Just got the "tree layout" set up- tree and decorations aren't yet done but will post a pic when they are.
Anyone else out there have a "tree layout' pic or video to share???
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Just got the "tree layout" set up- tree and decorations aren't yet done but will post a pic when they are.
Anyone else out there have a "tree layout' pic or video to share???
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Still looks very cool Joe!
Chinatrain99,
I can relate. Today my wife used the "enforcer" (squirt bottle) on our 6-month-old kitten too many times to count, as he tried to rearrange my small near-the-tree layout. His breed likes water so it takes some doing to get the message across! This is why I made the entire layout magnetic per my post last month. If a cat knocks over a tree, as can be seen in the image, I just upright it and it stays standing no matter where I put it.
I plan on putting one around our tree this year, but our tree isn't up yet, and I think I need more power drops for my PE LionChief when I do get it up, it seems to stop or slow down quite a bit the furthest distance from the Transformer, maybe we will get our tree up this week. I will try to remember to post pictures when I do get it set up, though no buildings.
tcochran posted:I plan on putting one around our tree this year, but our tree isn't up yet, and I think I need more power drops
Rule of thumb, one power drop for every six track joints.
Got a nice new 'round the tree layout plan ready. My eBay shipment of extra track came in today. Trains were banished from around the tree as a result of the great "Coal Smoke Incident of 2012". The ban has been lifted this year as the result of a request by our 4 year old Granddaughter to her Grammy.
The same layout (just a circle of Lionel tubular track) in different years with different trains and different trees:
Regards
Fred
Does three 4x8's and some 2x4's leaning against the living room wall count? i hope to start today.
This is my first attempt at a Christmas Village. I never really had a train as a child apart from a brief HO loop. We bought a used O27 Lionel set last year to go around the tree and my son enjoyed it so much I decided to expand it this year. We went from 10ft of track to 100ft with DCS, two switches, a new MTH loco, a bunch of new/used cars, and a bump trolley. The village is mostly used pieces from ebay with a few new pieces.
The attention to detail some of you have is amazing, so I've lurked without joining the forum for several months. I've learned quite a bit from you all already!
pretty much got Uncle Jim's Nuclear Village set up (oversize chickens roaming the town) and need to bring some rolling stock up.Of our three cats, one totally ignores the train, one will occasionally bat the Cabin Car, and the third will do a Catzilla bit and walk thru town.
You people are unbelievably creative. My hat is off to you all!
Shife posted:This is my first attempt at a Christmas Village. I never really had a train as a child apart from a brief HO loop. We bought a used O27 Lionel set last year to go around the tree and my son enjoyed it so much I decided to expand it this year. We went from 10ft of track to 100ft with DCS, two switches, a new MTH loco, a bunch of new/used cars, and a bump trolley. The village is mostly used pieces from ebay with a few new pieces.
The attention to detail some of you have is amazing, so I've lurked without joining the forum for several months. I've learned quite a bit from you all already!
Shife, your set up is unreal! I wish the wife would let me take up that much real estate for Christmas!!!
Janitor John posted:Shife posted:This is my first attempt at a Christmas Village. I never really had a train as a child apart from a brief HO loop. We bought a used O27 Lionel set last year to go around the tree and my son enjoyed it so much I decided to expand it this year. We went from 10ft of track to 100ft with DCS, two switches, a new MTH loco, a bunch of new/used cars, and a bump trolley. The village is mostly used pieces from ebay with a few new pieces.
The attention to detail some of you have is amazing, so I've lurked without joining the forum for several months. I've learned quite a bit from you all already!
Shife, your set up is unreal! I wish the wife would let me take up that much real estate for Christmas!!!
Thanks! The wife thought it was kinda "dumb" when it was still a scarm rendering, but she's quite happy with the result. Our 4 year old loves it, and that's what I was aiming for.
As my Std. Gauge layout table took over the entire front room of the house, there is no room for a full size tree this year. After seeing many new and old pics posted, I decided to add a 4 ft artificial tree on the front window end of the layout. Pulled off the two 444 roundhouse sections to make room for it, which gave me a little extra space to add some recent acquisitions. Today the tree got its skirting added, but its not lit or decorated just yet. that will happen this weekend most likely.
Decided today that I'll run the MTH repro gold Millennium AF President's Special set on the outer loop, and the MTH repro 392E steam loco, followed by a "Vixen" Christmas passenger car, and the Stephen Girard 3 car passenger set on the inner loop for this holiday month.
Thank you! That was my very first (and so far only) scratch build and was it an exercise in trial and error! Ugh...
- Nick
I might as well just go with a stationary train under the tree like NJCJOE showed above. Thank you for the idea Joe! Our dog is a good dog, but she just can't stand the train running and nudges the engine off the track. I run trains on a 4 x 8 Christmas layout in a bedroom one of our adult daughters vacated a few years ago.
