Hello all, I wanted to start a Christmas thread that everyone could post their tinplate Christmas pictures and videos on. I should have started this on the 1st, I guess better late than ever. I intend to update this thread throughout the month as I’ll be changing out the trains under the tree, and I encourage others to do the same. Merry Christmas!
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One of our “kids” likes watching the trains.
No pictures yet. I’m trying to decide what to do under the tree. I used to run my Olympic set but have a State set that would fill the space nicely. I’ve gotten a set of Show Room cars but am still trying to find a Brute to go with them.
My layout is still evolving, but here’s one shot & a video in action. Merry Christmas!
Yo Yojimbo! Still have that Olympian diner you got from me? :-)
Hey Art,
Autocorrect mauled my post earlier. It is your old Olympian diner with all the rest.
Ok, here’s my first Christmas 2020 update. This is an original Lionel 385E with original freight cars in tow. Do you notice Santa’s little helper under the tree?
Here’s a couple pictures of one of our other “kids” watching the train under the tree.
Hey Bill, is that a current picture or from a previous Christmas? Either way, it’s perfect.
Here is a restored Lionel 259 traversing our recently completed tree layout.
I’ve attached a video as well. Happy Holidays everyone!
John....in your first post you posted the video of the green Lionel Lines 2-4-2 engine and a string of cars. We're they from a set or all separate items? Thanks. Jim
Hi Jim, the pieces are bought separately. The only sets MTH offered that I can recall had either a 384E or a 10E for the engine and usually only came with a couple of cars, usually passenger cars. They also offered the coal train set that had a 318E, two coal cars and a caboose. That set was offered under the Lionel Corporation Tinplate brand. If you look at the catalogs, there were often pictures of a set of trains but typically the engine and cars were listed as having two different product numbers and were actually sold separately.
@Yojimbo posted:No pictures yet. I’m trying to decide what to do under the tree. I used to run my Olympic set but have a State set that would fill the space nicely. I’ve gotten a set of Show Room cars but am still trying to find a Brute to go with them.
There was a Brute on Ebay. Not sure if it's still there.
A preview of the next video to be uploaded later.
Ok, here’s the video, I didn’t have time to post it earlier as these videos take a while to upload.
This is the Lionel Fireball Express with a conventional motor. I thought the colors were very appropriate for Christmas.
I received my first electric train for Christmas 1951, a Lionel Lines O27 set, but I never forgot the real meaning of this special time of year and why Christians around the world celebrate it in the first place.
This Christmas is fast becoming a challenge to all men, women, and children, with the Corona Mess doing it's best to wreck just about everything in it's deadly path. I hope all model railroaders who can, will run their trains around the tree, while singing Christmas carols with family and friends together. I wonder if any "Brass Hats" ever considered filling up tank cars full of eggnog for the adults and loading gingerbread cookies in gondolas for the kiddies?
A Healthy & Happy Merry Christmas everyone.
Joe
What a great thread going here. I love the videos and pictures! Keep 'em coming! My tinplate will most likely go up this weekend.
This years set up
Unfortunately my kids are at the rambunctious ages of 12 and 14, and we have two dogs. The Non-Stop roughhousing and wrestling would destroy the trains. First year with no trains for me in a long long time. But I sure enjoy seeing everyone else's
@MartyE posted:What a great thread going here. I love the videos and pictures! Keep 'em coming! My tinplate will most likely go up this weekend.
Marty, please show us some pictures or better yet a video if you can.
elvisp, it’s looking real good and I like seeing the original trains still running after all theses years.
My humble under the tree layout...the PE (minus the toy car) and some of my cardboard glitter houses...
howard
Time for another update. This is an MTH American Flyer Brass Piper steam engine freight set.
@sawdust43 posted:My humble under the tree layout...the PE (minus the toy car) and some of my cardboard glitter houses...
howard
Looks great, Howard...a flashback to 1935. Lovely...
PD
jhz563, looks great, especially the little tin town. I found the Tardis but couldn’t find Jar-Jar and I don’t know what DD is.
@John Clifford posted:jhz563, looks great, especially the little tin town. I found the Tardis but couldn’t find Jar-Jar and I don’t know what DD is.
Why Donald Duck of Course!
If you can't tell, the display is mostly put up by the kids. I neatened it up a bit for the video. the train changes all the time as the tree give me an excuse to cycle through them. So far we have also had some doc Mcstuffins characters, A big hippopotamus-(because that's what everyone wants for Christmas!) , and I think sonic the hedgehog also made a brief appearance. The cookie tin houses are great. They are about $12 a piece, super colorful and detailed, and if one gets mangled or stepped on, it's okay! No broken ceramics to worry about and the kids can rearrange them anyway they want. On Christmas eve the elves usually shove them to the back until them mayhem subsides. It's not a super fancy setup but letting things actually get played with makes it more fun. the tinplate trains will disappear for most of the afternoon in favor of a Lion chief Christmas switcher and open top cars for passengers. I have received a special request to have the Polar Express running on Wednesday since my first grader's teacher will be reading that story in the evening over a google meets video call. 2020 is certainly interesting
pvman...
I’m fortunate to have the same Coca Cola polar bear work car set...it brings a smile to the face of everyone who sees it!
Howard
A short video of my MTH 260e B&O set around the small layout this year.
Cheers !
Boy, I tell ya, those STD Gauge Tinplates look amazing under the tree. Makes me wanna get a set.
Thank you for the pics and videos!
MR P, nice video, that’s a great Christmas village and I really like that B&O set. I like the Christmas tree with the blinking lights, do you remember where you got it?
MikeH, that looks fantastic. Could you show more of that layout, I’d love to see the rest.
