant on toy trains for income.
His company is called S&W Part Supply--Google it.
There is a guy that was in Metairie for 30 years named Bill Harrison...he lived on Avron near Transcontinental. He was a dealer that didn't advertise and operated out of his garage. Back when Madison Hardware, which was the all time premiere train shop in Manhattan, closed their doors in the early 1980's, he bought their entire parts inventory.
Bill has more pre war and standard gauge parts than you could imagine. And his inventory is all crazy organized and he has a database for every part he has--in the hundreds of thousands.
He moved back to Schenectady, NY to be closer to the grandkids about 4 years ago, but I know him well. If you ever need a strange part for Standard gauge, Bill just might surprise you and have it.
Trains and repairs were his hobby--he was a merchant marine and was an Exec. VP at International Shipholding--so he was not reliant on toy trains for income.
His company is called S&W Part Supply--Google it.
Posted on 12/25/15 at 9:35 pm to chinhoyang
This Christmas, my dad gave me an O gauge train set that he himself restored.
Model trains are his hobby. He wrote me a really touching letter explaining that my train set is about as close to an exact replica of the train set that he grew up with as a boy 60 years ago. Some of the cars are even 60ish years in age that he restored. The locomotive runs with the liquid smoke. He even hand built and stained a really nice wooden case for me to store it in.
Also in the letter he explained to me that this is the heirloom that he wanted to pass down to me and my 2 brothers (they both received one too).
It was really touching. It choked me up pretty bad. I mean that was years of preparation to put all those together. I became a model train lover today.
Model trains are his hobby. He wrote me a really touching letter explaining that my train set is about as close to an exact replica of the train set that he grew up with as a boy 60 years ago. Some of the cars are even 60ish years in age that he restored. The locomotive runs with the liquid smoke. He even hand built and stained a really nice wooden case for me to store it in.
Also in the letter he explained to me that this is the heirloom that he wanted to pass down to me and my 2 brothers (they both received one too).
It was really touching. It choked me up pretty bad. I mean that was years of preparation to put all those together. I became a model train lover today.
Posted on 12/25/15 at 9:36 pm to Marco Esquandolas
Know him well
Posted on 12/25/15 at 9:37 pm to ole man
If memory serves me right, the 611 is the "J" right?
Every once in a while, the SP 645 will make a run from the KCS yard on Airline in Metairie to Shreiver (outside Thibadoux where there is a wye to turn around).
It's pretty damn impressive to see her billowing ash 50 feet high and barreling down the BNSF mainline at about 45 mph!
I have a few pics I will try to find from a run 3 years ago.
She is a 2-8-0 Consolidation...
Every once in a while, the SP 645 will make a run from the KCS yard on Airline in Metairie to Shreiver (outside Thibadoux where there is a wye to turn around).
It's pretty damn impressive to see her billowing ash 50 feet high and barreling down the BNSF mainline at about 45 mph!
I have a few pics I will try to find from a run 3 years ago.
She is a 2-8-0 Consolidation...
Posted on 12/25/15 at 9:43 pm to ole man
I was sort of Bill's go to for all things TMCC--I was usually the first to get any new stuff TMCC related and could troubleshoot for some of his customers.
I may go visit him this spring.
He was fun to watch when he was working on a difficult train and was getting frustrated--he would start cursing like a sailor and slam tools down all the time
Bill and Cherlene are great folks!
I may go visit him this spring.
He was fun to watch when he was working on a difficult train and was getting frustrated--he would start cursing like a sailor and slam tools down all the time
Bill and Cherlene are great folks!
Posted on 12/25/15 at 9:44 pm to Marco Esquandolas
Google nw 611 and enjoy i have bunch of whistle sounds on my pc at home
Posted on 12/25/15 at 9:46 pm to TXGunslinger10
Good for you man--great story.
Posted on 12/25/15 at 10:03 pm to Marco Esquandolas
You woudn't by cjance know a rellow by the name of Gordy M in BR would you?
Posted on 12/25/15 at 10:18 pm to Marco Esquandolas
I love your power set up. I also appreciate the parts referral. I need some American Flyer standard gauge passenger car handrails.