Nick R. posted:Thank you! That was my very first (and so far only) scratch build and was it an exercise in trial and error! Ugh...
- Nick
Nick, I just now noticed the Montreal Canadiens water tower. I love it!
GO HABS GO!!!
I posted some pictures earlier, but thought I would include a short video as well showcasing two of our favorite Christmas sets from MTH.
Enjoy!
IC fan posted:
Awesome, so great to have both the memory and the photo! (And your dad was/is a sharp dresser!)
My first Christmas at my current home in 2006. The train is a K-Line Reading 4-6-2. For some reason, this is the only photo I took of the holiday that year.
On the "triple track" somewhere west of Naperville: the Zephyr, a road switcher, and the Polar Express!!
It's not exactly under the tree this year, but I'm going to be working to finish the layout today, but this is as it looked last weekend for our shows at the Redford Theatre. Other than the lack of trees and a bunch of other details, it was pretty much completed for the shows. We put the trees out on Tuesday evening and will be wiring in all the lights today. Just in time for our first Christmas movies this weekend.
I started building this layout in 2011, and it's been awesome being able to share my collection with thousands of people every year. My family and friends have also contributed many things to the display, not to mention volunteer time with getting it all together. Forum Member Mark B has been working with me on it since 2013.
We expanded the layout by 6 feet this year, so it is now 26 feet long by 8 feet deep compared to 20x8 last year. Considering that when I started in 2011, I was doing a 12'x8' layout, we've come a long way. Donations from people like Gary Hart (forum member), the Detroit Historical Society, Tony's mower shop, and more have really helped it grow to where it is now. Last year we had 16,000 people through the theater during the period the layout was assembled, not including private events. We were also one of the runners up for this year's MTH Blue Comet Award.
Nick R. posted:
Nick, how tall are those hockey players and where did you get them? I have the Stiga Stanley Cup Hockey game, but my players are closer to 1:32. I would love to find something smaller and nicely posed.
I usually run a simple loop under the tree.
I don't think we are even putting up the tree this year? I now have a three rail high line downstairs.
My friend Jim Z usually has a nice Polar Express set up for Christmas that I wish I had pics of.
Carey TeaRose posted:As my Std. Gauge layout table took over the entire front room of the house, there is no room for a full size tree this year. After seeing many new and old pics posted, I decided to add a 4 ft artificial tree on the front window end of the layout. Pulled off the two 444 roundhouse sections to make room for it, which gave me a little extra space to add some recent acquisitions. Today the tree got its skirting added, but its not lit or decorated just yet. that will happen this weekend most likely.
Decided today that I'll run the MTH repro gold Millennium AF President's Special set on the outer loop, and the MTH repro 392E steam loco, followed by a "Vixen" Christmas passenger car, and the Stephen Girard 3 car passenger set on the inner loop for this holiday month.
Carey,
Love that Presidential engine. It is so classy looking! Not sure if you need the Pass cars, as there is a set listed on the famous auction site. Great Pics!
Joe Gozzo
Jim R. posted:Nick R. posted:Nick, how tall are those hockey players and where did you get them? I have the Stiga Stanley Cup Hockey game, but my players are closer to 1:32. I would love to find something smaller and nicely posed.
They are "Impact! Miniatures" its a company I think in England that does mostly fantasy game figures, but also does hockey figures in resin or metal. I went with the metal and I am very happy them!
http://www.impactminiatures.com
- Nick
Not much but my 2 year old niece loves it!She insists i run the "Choo choo"whenever she visits! [url=https://postimg.org/image/lo5ahftr3/][img]https://s19.postimg.org/62nyxhhsz/20171130_143337.jpg[/img][/url]
rjsmithindy posted:I posted some pictures earlier, but thought I would include a short video as well showcasing two of our favorite Christmas sets from MTH.
Nice Rudolph set! That RTR catalog was one of their best.
Looks great, Chris!! Looks like an interesting ride for the train!
Postwar mayhem featuring a Lionel paper train! Enjoy!
Nick R, the rink couldn't have turned out any better. Definitely a game winning goal.
Atoz, nice track plan for under the tree, very interesting.
pennytrains posted:Postwar mayhem featuring a Lionel paper train! Enjoy!
ROTFLMAO ...with coffee all over my lap after the "door issue" was uniquely solved.
...yes, of course I let the credits roll past too. I expected no less from you
I did enjoy, very muchly
pennytrains posted:Postwar mayhem featuring a Lionel paper train! Enjoy!
Pennytrains, That is a very imaginative and time consuming project! I enjoyed the whole video!!