@John Clifford posted:MR P, nice video, that’s a great Christmas village and I really like that B&O set. I like the Christmas tree with the blinking lights, do you remember where you got it?
Thanks !
Yes, it's a Lemax model bought after christmas for 50% off at Menards.
@John Clifford posted:MikeH, that looks fantastic. Could you show more of that layout, I’d love to see the rest.
Thanks, John. I haven't shot many videos or pics this year but here's one more from last night. I'll post more in the coming days.
Ok, our next installment of Tinplate Christmas 2020 features an MTH reproduction of the Ives Black Diamond passenger train. Enjoy.
My under the tree tinplate.
Christmas, 1937:
Looks like a mechanical Marx M-10005 City of Denver set.
Whopper of a Christmas tree, for sure.
PD
After 20 years stored in the attic, The Old Man's Western Coil/Consoli Zephyr makes it return to its rightful place under the Christmas tree:
Hard to believe he's been gone two decades.
PD
Happy Christmas everyone, this year we did a holiday video featuring the standard gauge train set, all set to a period recording. Enjoy!
please click the family friendly YouTube link below:
@Kenneth Klemmer posted:Happy Christmas everyone, this year we did a holiday video featuring the standard gauge train set, all set to a period recording. Enjoy!
please click the family friendly YouTube link below:
https://youtu.be/axIv0KjB5wI
Ken, simply superb !!Can't wait until the "colorized" version comes out - LOL
Really marvelous!
I especially appreciate the period, quality music.
The spouse trying to convince me to build an outdoor layout. After seeing this picture I was tempted but the idea of all the maintenance in keeping an outdoor layout functional and operable is more effort than I am willing to put in. But the picture sure made me think.
@SPIKE posted:The spouse trying to convince me to build an outdoor layout. After seeing this picture I was tempted but the idea of all the maintenance in keeping an outdoor layout functional and operable is more effort than I am willing to put in. But the picture sure made me think.
All I can say is WOW!!!!!!
Wish I had the energy for something like that.
Ray
Cool, but the front pilot truck is derailed.
@Kenneth Klemmer posted:Happy Christmas everyone, this year we did a holiday video featuring the standard gauge train set, all set to a period recording. Enjoy!
please click the family friendly YouTube link below:
Simply beautiful. I love the period effects!
Tim
@Kenneth Klemmer posted:Happy Christmas everyone, this year we did a holiday video featuring the standard gauge train set, all set to a period recording. Enjoy!
Ken,
An outstanding layout, four trains at once! I love the operating semaphore, and the whole thing. Thanks for posting, and Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Merry Christmas everyone!
A lot of memories in that video PD. Thanks. Do miss RJ.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Merry Christmas everyone! Just finished converting over to my holiday themed layout. The six grandkids are over for a visit, and had just enough time for this quick video. There is still nothing better than the clickety clack of vintage tinplate and the rumble of plywood. Hopefully will get some more pics posted soon. Everyone enjoy the next few days with family and friends.
@Rich Wiemann posted:Merry Christmas everyone! Just finished converting over to my holiday themed layout. The six grandkids are over for a visit, and had just enough time for this quick video. There is still nothing better than the clickety clack of vintage tinplate and the rumble of plywood. Hopefully will get some more pics posted soon. Everyone enjoy the next few days with family and friends.
Love it! Spectacular!
This should be the Christmas Day edition but I will be working tomorrow so it will be posted today. This is my son’s train which I bought for him as a Christmas present about eight years ago, he’s 16 now and still enjoys running his train. He asked if we could run his train on Christmas Day, so we saved his train for last. It’s an MTH reproduction of an Ives passenger set. Merry Christmas to all my Tinplate friends.
A beautiful set, for sure.
@John Clifford posted:This should be the Christmas Day edition but I will be working tomorrow so it will be posted today. This is my son’s train which I bought for him as a Christmas present about eight years ago, he’s 16 now and still enjoys running his train. He asked if we could run his train on Christmas Day, so we saved his train for last. It’s an MTH reproduction of an Ives passenger set. Merry Christmas to all my Tinplate friends.
JC,
What a beauty! What is the name of the set?
In my world, Santa had a rough year in 2020. Due to Covid19 restrictions, only 1/3 of his elves could be in the shop at one time. This forced Santa to outsource to other toy makers to meet production goals. This cut heavy into his bottom line. PPE and extra cleaning expenses hurt him bad too.
As a result Santa did not have the money to lease a shiny Christmas train this year. He barely could afford the ratty, rusty, roachy train he did get.
Hope everyone else had great time.
@Craignor posted:What a beauty! What is the name of the set?
The set was listed in MTH’s 2008 catalog, it doesn’t have a name as far as I know. I believe it was originally an Ives salesman’s sample set, so originals are very rare.
One more after Christmas video from the blooper reel, nothing a twist tie couldn’t fix. Disclaimer: No trains were harmed in the making of this video.
@handyandy posted:In my world, Santa had a rough year in 2020. Due to Covid19 restrictions, only 1/3 of his elves could be in the shop at one time. This forced Santa to outsource to other toy makers to meet production goals. This cut heavy into his bottom line. PPE and extra cleaning expenses hurt him bad too.
As a result Santa did not have the money to lease a shiny Christmas train this year. He barely could afford the ratty, rusty, roachy train he did get.
Hope everyone else had great time.
That's hilarious, LOL 
A sneaky Marx NYC copper peeking 'round the corner..
Seems a Bumble was spotted trying to scale the Lionel City station.
G-Man24: do you know anything about that pic? Very interesting track plan (at least what we can see of it).
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