LET'S SEE YOUR TRAINS UNDER YOUR CHRISTMAS TREES

Wow Alex, between the Micky Mouse Train and the wonderful Christmas tree you sure know how to set the bar High! Just Lovely!

Thanks Mike !!

Rob very nice video, I guess it's just you and me that have trains under our tree !! LOL !!!!

Thanks, Alex 

Mine's in the works as we speak . It's classic postwar style !

Merry Christmas! 

This is our second year with a train around the tree. Last year we just had the MTH Rugged Rails Broadway Limited with the track on the floor. This year we added the new LionChief Hogwarts Express on a second elevated track.

Unfortunately I won't be able to add the scenery until after Christmas, but it should make for a fun project in 2017.

A 35 Second • Video Christmas Card from Train Room Gary.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daaEoNtSnv0

We will run a Lionel Polar Express around the Christmas Tree.
Merry Christmas.

Gary

hutchback posted:

This is our second year with a train around the tree. Last year we just had the MTH Rugged Rails Broadway Limited with the track on the floor. This year we added the new LionChief Hogwarts Express on a second elevated track.

Unfortunately I won't be able to add the scenery until after Christmas, but it should make for a fun project in 2017.

Very nice - that two level approach is just what I've been envisioning!

Mine will have to wait a little while; I have to install new flooring next weekend before I can get the tree up.

Ok, the attachment  tool is back after waiting all day....???

Mine is a little on a small side this year.

I chose not to have a set up with a large tree with a loop around it (mostly because I didn't want to take up alot of floor space and I didn't want the cat to get into it), but still went with a full Lionel theme! 

I placed my small tree on this table, dressed with nothing but Lionel ornaments (including some of my favorite Hallmark ones from over the years), I then placed my prewar 217 caboose under the table, and lastly placed my 50 Gang car, my 1055 Texas Special FA-1 and my boxed up gold 700E ornament at the base of the tree...and there you go!

Christmas at my home this year! 

From last year... Not sure I'll have a tree up this year so for now.

Our tree won't even go up until next month.  It's still too early in my book.

And with all that stuff under your trees, where does Santa leave the gifts?  If I were to put that much under the tree Santa would think I have enough trains and wouldn't get me any more!

Just finished up yesterday.  I love trains under the tree.  My outer loop is Standard gauge while the inner is O Gauge Fastrack.

Went with an O gauge loop with the Christmas cars this year.

An oldie

And a funny looking ornament

Simple layout but wifi capable. This is my test for the wifi and it is pretty cool to operate. My granddaughter was impressed using her I phone.

got Uncle Jim's Turbine and the town set up today. He liked doing a nuclear town, so that explains the giant chickens on top of the diner. And farmer Brown cleans up after the deer and the horse get a drink.

bluelinec4 posted:

An oldie

 

And a funny looking ornament

See your starting new memories!

Trains not under the tree but the tree is next to the layout 

and my Dad's/Uncle Jim's $1 Commodore pulls some varnish

ILike trains but the kids are better

1953 American Flyer "The Crusader" least expensive in the catalog. It has run every year since then at Christmas

A few years ago......RMT BEEF's pulling the Polar Express while the steamer gets a rest!!!

What more could a boy want......train, motorcycle, dump truck and cowboy outfit!! 

 All I got was the Dump Truck! But then again now I am getting the train stuff. But so are the grandbabies.

mike g. posted:

 All I got was the Dump Truck! But then again now I am getting the train stuff. But so are the grandbabies.

I didn't know how lucky a kid I was!!!! 

AMCDave posted:

I didn't know how lucky a kid I was!!!! 

Did any of us? 

No trains under my tree anymore, or at least there hasn't for the past several years. Here are some photos of the last few Christmas layouts....

Christmas 2009, HO scale. This actually worked quite well. The HO trains ran very well under the tree, about 6 hours a day, non-stop - much to my surprise! Especially since the engines used had been unrun, entombed in display cases for about 5 years and were not lubricated before being put on the track. This was the last year I ran anything HO. My good sized HO collection has returned to the display cases and non has run since Christmas 2009. No plan to run any of it, no track to do so. I think the display cases have only been opened once or twice since! In this photo, my Bachmann Spectrum N&W "Baby Trainmaster" leads a pair of beautiful Toronto "GO Transit" bi-level commuter cars. 