SantaFe158 posted:It's not exactly under the tree this year, but I'm going to be working to finish the layout today, but this is as it looked last weekend for our shows at the Redford Theatre. Other than the lack of trees and a bunch of other details, it was pretty much completed for the shows. We put the trees out on Tuesday evening and will be wiring in all the lights today. Just in time for our first Christmas movies this weekend.
I started building this layout in 2011, and it's been awesome being able to share my collection with thousands of people every year. My family and friends have also contributed many things to the display, not to mention volunteer time with getting it all together. Forum Member Mark B has been working with me on it since 2013.
We expanded the layout by 6 feet this year, so it is now 26 feet long by 8 feet deep compared to 20x8 last year. Considering that when I started in 2011, I was doing a 12'x8' layout, we've come a long way. Donations from people like Gary Hart (forum member), the Detroit Historical Society, Tony's mower shop, and more have really helped it grow to where it is now. Last year we had 16,000 people through the theater during the period the layout was assembled, not including private events. We were also one of the runners up for this year's MTH Blue Comet Award.
Looks great! I think a Williams GM BL-2 Demonstrator would look great running on the layout.
How about we send a few dollars towards a new Williams engine for the layout?
Adriatic posted:pennytrains posted:Postwar mayhem featuring a Lionel paper train! Enjoy!
ROTFLMAO ...with coffee all over my lap after the "door issue" was uniquely solved.
...yes, of course I let the credits roll past too. I expected no less from you
I did enjoy, very muchly
That was one way to solve it.
I also so that the Doctor was in as much trouble as always.
My first Christmas tree layout. I slapped this together last night. Not sure if I'll install a scene on the bare half as we're a presents-under-the-tree family.
pennytrains posted:Postwar mayhem featuring a Lionel paper train! Enjoy!
Amazing! Wonderfully done. You have a lot of movie talent, for sure.
How did you do the scene where the car and house trailer pulled up to the tracks and stopped as the train went by? The car and trailer are stop action and the train looked to be pure video. How did you combine the two techniques?
Basil posted:My first Christmas tree layout. I slapped this together last night. Not sure if I'll install a scene on the bare half as we're a presents-under-the-tree family.
Mighty fine looking, Basil!!
RoyBoy posted:pennytrains posted:Postwar mayhem featuring a Lionel paper train! Enjoy!
Amazing! Wonderfully done. You have a lot of movie talent, for sure.
How did you do the scene where the car and house trailer pulled up to the tracks and stopped as the train went by? The car and trailer are stop action and the train looked to be pure video. How did you combine the two techniques?
Ha! I fooled you! I was surprised myself at how good it came out! I didn't even put power to the rails till after I had removed the locomotive to make the train easier to push. But you'll notice I didn't push my luck by turning on the banjo!
The paper train, by the way, is a Greenberg repro, I forgot to mention that in my post. It will be on the move again soon as I still have one more layout to visit! By then I'll either look like this: or this: . Probably both!
Your vehicles showed it was no problem going over O gauge tracks! It reminded me of stop action photography like the Gumby show on television when I was growing up! Excellent!!
Mark Boyce posted:Your vehicles showed it was no problem going over O gauge tracks! It reminded me of stop action photography like the Gumby show on television when I was growing up! Excellent!!
Yeah, I didn't want it to look too good so I only used about a tenth of the photos realistic animation requires. Fits in better with the whole toy theme if it looks a might hinky and primitive in my opinion.
pennytrains posted:Mark Boyce posted:Your vehicles showed it was no problem going over O gauge tracks! It reminded me of stop action photography like the Gumby show on television when I was growing up! Excellent!!
Yeah, I didn't want it to look too good so I only used about a tenth of the photos realistic animation requires. Fits in better with the whole toy theme if it looks a might hinky and primitive in my opinion.
Every 10. Yes the effect came out real good! Just like they did way, way back when we first got a television!
HO-HO-HO err in this case O-O-O. NICE LAYOUTS EVERYONE
Ours is simple, has to be otherwise my dogs would take it apart while we are at work all day. Our layout is comprised of my father's 1948 Lionel 1423w set, purchased second hand from the neighbor family who's boys had lost interest. Slept in my grandparents closet till Christmas day 1978 when the Tyco HO sets I was given died in short order that morning. It was that day that I got my first real exposure to Lionel trains. Only addition is a Lionel milk car and platform. The platform is mounted to the riser table all the time, cant find the box with the milk car, its buried somewhere in my train room. The 1655 has been remotored with a NOS power chassis from Madison Hardware right before they closed up in NYC. I have the original one, but its so worn out that she barely runs in forward direction. I also upgraded her to roller pickups from the 1656 switcher which shares the same drive chassis. I have added a couple more ceramic buildings that hide the tree base. Tree is a live one this year. Enjoy and Merry Christmas. Mike and Michele T
Mixed trains modern with post war. Lionel post war steamer pulls Polar Express. Texas Special pulls Mickey Christmas. AN LC + Pennsy Mikado pulls my childhood milk car and barrel car. A ps3 Santa Fe loco pulls 90s era silhouette passenger cars that I love so much. Some tin Marx goes around the Skating rink. Finally, just for fun, the Zombie train, because why not? Add Scrooge’s house, counting house, and Bob Cratchits place and the North Pole village, and there it is.Fun!