I know you like the new stuff, but here's an interesting passenger car - from Dorfan made in the late 20s. Dorfan was the first toy train company to use diecasting, but they often had the wrong mix which causes many of their die cast parts to fracture and eventually break. The die cast metal also has paint adhesion issues. I used to have a lot of Dofran, but it is so delicate that I got rid of a lot of it.
This passenger car is part of a boxed set and is in about as good a condition as you'll see in Dorfan. The passengers inside are small, handpainted diecast figures.
I know you like the new stuff, but here's an interesting passenger car - from Dorfan made in the late 20s. Dorfan was the first toy train company to use diecasting, but they often had the wrong mix which causes many of their die cast parts to fracture and eventually break. The die cast metal also has paint adhesion issues. I used to have a lot of Dofran, but it is so delicate that I got rid of a lot of it.
This passenger car is part of a boxed set and is in about as good a condition as you'll see in Dorfan. The passengers inside are small, handpainted diecast figures.
Posted on 12/25/15 at 10:43 pm to Marco Esquandolas
quote:
What does the Bible have to do with toy trains??
thanks for proving my point, that nobody reads it...or cares...
Posted on 12/25/15 at 10:51 pm to retired trucker
You are right...I don't care.
Posted on 12/25/15 at 11:06 pm to chinhoyang
quote:
chinhoyang
Thanks for this thread
Bookmarking for future reference. I've always wanted to run a train under/around the Christmas tree and finally did this year after my son saw a cheap Christmas train set in Home Depot one day about a month ago and insisted on us getting it. He's been begging to play with it and I finally put it up this morning around 2:00am so that he could see it first thing when he woke up. He is 5 years old (high functioning Autistic with ADHD) and is a freak for trains. Mostly just into Thomas the Train stuff now, but every time we see trains (or hell even just the tracks) he makes note of it. I hope he continues once he gets older and calmer (he’d probably tear it up now and it’s far too expensive a hobby just for him to tear it up). I look forward to possibly sharing this as a hobby with him.
I used to have what I thought was a nice model train set years ago (don’t have a clue as to whether it actually was nice or not), but I loved it. I don’t have a clue as to what happened to it
My mom probably still has it somewhere, but that would be like looking for a needle in a haystack at this point. She actually had an old attorney friend of hers in BR who had a pretty sweet train set up in the attic of his mid-city home IIRC.
ETA: Bless his heart, he just woke up for something to drink, to watch a few minutes of Thomas and to take one of his new trains to bed with him.
I haven't read it yet, but just noticed this timely articlein the Advocate.
This post was edited on 12/25/15 at 11:17 pm
Posted on 12/25/15 at 11:06 pm to chinhoyang
I had the opportunity a couple times about 8 years ago to purchase a 1937 NYC Lionel 700E...that is the famous true "scale" model that was their masterpiece for the time. The problem is that over time, many of the 700e Hudsons have frames that have slight bends in them due to the lack of strength in the metal used at the time of casting.
It is difficult to tell the severity of the bend unless you pull the shell off and dig inside--which ain't gonna happen when looking to buy a 700E. They were going for around $7k back then, so I didn't buy it. I haven't checked in a couple years for one, but I just may start looking again.
I have a few Flyer pieces from the '30's, as well as Lionel pieces from the '20's, but not anywhere near the condition, value, and collectibility of the stuff in your collection. I like to say that I have at least one piece of Lionel from every decade...1900--2015!
I also have some Marx tinplate stuff in the attic. They used recycled tin and re shaped it into train cars. If you open them up, you can see the markings of what it was before becoming a train car. They saved money by not cleaning or melting it down--they just turned it inside out and painted the now outside!
The picture a couple pages back of the NYC train on my layout is Lionel's reissue of that very 700E, done up with all the bells and whistles (pun intended).
It is difficult to tell the severity of the bend unless you pull the shell off and dig inside--which ain't gonna happen when looking to buy a 700E. They were going for around $7k back then, so I didn't buy it. I haven't checked in a couple years for one, but I just may start looking again.
I have a few Flyer pieces from the '30's, as well as Lionel pieces from the '20's, but not anywhere near the condition, value, and collectibility of the stuff in your collection. I like to say that I have at least one piece of Lionel from every decade...1900--2015!