Christmas 2010 (and would continue to Christmas 2012 I think) - LGB G Gauge, Imported from Germany! I've always loved LGB products, especially the Stainz locos from Austria. I was so, so tempted to buy another LGB Stainz set for this year but didn't really have room for the large trains nor could I really justify the ~$400 bill for a train that may run a few hours and set up for about 2 weeks a year. I also have No G Gauge track or power supply. The LGB set, along with a Bachmann EBT coal hopper enjoy a display shelf in my basement. My local "chain" LHS was once a large LGB dealer and where I purchased the PRR set. They are now big into Piko. I've been interested in Piko products, I like the look of their 0-6-0 tank engines. Not sure about the quality however...

This year - I've been adding each year to my Department 56 collection. This year I went a little overboard. Instead of buying one building this year like usual, I bought.....6!!! The "Snow Village" with some Dept. 56 and Lemax are in the dining room while my Dickens Village collection is under the tree. Looks nice I think! No trains, once again this year and no train ornaments - a first! 

On my layout are 3 MTH Christmas boxcars. They'll be running a few weeks more....!

Hope all here have a wonderful holiday season!

I hope the layout being "under the tree" counts, since the train doesnt fit under the other tree here.

AMCDave posted:

A few years ago......RMT BEEF's pulling the Polar Express while the steamer gets a rest!!!

What more could a boy want......train, motorcycle, dump truck and cowboy outfit!! 

 

 

Dave,  Is that you in the cowboy hat posing with your Christmas loot?

YEP!!! In Ashland KY just off the 4 track C&O mainline!! My first memories are trains!! 

TURTLE 2 posted:

1953 American Flyer "The Crusader" least expensive in the catalog. It has run every year since then at Christmas

Wonderful post and pics--like you, my first Lionel trains were bought by loving parents with meager/modest funds in the PW years.

Thanks for sharing.

AMCDave posted:

YEP!!! In Ashland KY just off the 4 track C&O mainline!! My first memories are trains!! 

That's a priceless picture!  Additionally, that dump truck is almost as big as you are.

Some wonderful pictures and videos everyone!

I always come back to OGR around December to check out the annual Christmas layouts thread.  Definitely my favorite thread.  Here's a video I posted a few years ago...

I was looking through some files this summer and found a short video clip that didn't make the final edit shown above.  It's "Scruffy in the Way"...

A few more pics at...

http://www.jeff-z.com/lionel/index.html

Hello My friends, I love all your trains under the Christmas tree they all look very nice and beautiful,it makes Christmas for me the best time of year to play with my trains and have lot of fun with them under the old Christmas tree. You all got great photos of your Christmas layouts. Thanks for showing them too. Thanks longbow57ca. Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year you all and have lot fun with your trains too. Thanks.

My son's batman subway set is in the interior loop, plus my MTH Big Boy and SD70aCE on the outer loop.  Thinking of expanding this so it runs around half of the living room.

Great trains and trees so far, this really brings out the Christmas spirit !!!

Alex

Here is a older video in 2012.A G scale train under the christmas tree. Haven't had one under it since.

Don't have any current photos, so I have to display from the archives.

We've been including trains with our Christmas Village since 2011 when I got back into trains.  In 2013 we did the trains on the floor around the tree with a combination O Gauge and Disney Monorail.

Will be putting up the village this week.  Still determining the location and the layout design at this late stage 

#8 from 1930.

Here's a shot of the layout from last Christmas.

Amfleet25124 posted:

 

Will be putting up the village this week.  Still determining the location and the layout design at this late stage 

Great photos from everyone.

Don't recall ever seeing that structure before Kevin, may have to go see the real thing one day!