My layout is not under the tree, my tree is IN my layout!
Moved two 444 Roundhouse sections to make room for the tree, and added a post-war 115 Lionel City station.
Here are my old trains under the Christmas tree 2008 - 2016.
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
pdxtrains posted:Mixed trains modern with post war. Lionel post war steamer pulls Polar Express. Texas Special pulls Mickey Christmas. AN LC + Pennsy Mikado pulls my childhood milk car and barrel car. A ps3 Santa Fe loco pulls 90s era silhouette passenger cars that I love so much. Some tin Marx goes around the Skating rink. Finally, just for fun, the Zombie train, because why not? Add Scrooge’s house, counting house, and Bob Cratchits place and the North Pole village, and there it is.Fun!
PDX, great layout and mine is a mismatch as well. My temporary Christmas layout is my only layout for the year so this is when it all comes out. One word of advice though: take your videos with your phone in the horizontal position. The viewers get to see more.
A little Standard Gauge on the floor and O above.
Santa and a helper have tied down their handcar on the QA&P house track next to the depot and headquarters while Red Visney brings the Polar Express northward toward Amarillo on the FW&D mainline. Frosty enjoys the action, cigar-in-mouth!
She likes PRR
Joe, Looks good! Does she like egg nog too?
yankspride4 posted:
One of the nicest designs I've seen. Never thought that I would like a white tree, but it blends very well with the snow flowing down the hill. The houses being on that slope rather than on a flat surface, and covering the figure 8 to hide part of the trains journey, makes it very interesting.
Dave
Mark Boyce posted:
Nice cozy look to your set-up, Mark. I see you have a spotlight aimed to catch Santa coming out of the chimney!
Dave
Dtrainmaster posted:Mark Boyce posted:Nice cozy look to your set-up, Mark. I see you have a spotlight aimed to catch Santa coming out of the chimney!
Dave
Yes Dave, I still have to hook up the motion sensors and cameras!
Thank you Dave! The location and thin tree was my wife's idea.
Dtrainmaster posted:yankspride4 posted:One of the nicest designs I've seen. Never thought that I would like a white tree, but it blends very well with the snow flowing down the hill. The houses being on that slope rather than on a flat surface, and covering the figure 8 to hide part of the trains journey, makes it very interesting.
Dave
Thank you Dave for the compliments! Really appreciate it. I'm proud of this one.
Here's a shot that shows the platform without the snow and houses and a quick video.
The Polar Express layout looks great Jim!!
Matt_GNo27 posted:
In followup to my earlier post, for my around-the-tree Christmas layout, I use the K-Line K-950 20 watt AC transformer that came with my first train set, the K-Line K-1702 Great Northern Flyer. (I use the WBB 00233 80 watt AC transformer for my modest permanent layout detailed here.)
As you can see, my Christmas consist consists of two non-operating cars, a motor-driven aquarium car, and a lighted caboose. The MP-15 lacks sound. I am a little surprised that such a puny transformer can handle the inclusion of the aquarium car.
This week I made two additions. First, I picked up a K-Line K-952C controller, so that if I run one of my other locomotives, I can use their whistle/horn and bell features. Then I decided to add a momentary switch, normally on, to use as a direction-change button. Not only is that nice for my own use, but it gives my son an easy-to-use action feature. The switch was too tall to fit inside the K-952C controller, and I could not figure out how to open up the transformer to see if it would be possible to install the switch internally. I resorted to our old friend JB Weld, and rather ungracefully mounted the switch to the exterior. Aesthetics aside, it works just as I had hoped, and my son has enjoyed starting, stopping, and changing the train's direction. Sometimes, he tries how quickly he can cycle through the reverse unit. :-)
Last night I swapped out the MP-15 for my Lionel 6-28687 SP&S Dockside Switcher #600, and soon discovered the limit of the transformer. With the smoke unit turned off, the whistle worked as it should, however, once the smoke unit was on, the whistle ceased to work. After a couple of minutes of running with smoke, the transformer's circuit breaker tripped, thus giving me the upper limit of the transformer's capacity.
Didn't we do this already ? That's okay, it always nice to see pictures. We love pictures. Here's a shot of my first time in a long time Christmas layout. haven't had one for many yeas. hopefully, next year I can be a bit more artistic.
