Are you going to have trains running under the tree this year?

  We always had a loop or two going around the tree on a 4x8 area with the tree in the middel, this year I want to do it differently, the tree is 7.5' high so the trains were basicly on the floor.  This year I want to build a foam layout 6'x10' beside the tree. I like to do it with the stiffer foam,pink or blue and frame it with 1x4' and brace it underneath with cross supports 1x4s every 2 to 3' under the foam.

I want to elevate the layout about two feet and rap the old brick paper around the framw, like my father did back in the fifties and sixties.

I will then store the layout in my garage with bicycle pullies like I am doing with the Halloween layout, this way I do not have to rebuild it every year as I am getting older and bending it getting to be a bit of a problem.

The layout will contain two loops one with a minumin 072 curves on the outer loop and a double track over and under that crossover on one corner, it basicly is a single track however with the crossover in the corner the track takes the apperance  of a double track in the center loop. the layout will also contain our collection of porcelin houses and figures.

Merry Christmas to all!

John P

No, not under the tree but YES, definitely have a holiday layout this year.

It's 7.5 x 10 and is in the room directly behind where we put up the tree.

Two lab puppies (4 months old) and trains are probably not a good idea.

They chew everything!!!

 

Here's a pic of the layout so far.  Not quite finished but getting there.

 

Yes! The 2026 comes out at Christmas and runs excursion trains every year. I Have a mobile toddler this year, so I'm trying to figure out how to keep it and the tree away from him.

Not under the tree, but around it elevated a couple feet (horse shoe).  Need room for the kids' presents under there!

We usually cut a tree the week before Christmas, a tradition that I started with my wife and daughter about 15 years ago when my daughter was 5.  This was something my sister and I use to do with my Dad when we were little, although trees no longer cost $1/foot like they did when I was younger!

 

I use to really enjoy setting up a small layout under the tree.  That is, until we got out Kerry Blue Terrier eight years ago!  With this dog (and probably most terriers), dog and moving trains on the floor don't mix. 

 

Love the dog more than having a train under the tree (heck, I have a nice size layout in the basement anyway) so I stopped setting up the train under the tree several years ago.

 

Jim