I got my first set in 1962, a Lionel C&O GP7 with some space cars. Only 5 years old, so needed help getting them on the track. Switched to HO when I was about 8 - Dad was an HO guy, so we had a lot of stuff to play with
Added a Super O layout in 1968, from a large group of trains owned by a deceased Vietnam soldier.
Started into Standard Gauge at about the same time - all 3 gauges running in separate layouts on top of each other, snaking through a converted 2 stall garage
What we (Dad and I, always together at meets and building layouts) didn't have then
Standard gauge (which is my current obsession) - 400E, State Cars, 200 series freights, 381E, and none of the new fangled Modern Era stuff (Lee Lines Daylight, Hendrichs GG1, Richart Cascade, McCoy Cascade, MTH Ives 1134 and AF Brass Piper, Williams 408E, Glenn Toy freight cars, and on and on.
In O - I lusted for a GG1 for a long time - one finally came around on an HO for O trade (imagine that). Never had the Jersey Central FM (but did score a nice Virginian late one). Still don't. Congressional Set (settled for a repro).
Many others that didn't exist when I was young, especially the ones with sound
Jim