As I stated I can't run trains under the tree because the little dog likes to nudge the engines off the track, so I posted a static train under the tree.
So here is what I have going on a 4 x 8 table in what is now a spare room. (Whoops!! I see the new Polar Express foursome look like they were hit by a passing train!!) See if you can pick them out!
Mark Boyce posted:As I stated I can't run trains under the tree because the little dog likes to nudge the engines off the track, so I posted a static train under the tree.
So here is what I have going on a 4 x 8 table in what is now a spare room. (Whoops!! I see the new Polar Express foursome look like they were hit by a passing train!!) See if you can pick them out!
Very nice Mark! Great little village you have there. Love the church - sometimes we forget the reason.
Sean
We only have the outer two tracks in place so far. No accessories yet. A bit hard to see the tree here, but it’s a good tour of what we have done so far.
Sean007 posted:Mark Boyce posted:As I stated I can't run trains under the tree because the little dog likes to nudge the engines off the track, so I posted a static train under the tree.
So here is what I have going on a 4 x 8 table in what is now a spare room. (Whoops!! I see the new Polar Express foursome look like they were hit by a passing train!!) See if you can pick them out!
Very nice Mark! Great little village you have there. Love the church - sometimes we forget the reason.
Sean
Thank you, Sean! Yes with all of the expectations of others, I need to remind myself sometimes!
Here is my Christmas layout for 2017
Mark the Christmas layout looks great!
RSJB18 posted:Mark the Christmas layout looks great!
Not to bad for my first try I guess.
Merry Christmas Everyone!!
Paul
This is our first layout around the tree. I bought everything new and we are having a good time with it! It’s an O-60 loop with one siding. I have a BN Lionel Chief Plus switcher that’s fun to run with the remote. I’m going back to the hobby shop tomorrow to buy another switch and track for a second loop!
RSJB18 posted:Mark the Christmas layout looks great!
Thank you, Bob!!
Blake, Paul, Memphisflyer, they all look great!! Well done!!
Our tree has rotating shifts when the train runs no cats and the rest of the time our two cats take over.
MG,
Here is the little 4X6 Under the Tree Christmas RealTrax village layout in the Formal Living Room, featuring the Lionel/Hallmark Toymaker Santa Express for the kids. My better half wants all white bulbs in the village buildings to match the all White LED lighted Christmas Tree, she is out right now purchasing more white bulbs for the village buildings.
PCRR/Dave
All we need to do now is decorate the Christmas Tree!
Joe,
Great Photo! Santa might want to be careful and have some dog treats coming into the house however!
Merry Christmas "Loco" good boy.
Joe are you moving over to Pa or are you still going to be in NJ after your home move.
PCRR/Dave
Here's our "A Christmas Story" themed layout. Arthur the cat loves to camp out under the tree, and is far less destructive than the Bumpus Hounds.
Pine Creek Railroad posted:Joe,
Great Photo! Santa might want to be careful and have some dog treats coming into the house however!
Merry Christmas "Loco" good boy.
Joe are you moving over to Pa or are you still going to be in NJ after your home move.
PCRR/Dave
Dave,
I am temporarily living in New Tripoli, Pa. at the moment. Waiting on finally getting our permanent home, hopefully early next year.
MERRY CHRISTMAS
Joe,
I went VA as we purchased our new home and it took us a while to get final approval because of the very low VA interest rates, hope everything works out for you with your new home loan approval.
Merry Christmas buddy!
PCRR/Dave
These are pics of my Dad's trains at my Grandparents home in Beaver Falls that was built in the '50s.
Dad's 1684 and tender,1677 gondola,1680 tank and 1682 caboose
1684 and tender on a siding,6656 stock car,3461 lumber car,260 bumper and 1122 switch. Dad passed these all down to me after I got married.
Dad's 1684 and his/Uncle Jim's/now my Commadore
Is the cat on layout trend new this year?
My cat camps out under the tree as soon as it hits the floor. We usually have to set up the trains around her.
pennytrains posted:Postwar mayhem featuring a Lionel paper train! Enjoy!
Hey I saw that blow mold teddy bear! COOL.. Very nice layout and filming!
Sounds like a little one is enjoying the train too, Tom! That's great!
Some have seen in person. But if you have not. Here is our Christmas Tree Layout in Store!!!
National Railroad Worx
Mahwah NJ
The tree looks great, and there are some really neat gifts under the tree too, Wanda!!
WickedWanda44 posted:Some have seen in person. But if you have not. Here is our Christmas Tree Layout in Store!!!
National Railroad Worx
Mahwah NJ
Saw it and the National Railroad Worx Christmas Tree is amazing!
I really like the lights-under-the-stand idea. That's a novel approach.
