My favorite trains set of those that I am keeping is this 352E, first cataloged in 1930. This was my uncle's train set. Around 1949 going into 7th grade, I was transitioning from playing with Lionel trains to scale model railroading in HO. My uncle had this standard gauge set from his youth and wanted to have some trains for his kids for which he could buy more cars, etc. So I traded him my O gauge trains for this Standard gauge passenger train. It has worked as a Christmas display for my children and grandchildren in six houses and apartments for 50 years on loops as long as 70 ft.
Here's the view of the train that you can see entering my basement workshop. In the foreground is the tinplate passenger car part of my 1946-49 collection - every tinplate passenger car that Lionel made in those years.
After removing the O gauge cars, we see the 10E in its current home with a train of 332, 449 and 341 passenger cars. The 10E still runs well, after replacing a wheel that expanded a tenth of an inch due to zinc pest.
The freight cars above and the locomotives in the far background are more of my 1946-49 collection.
This set came in its original box and the individual boxes for cars and locomotive. You can see that it has survived a flooded basement floor.