I spent part of my Honeymoon at the Contemporary.  If I knew how the marriage was going to go, I would have jumped in front of a monorail or pushed someone.

pbuff posted:

My son's batman subway set is in the interior loop, plus my MTH Big Boy and SD70aCE on the outer loop.  Thinking of expanding this so it runs around half of the living room.

Only half? 

From the archives:

From a few years back...

PD

Wow, I really like the diffused lighting in the center.

....and peppermint stick stanchion poles.

....and loop shape.

...and electric lines.

and...and ...and..that's so nice!

ClarkA posted:

The 1936 American Flyer Burlington Zephyr was purchased by my Grandfather from the Burlington store front on Michigan Av. in Chicago on December 24, 1936/37??  Apparently he walked in there and wanted to buy their display.  They stated it was not for sale, but he insisted everything was for sale.  He set it up that late evening for my Dad for Christmas morning, and unfortunately it is 100% mine this Christmas. The above photo is many years old (Christmas 2005?).   I always loved the Burlington Zephyr locomotive because it resembled my favorite that I saw daily.  Rock Island's AB6, "Old Flat Face"!   My Dad did some commuting from Beverly Hills (Chicago area) to downtown in the 50's.  He hated the Aerotrain so much, he would wait for the next train.

You guys are doing a GREAT JOB!!!

I had all intentions of putting up a brand new Christmas Layout this year, but things got a bit hectic. I constructed three 3x5 tables back in September to form a 5x9 ft window layout. Then my Dad got sick and wound up in the hospital and now in a nursing home. With spending a lot of my free time lately with Dad (I'm an only child and Mom passed away 7 years ago) I was lucky to get the tree up. I will at minimum get a loop of track under it, perhaps this weekend. But right now I'm thinking about the guy who got me started 60 years ago.

Merry Christmas to all my OGR friends!

Skip

Here's last year's layout.

I morphed Christmas into the beginnings of my new O scale modular layout. Hopefully I'll have much more to show this time next year.

The Johnsons' already have their tree up, as do the good parishioners of

St. Francis!

This is not my layout, but found this on youtube.   The white 'snow' surface makes the Atlas track look nice.

Here's the video:    Christmas Train

pd posted:

From the archives:

PD

That's one of the cutest layouts that I've seen, from the base design on up.

Dave

    Bearville. With the Bearville & Polar Railroad, Added more buildings and another street this year

Here is an update on my 2016 MTH O Scale Christmas Layout. i hope you like the pictures.

Well my take on trains under the tree is not as exciting as the rest of yours, but they are still under the tree.

Lowes2win posted:

Here is an update on my 2016 MTH O Scale Christmas Layout. i hope you like the pictures.

I love the back drop.  Very peaceful setting.  Great job!

Just a reminder to everyone, if you're going to respond to someone's post with "Reply with Quote", don't repost all their pictures again. This just clutters the thread. You can easily delete the photos from you post before posting.

Dtrainmaster posted:

pd posted:

From the archives:

PD

That's one of the cutest layouts that I've seen, from the base design on up.

Dave

It was the result of an OGR Forum contest a few years ago...build a small holiday layout. This thing was four foot square...fun little project. I wanted it to be a figure-eight that folded back inside itself, but the 45-degree crossing I ordered arrived with a defect and it was too late to return/replace/include. Those peppermint sticks were a bear, lol.

PD

Lowes2win posted:

 Now THAT'S a Christmas Card!

trainroomgary posted:

A 35 Second • Video Christmas Card from Train Room Gary.

...We will run a Lionel Polar Express around the Christmas Tree.
Merry Christmas.

Gary

Merry Christmas, Train Room Gary!!!  Great video!!!

Dennis GS-4 N & W No. 611 posted:

trainroomgary posted:

A 35 Second • Video Christmas Card from Train Room Gary.

...We will run a Lionel Polar Express around the Christmas Tree.
Merry Christmas.

Gary

Merry Christmas, Train Room Gary!!!  Great video!!!

Hi Dennis

Thanks for watching and commenting & Merry Christmas...........

The Erie is now providing service to the North Pole.

Blank slate - let's see what I come up with!

pd posted:

From the archives:

From a few years back...