Not able to do much this year. Put up the 3-foot tree I got for Mom for her last Christmas 2002. Mom passed four-days after that Christmas.
Just listened to her favorite Carol "Ave Maria" man that was kind of hard!
Anyway place a loop of O36 FasTrack on floor under tree. Brought out my variation of the Polar Express set. I pickup four Lionel PE cars (Marionette, two-Coaches and an Observation car) off of eBay their first year. Then pickup the Hot Chocolate car from local dealer later. But pickup a much more robust MTH RK Berkshire "Pere Marquette" #1222 loco. With the PS-2 can protocast movie sound track to/through loco.
Mark Boyce posted:The tree looks great, and there are some really neat gifts under the tree too, Wanda!!
Our tree is ALWAYS filled with lots of Fun goodies for ALL AGES!!! Lots of bright orange boxes usually !! hahah
RonH posted:WickedWanda44 posted:Some have seen in person. But if you have not. Here is our Christmas Tree Layout in Store!!!
National Railroad Worx
Mahwah NJ
Saw it and the National Railroad Worx Christmas Tree is amazing!
Thanks for stopping by! It def. is a must see during the holidays! Plus the RIDE ON TRAIN THAT GOES AROUND IT!!! Ahh kids go nuts!!!
I've built this back in 2000 and set it up each year. It stores flat up against a wall in the basement. It has an operating trolley that is a converted Corgi with Q-car trucks and runs off the overhead trolley wire. When my wife limited the size to the space under the tree, multi level was the way to go. It is satisfying enough that I have never felt the urge to change it.
Mark Boyce posted:Sounds like a little one is enjoying the train too, Tom! That's great!
That would be my older (4 yr old) granddaughter. She loves running trains. Her younger sister got her up to speed with the Lionchief controller. We have a 20 month old with "The Knack".
KUDOs to Lionel for a remote that the youngest among us can operate!
Whew! Looks like Santa is going to clear that trolley by just a little bit!!!
Looks great!!!
Finished layout looks great, Nick!! I sprinkled snow on mine two years ago, but didn't last year. I haven't done it yet, but may do so. I like the icy look of the edging on your table a lot! The hockey game looks good there! Reminds me I have the old hockey game my brother and I used to play with the twisty sticks to control the players. Actually it is the second one. We got one about 1970 and as my dad said, we didn't break it, we wore it out. So I bought another in the late '70s and still have it. Of course it is bigger than that nice rink you have!!
Thank you, Mark! I love the look of the sprinkled snow, but I'm not looking forward to cleaning it up!
Nick, Yes that was the problem. I was careful not to put any snow on the track or engines, but when I got them out this year, there was snow on them from two years ago. I think it came from not getting it all off the snow blanket.
carsntrains posted:pennytrains posted:Postwar mayhem featuring a Lionel paper train! Enjoy!
Hey I saw that blow mold teddy bear! COOL.. Very nice layout and filming!
Thanks! Part of my outdoor display that I've been too sick to set up for the last 15 years.
Note the Coca Cola Sundblom Santa playing with the Standard Gauge train.
Rudolph, Hermie and misfit toys ride in 512 gondola while chocolate milk from "Holly Berry Farms" arrives in 516 oil car. Loco, tender and caboose were based on Hallmark ornaments.
Mickey and company were supposed to look like they were on the platform of a heavyweight observation with the bell plaque acting as the drum head.
Christmas 1972:
This train started it all for me on Christmas day 1969.
Mark Boyce posted:Nick, Yes that was the problem. I was careful not to put any snow on the track or engines, but when I got them out this year, there was snow on them from two years ago. I think it came from not getting it all off the snow blanket.
I sprinkled a layout I had on a ping-pong table in the basement with....you ready for this?......lime. You know, that white powder stuff dad used in the garden? I'll take cleaning up plastic snow flakes over the mess that lime made any day!
Finally got to picture of the layout this year under the tree!
Merry Christmas to all!
Dennis
These pictures are from the Christmas layout that our club runs at the Toledo Zoo for the Lights Before Christmas (the #1 light display in Ohio!) The zoo is the section of the layout that I am in charge of.
Andrew Gallousis posted:
Thankyou for your service, Lt. Go Argonauts
Andrew Gallousis posted:I just got home from deployment just in time to set up my seven month old daughter’s first Christmas train layout. It isn’t much, but it’s been great sharing the hobby with her.
Thank you for your service and may you and your faintly have one of the best Chrimas’s ever
Andrew Gallousis posted:
Andrew, I suggest when your daughter is a little older, that you put O Scale figures on your layouts. Then, you can tell her stories of where the little people are going, what they are doing, etc., like I did with my daughter when she was little. It's like playing with dolls and in my experience little girls love this.
don't have room under the tree with all of IZZY'S presents there...
here she is counting down the days till Christmas
have a Merry Christmas everyone !!