I also have some Marx tinplate stuff in the attic. They used recycled tin and re shaped it into train cars. If you open them up, you can see the markings of what it was before becoming a train car. They saved money by not cleaning or melting it down--they just turned it inside out and painted the now outside!
The picture a couple pages back of the NYC train on my layout is Lionel's reissue of that very 700E, done up with all the bells and whistles (pun intended).
Posted on 12/25/15 at 11:16 pm to CMBears1259
CMBears1259...
The modern Lionel starter sets are pretty damn indestructible--really!
The new FasTrack trackage system is well thought out and engineered for future expansion, and is totally plug and play. And all the operating accessories for kids is as easy as snapping it in. It is designed to work beautifully on carpet, floor, or even a layout board.
One of the best train shops in a 1000 mile radius is actually in Pontchatoula (I kid you not--I have been to hundreds over the years). Jeff Fowler is the owner. He has a big warehouse where his aluminum plating business resides and over the last 5 years has started to convert the front of the warehouse to a pretty large shop.
He has 5 operating layouts and a plethora of trains in every scale (G, Standard, O, S, HO, and N). He also has a massive amount of scenery materials and train stuff for kids.
It is on Hwy. 51 near I-55--right by the railroad tracks.
Take your son--he will have a blast!
The modern Lionel starter sets are pretty damn indestructible--really!
The new FasTrack trackage system is well thought out and engineered for future expansion, and is totally plug and play. And all the operating accessories for kids is as easy as snapping it in. It is designed to work beautifully on carpet, floor, or even a layout board.
One of the best train shops in a 1000 mile radius is actually in Pontchatoula (I kid you not--I have been to hundreds over the years). Jeff Fowler is the owner. He has a big warehouse where his aluminum plating business resides and over the last 5 years has started to convert the front of the warehouse to a pretty large shop.
He has 5 operating layouts and a plethora of trains in every scale (G, Standard, O, S, HO, and N). He also has a massive amount of scenery materials and train stuff for kids.
It is on Hwy. 51 near I-55--right by the railroad tracks.
Take your son--he will have a blast!
Posted on 12/25/15 at 11:20 pm to Marco Esquandolas
Oops--forgot to give the name...
It's called Electric Train Depot in Ponchatoula.
It's called Electric Train Depot in Ponchatoula.
Posted on 12/25/15 at 11:25 pm to Marco Esquandolas
Marco Esquandolas
Thanks for the information. I will definitely take the little guy to check it out.
Not sure if you caught my edit, but my little man just woke up briefly to watch a little snippet of Thomas the Train and to take one of his new trains to bed with him.
You ever been to the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago and seen their train display? My dad lives up there and I had to take my son to see it. Unfortunately he tried to push his sister out of one of the old train cars on display so we had to cut our visit short, but I think he was awestruck.
Thanks for the information. I will definitely take the little guy to check it out.
Not sure if you caught my edit, but my little man just woke up briefly to watch a little snippet of Thomas the Train and to take one of his new trains to bed with him.
You ever been to the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago and seen their train display? My dad lives up there and I had to take my son to see it. Unfortunately he tried to push his sister out of one of the old train cars on display so we had to cut our visit short, but I think he was awestruck.
Posted on 12/25/15 at 11:29 pm to CMBears1259
Lionel makes a Thomas set--your boy can't break it--I have one I put on the big layout when little kids come over.
The complete set ready to run with track, transformer, and train is around $250.
I believe Electric Train Depot stocks a few of them.
The complete set ready to run with track, transformer, and train is around $250.
I believe Electric Train Depot stocks a few of them.
Posted on 12/25/15 at 11:30 pm to Marco Esquandolas
Only cool Christmas train story was when I was in Europe a couple years ago ona train in the bar and met and got drunk with Adrian Smith and Dave Murray. My two guitar idols.
Janick Gers was there too but not a fan.
Janick Gers was there too but not a fan.
Posted on 12/25/15 at 11:32 pm to CMBears1259
quote:
and to take one of his new trains to bed with him.
that is cool
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