PD

That really is a fantastic use of space, awesome pd!

Roger TEB posted:

    Bearville. With the Bearville & Polar Railroad, Added more buildings and another street this year

Very nice.The miniature train running in the center of the layout is very interesting can you post some close up photos of it?

I keep it simple...

Jon  

Thanks for all the great pix, and, the great thread!

So here's where I got to by about midnight:

Dan986

The little trains in the middle are Hallmark ornaments sitting on n scale track. made to look like a park train

Harry Potter and The General

Absolutely no trains are on the first floor of the house, so the tree stands alone.

However, in the basement trainroom, the layout itself  gets various neighborhoods decorated for Christmas, which includes a Holiday Parade in the village neighborhood.

FrankM

Absolutely amazing photos everyone!! 

Thanks for posting !

Alex

Just a circle of G gauge, keeps the cat entertained.

Boxcar load of Christmas Trees from western Pennsylvania arrive in the yards at Riverside Park.

Merry Christmas!

Skip

ed h posted:

Just a circle of G gauge, keeps the cat entertained.

 

I see a Manx (tail less breed) in the making!!!!

Cool trains and cat! 

NYC Fan posted:

Boxcar load of Christmas Trees from western Pennsylvania arrive in the yards at Riverside Park.

Merry Christmas!

Skip

Great looking layout...more pics???

My new tinplate set running under the tree:

-Greg

The small trains on N gauge track in Bearville

New store I picked up at the TCA meet in Acworth

NYC Fan posted:

Boxcar load of Christmas Trees from western Pennsylvania arrive in the yards at Riverside Park.

Merry Christmas!

Skip

A handsome and intriguing scene, there, Skip. Got more?

frankm

So much for "Lack of Christmas posts" ,lol...

That looks GREAT. 

A framed photo of the Marquardt family Christmas tree in 1979 and a close up of the MPC/Lionel train running around it.

Roger TEB posted:

The small trains on N gauge track in Bearville

New store I picked up at the TCA meet in Acworth

Just a thought,Jouef made a nice line of HO narrow gauge trains way back that run on N gauge track.The steam engine is a nice looking Christmas train and the freight cars can be loaded with tiny toys.This engine still runs great after many years.Somebody still makes the freight cars,but the engine is a rare find on Ebay.

Dan986 posted:

The top photo is from 2014 and I just found a photo of my Dad setting up the train for the first time back in 1984.It was a LGB Marshall Field's passenger set.I remember my Dad taking me to the Marshall Field's store in downtown Chicago to see the toy department in the late 70s to early 80s.The toy selection was very impressive.I was just there again last week.It is now called Macy's and the toy department is long gone.  

Moonson posted:

NYC Fan posted:

Boxcar load of Christmas Trees from western Pennsylvania arrive in the yards at Riverside Park.

Merry Christmas!

Skip

A handsome and intriguing scene, there, Skip. Got more?

frankm

Here you go.

Feels like NYC to me.

Nice job Lad!

I am in the process of setting up the Xmas Tree at home. I decided to use my just fixed MTH Imperial Big Boy (PS2 version) as the train this year. In the photo the Locmotive is not visible since I am still placing ornaments on the tree, so I parked it in the back of the tree. The track is the older MTH Realtrax with the solid rail and control is a DCS remote commander.

NYC Fan posted:

Moonson posted:

NYC Fan posted:

Boxcar load of Christmas Trees from western Pennsylvania arrive in the yards at Riverside Park.

Merry Christmas!

Skip

A handsome and intriguing scene, there, Skip. Got more?

frankm

Here you go.

ABSOLUTELY AMAZING !!!!!!!!

Tree up and decorated, no problem.  Getting the train up and running took longer, but finally got something going.

All rollingstock except for the silver roof cattle car are RMT items.

Trains under Christmas trees

Grandad's old Marx train under the tree this year, as the one I used last year is under our school Christmas tree. That 495 looks pretty nifty with the silver boiler.

Just a simple circle track. But my 18 month old son gives clapping approval to his older sister running the train.