Here's mine. I was waiting for this thread to pop up again. Our tree this year, is the top to our normally 12' tall tree. It's just the wife and I this year and she wanted an all Train theme. The ornaments are all of my Hallmark Lionel ornaments collected from over the years. The buildings are Santas Workshop, Dept 56, and Heartland Valley. My mom did the embroidery panel a few years ago.
Arnold D. Cribari posted:
Our orange tabby didn’t stake out space under the tree, surprisingly, but she is the only one of the five cats that we have had over 17 years to invade my basement layout.
We have had a Christmas tree train for the last few years, which was limited in space thus I used Lionel O31 track with 10" straights on long side and 5" straights on short side.
This year we rearranged the living room and delegated a little more Christmas tree space. We agreed that the train would completely distract from the tree. I also decided to upgrade the track to O42 curves and appearance with Ross track.
I decided on a Williams UP GP9 followed by two MTH Christmas boxcars, a Lionel red CNJ PS-2 covered hopper, and ended with a MTH Chessie yellow bay-window caboose.
(notice the my newest purchase: a Menards panel truck)
I love all the photographs of the trains under the trees everyone.
Andrew, Congratulations for getting home in time for Christmas with your family. Thank you very much for your service!!
Andrew Gallousis posted:
It's because of great men like you, Andrew, who have served this country so well, that we can all dream and pursue happiness with our children and trains. Isn't it wonderful that you, Andrew, can do that now with your daughter and trains.
Wishing you all, my fellow train enthusiasts and dreamers, joy and happiness during this holiday season.
My outdoor Christmas Train!
The last Christmas Train Garden my father and I built together before he passed in 1977 was the Lionel disappearing train layout. One of my greatest memories. 40 years later, my son and I created our own version
Merry Christmas
dennish posted:
Santa Claus won't want to ever leave your house!
Thank you also to Dan for his outstanding service to our country (which I just read in his profile) and for introducing me to "Follower" on this forum.
Thank you everyone for the comments! It's truly great to be home with my family.
Merry Christmas to you all!
2017 Christmas Layout featuring my new. 20-20764-1 Santa Fe F3 A unit PS3 2016 Engine. I have a mix of scratch built structures including the switch tower pictured and several others along with alot if Menards fill in structures along with some animated Lemax scenes and over 1200 lights if you include the tree which is part of the layout. All of it is turned on and off by a few remotes . I have up to 3 trains running at the same time. 2 on the main line and siding and 1 on the separate modified figure 8 track. They are all controlled by 1 DCS Remote. All engines are MTH. I used over 75 pieces of Lionel fastrack. This year I used Scarm to design the layout before building it. It seemed to work out much better using that design software. I have 1 TIU and 1 AIU with 2 remote switchs for the main line siding. The layout is approximately 16ft by 5ft. I installed over 175 passengers in the Santa Fe cars including a full vista dome car which had about 16 screws to disassemble but worth the time. I cannot run long trains on the main line because I'm operating 2 at the same time and only have a 14ft siding which I can only park a shorter train which works out well since both are only being pulled by 1 working engine. It takes about a month to finish it but I keep it up atleast until mid February. I started this 8 years ago when my grandson was born and it's grown every year. I have several videos over the years showing the expansion and growth of the layout on you tube under (David McVicker) which is simply put down on the carpet over a white blankets and the fake snow rolls to cover 10 miles of wire lol. I have several LED lighted vehicles I made thanks to Evans designs in Colrado. A few Illinois State police cars pulling over a drunk driver who's sitting on the hood of his car. A few other vehicles and I also use several of there LEDS in all of my structues from a wood burning stove in the fire lookout tower to the police cars. I have 3 blue LED bendable 3ft trees that run on 2 d batteries that come on at 4pm and shut off at midnight. I used LEMAX field lights to highlight several of my animated scenes and a pictures wirh Santa Claus scence i made. I could go on and on but the pictures and videos speak for them selves.i hope you enjoyed my Christmas O Scale train layout.
SteveC posted:
David,
What a great tribute to your dad! The layout looks great! That's a lot of elves working hard, and ready to take a break 'surfing'?
You have a lot of great scenes all captured in a relatively small area!
