gandydancer1950 posted:gandydancer1950 posted:gandydancer1950 posted:Moonson posted:For me, the influence and interest were not so much inspired by how "do" real trains affect me, but by how much they did affect me, as a boy.
Simply put, back in the 50's, when I was a boy, trains were everywhere in the metropolitan Pittsburgh area, and especially in my hometown of McKeesport, wherein trains traveled right across the main drag several times a day as they proceeded into and out of the steel mill there.
We could be close enough to them to feel their power and see their might very close-up.
Somehow, PRR became a chief interest among my purchases.
The presence of the steel mills in life influenced me, also, in my having a factory area on the layout,
within view of a neighborhood of houses, just like in real life for me, along with a row of well-worn bars
for the workers to patronize on their way home from work, just like in real life in McKeesport, in those days.
Then, of course, my parents' Christmas train layout was the clincher.
Once married, my wife was totally interested in my taking over the entire basement, if needed (which it was), with a model train layout. As I constructed and reconstructed the layout several times, since 1995, I grew to be interested in having it at least look something like realistic
, as much as my imagination could make possible, often featuring some of the old small-businesses that characterized my hometown area, though operating it prototypically never interested me for my own playtime. I just wanted the trains to go in uninterrupted smooth circles, with no hiccups or stumbles so I could speak with guests while the whole ten trains and one trolley menagerie rolled along, as everybody drank their champagne (each operating session is a celebration) and compared their personal little discoveries of little details and vignettes here-n-there.
FrankM
P.S. I gave the circa of vehicles on the layout only a passing-interest, keeping an eye more on their average age representation than on whether they would be accurately representing a particular era. Frankly, I indulged myself, considering myself at play, not at work, as I made my layout, over time, taking my time, with vehicle purchases, selecting cars, in particular, that I had wished I had owned in the past, in real life, more than I remained faithful to a 40's, 50's, or 60's look. That became especially true as I developed the habit of welcoming children to reach up onto the layout for a favorite vehicle to take home with them, something I have done for some adults as well.
Frank I cannot put into words how similar our experiences and childhood history are! It truly is amazing.
Except, I'm a Cleveland Browns fan!
gandydancer1950 posted:gandydancer1950 posted:gandydancer1950 posted:Moonson posted:For me, the influence and interest were not so much inspired by how "do" real trains affect me, but by how much they did affect me, as a boy.
Simply put, back in the 50's, when I was a boy, trains were everywhere in the metropolitan Pittsburgh area, and especially in my hometown of McKeesport, wherein trains traveled right across the main drag several times a day as they proceeded into and out of the steel mill there.
The presence of the steel mills in life influenced me, also, in my having a factory area on the layout,
Then, of course, my parents' Christmas train layout was the clincher.
Once married, my wife was totally interested in my taking over the entire basement, if needed (which it was), with a model train layout. As I constructed and reconstructed the layout several times, since 1995, I grew to be interested in having it at least look something like realistic
FrankM
P.S. I gave the circa of vehicles on the layout only a passing-interest, keeping an eye more on their average age representation than on whether they would be accurately representing a particular era. Frankly, I indulged myself, considering myself at play, not at work, as I made my layout, over time, taking my time, with vehicle purchases, selecting cars, in particular, that I had wished I had owned in the past, in real life, more than I remained faithful to a 40's, 50's, or 60's look. That became especially true as I developed the habit of welcoming children to reach up onto the layout for a favorite vehicle to take home with them, something I have done for some adults as well.
Frank I cannot put into words how similar our experiences and childhood history are! It truly is amazing.
Except, I'm a Cleveland Browns fan!
Bottom left corner my 671RR Lionel set....1952, all uphill from then, with cowboy boots.
