Like several earlier posters; my Lionel set came out when the Christmas tree went up and went away when the tree came down. Mom and Dad did finally consent to my keeping the platform accessible in a corner of the basement so I could run my train all year if I wished.
The reality was I rarely touched it outside of the holiday season. My friends and I spent most of our time outdoors, whether through the cold and snow of winter or the heat of summer. Winters meant snowball fights, sledding and building igloos. Summers meant cowboys and indians, ball games, bike riding and cave exploration among other things.
I still have my original Lionel train and it sees annual use around one or both of our Christmas trees. And; it’s still “original” meaning no wheel or pickup roller replacement.
Curt
