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So my little boy is turning four at the end of the month, and while we have a 12x7 L in the basement, he is now getting old enough to have his own stuff, and be able to actually operate. My mom and dad bought him a train set for his birthday that was just for him. They found a nice Lionel Scout 2-4-2 set from a few years ago on clearance at one the LHS in Cleveland. We wanted to make today a little special for him, so first we took him to the Conneaut Railroad museum and looked at all of the great things they have there and then take him out to "Train Papa's" house to give him the train.

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I grew up in Ashtabula, so I remember going there to look at "Toodles" when I was little. My little boy said that it was the Polar Expresses Big Brother.

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NYC Track speeder

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Nickel Plate 755, they've painted it since the last time we were here

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When we got back to my parents place, my dad brought out a box.

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"IT'S A LIONEL!!!" My boy couldn't believe it and started to try and rip the box open.

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Huge smile, he also loved the fact that he got a second copy of the Lionelville movie boxed with it.

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Deftly working the control

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My dad, bored wife, and son with the train. I talked to my dad one time, he said that my Grandfather worked for NYC. When they were little, they'd go all over on the trains, but they never had enough money to afford a train set for him. He said that sometimes they didn't have enough money to eat and would have to go down the side of the road picking up bottles for the deposit on them so something like a train set was out of the question.

He loves trains as much as me and my boy so he wants to make sure they have train sets. He's currently building a monstrosity in the basement to play around with for him and the boys but sitting there watching my son play with it tonight brought a big smile to his face.

Wanted to share, what simple loop of track and little engine can do for someone. My son is currently got the engine in his bed sleeping with it.

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Last edited by Aldovar
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Ed, this was a joy to read. With all the technology and changes in the hobby, we often forget how utterly timeless your last three photographs are. They so perfectly express the joy that so many of us in past generations also experienced.

"IT'S A LIONEL!!!" I don't doubt for a moment that those very words have been exclaimed many times before.

Lionel stater products don't get a lot of attention, excitement, and in some cases, respect today. I have yet to have a DOA or any serious defects in 25 years of buying these sorts of products. And ironically, they're made in the same place that all the other trains are made at.

I'm not going to even begin to try and compare a Lionel 2-4-2 Scout with the features, accuracy and details in many of the more advanced trains made today. Yet as I look at the posted photos above (especially the last one) of the boy, crouching down with joy and admiring the train, I can totally relate. It's called imagination.

The technology in trains today has done much to help the 3-rail hobby. Yet it's not necessary that the trains need to be expensive or have all the latest features to appear "realistic" to your son... and to me too.

Thanks for sharing this.

PS: This is not a put-down of the higher end products of today. One product line does not negate the other. Where would the hobby be without TMCC? Maybe the same place it would be without stater sorts of products.

That is the best story I have read in a long time.  Your little boy is very lucky to have you all for family.   

I can remember when I was little getting a set for Christmas.  While I wanted to sleep with the engine I was only able to sit it on the dresser and leave a small night lite on so I could see it.  

I believe you have made another Lionel man.

Ed

Thank you all for the kind comments. I know they really love the trains and I love doing it with them. This community has been so great to me from the really awesome people that have given me help, to the people I've met, to the things I've bought from people that I could never of had to buy new.

A few last pictures for all of you. We got the set back home and we set it up in the living room. I had a few pieces of fasttrack laying around so I made the loop a little bigger. I am not sure if I'm going to do a door layout for him or just put the FT on a board, or leave it loose and get it out on demand.

This is Henry and his little brother watching the train with his hotwheels and monster trucks.
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Me when I was little with my train set

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And as close as I can to recreating it with my boys in the basement12987083_10102147758202532_2087917644419611888_n

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Aldovar posted:

Thank you all for the kind comments. I know they really love the trains and I love doing it with them. This community has been so great to me from the really awesome people that have given me help, to the people I've met, to the things I've bought from people that I could never of had to buy new.

A few last pictures for all of you. We got the set back home and we set it up in the living room. I had a few pieces of fasttrack laying around so I made the loop a little bigger. I am not sure if I'm going to do a door layout for him or just put the FT on a board, or leave it loose and get it out on demand.

This is Henry and his little brother watching the train with his hotwheels and monster trucks.

Me when I was little with my train set

13001069_1174339375923321_7706100201225283050_n

And as close as I can to recreating it with my boys in the basement12987083_10102147758202532_2087917644419611888_n

Great story. Interesting observations: you had the same hair as a child that your older son does now while the younger guy has the same hair style that you do now! Keep us updated!!

I'd like to point out the track being loose may promote building and problem solving if you allow him to do as he pleases. A few extra curves and straights so it can be a little more than just an oval and visual geometry is put to the test too

Then again the under the bed layout was always ready to go, and kept the hardwood floors in better shape.

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