First time running trains since Dad passed

Jeff,

I'm glad to hear you ran trains. Your Dad is smiling, I'm sure. How fortunate we are to have the trains as tangible reminders of our loved ones who are no longer with us.

I hear you, Jeff. I lost my father last fall and it's been tough going in his train room, too. My last photo of him was with my son and our pastor's son running the trains. Every now and then when I go and visit my mom, I'll sneak downstairs and put them through the motions. Even my mom has a smile on her face when I return upstairs and she says how nice it is hear them running. I'm sure I'll be doing the same next Sunday for Father's Day. I know his spirit will be there with me.

Rob

@Jeff_the_Coaster_Guy posted:

I didn't think I'd want to mess with them for quite a while. It's only been a couple months, and so many memories tied up into that layout that Dad and I built together.

But I forgot that my kids also lent a hand here and there, and while we were over at my parent's house earlier to help clear out some damage from a fallen branch (that Mom was always trying to get Dad to cut down), my daughter asked if we could go down and run the trains.

She's never asked before.

We spent 2 hours together running trains and operating all the accessories (which Dad never bothered with, even though we spent way too much time installing and wiring them!)

It was cathartic in a way. We just had some fun, no strings or emotional baggage attached.

This post hit a cord. When I set up the Christmas display around the tree, my first set gets the place of honor. I get sad thinking about all the times I would get up early and there it was, around the tree with a new addition near by, trains………..so much more than just a toy.

great times!

for me my love of trains started with dad and running them today keeps the memories alive!

A great way to honor your Dad's memory, he's living on through the trains.

That's great Jeff. I'm sure your daughter had as much fun remembering her grandpa as you did.

Bob

Fond way to honor your Father and her Grandfather. I can only hope my daughter and granddaughter look back on the memories and do something similar. ❤️

I am reluctant to open postings like this, that remind of people you care about, and who so obviously cared about you.

Jeff, it speaks volumes to the relationship you had with your Dad. Obviously, that is understood by your daughter. Ultimately, it’s not just the layout but the bond that existed long before the layout commenced. It’s the bond that you are now sharing with your children.
Jay

Thanks for sharing your touching story and I'm sorry to learn of your loss.  It's great to learn of your daughter's desire to run trains - your dad definitely had an impact on her life.

- Greg

Thanks Jeff for posting this, I have had my own losses this past year and am finding it very hard to get back to the things we enjoyed doing together. Tears come and go but smiles and memories do show up more often as time goes by.

Best to you and your family

Jeff-it is nice you were able to share once again your father's layout with your kids.  My dad's layout didn't last long enough after he died for his grandchildren to have a conscious memory of it.  He did show if off regularly to other neighborhood kids who now would be old enough to have kids of their own.  I wonder if any of them got into trains.