Lowes2win posted:2017 Christmas Layout featuring my new. 20-20764-1 Santa Fe F3 A unit PS3 2016 Engine. I have a mix of scratch built structures including the switch tower pictured and several others along with alot if Menards fill in structures along with some animated Lemax scenes and over 1200 lights if you include the tree which is part of the layout. All of it is turned on and off by a few remotes . I have up to 3 trains running at the same time. 2 on the main line and siding and 1 on the separate modified figure 8 track. They are all controlled by 1 DCS Remote. All engines are MTH. I used over 75 pieces of Lionel fastrack. This year I used Scarm to design the layout before building it. It seemed to work out much better using that design software. I have 1 TIU and 1 AIU with 2 remote switchs for the main line siding. The layout is approximately 16ft by 5ft. I installed over 175 passengers in the Santa Fe cars including a full vista dome car which had about 16 screws to disassemble but worth the time. I cannot run long trains on the main line because I'm operating 2 at the same time and only have a 14ft siding which I can only park a shorter train which works out well since both are only being pulled by 1 working engine. It takes about a month to finish it but I keep it up atleast until mid February. I started this 8 years ago when my grandson was born and it's grown every year. I have several videos over the years showing the expansion and growth of the layout on you tube under (David McVicker) which is simply put down on the carpet over a white blankets and the fake snow rolls to cover 10 miles of wire lol. I have several LED lighted vehicles I made thanks to Evans designs in Colrado. A few Illinois State police cars pulling over a drunk driver who's sitting on the hood of his car. A few other vehicles and I also use several of there LEDS in all of my structues from a wood burning stove in the fire lookout tower to the police cars. I have 3 blue LED bendable 3ft trees that run on 2 d batteries that come on at 4pm and shut off at midnight. I used LEMAX field lights to highlight several of my animated scenes and a pictures wirh Santa Claus scence i made. I could go on and on but the pictures and videos speak for them selves.i hope you enjoyed my Christmas O Scale train layout.
Great looking layout! You went all out, especially with the lighting and all the passengers!! I really like the overall effect besides the small scenes! I also like the big cross on the wall above!
Have a blessed Christmas!!!
Andrew Gallousis posted:Thank you everyone for the comments! It's truly great to be home with my family.
Merry Christmas to you all!
I'll say it again; I'm glad you are home with your family, and I thank you for serving our country!!
Merry Christmas!!
Mark Boyce posted:SteveC posted:David,
What a great tribute to your dad! The layout looks great! That's a lot of elves working hard, and ready to take a break 'surfing'?
You have a lot of great scenes all captured in a relatively small area!
The one time a year when HO fits into O gauge fun.
I watched Gremlins last night and wondered if I could melt these guys into monster shapes and put them next to all the PS2 engines that have blown boards. (maybe N scale people - for next year)
Thanks for looking.
Garret Shelly's Diner looks good. You should have posted in the Diner's on Layout thread a while back.
Steve C. Love the elves. Are they HO people? that was a lot of red and green paint.
Mark Boyce posted:Lowes2win posted:2017 Christmas Layout featuring my new. 20-20764-1 Santa Fe F3 A unit PS3 2016 Engine. I have a mix of scratch built structures including the switch tower pictured and several others along with alot if Menards fill in structures along with some animated Lemax scenes and over 1200 lights if you include the tree which is part of the layout. All of it is turned on and off by a few remotes . I have up to 3 trains running at the same time. 2 on the main line and siding and 1 on the separate modified figure 8 track. They are all controlled by 1 DCS Remote. All engines are MTH. I used over 75 pieces of Lionel fastrack. This year I used Scarm to design the layout before building it. It seemed to work out much better using that design software. I have 1 TIU and 1 AIU with 2 remote switchs for the main line siding. The layout is approximately 16ft by 5ft. I installed over 175 passengers in the Santa Fe cars including a full vista dome car which had about 16 screws to disassemble but worth the time. I cannot run long trains on the main line because I'm operating 2 at the same time and only have a 14ft siding which I can only park a shorter train which works out well since both are only being pulled by 1 working engine. It takes about a month to finish it but I keep it up atleast until mid February. I started this 8 years ago when my grandson was born and it's grown every year. I have several videos over the years showing the expansion and growth of the layout on you tube under (David McVicker) which is simply put down on the carpet over a white blankets and the fake snow rolls to cover 10 miles of wire lol. I have several LED lighted vehicles I made thanks to Evans designs in Colrado. A few Illinois State police cars pulling over a drunk driver who's sitting on the hood of his car. A few other vehicles and I also use several of there LEDS in all of my structues from a wood burning stove in the fire lookout tower to the police cars. I have 3 blue LED bendable 3ft trees that run on 2 d batteries that come on at 4pm and shut off at midnight. I used LEMAX field lights to highlight several of my animated scenes and a pictures wirh Santa Claus scence i made. I could go on and on but the pictures and videos speak for them selves.i hope you enjoyed my Christmas O Scale train layout.
Great looking layout! You went all out, especially with the lighting and all the passengers!! I really like the overall effect besides the small scenes! I also like the big cross on the wall above!
Have a blessed Christmas!!!
Thank you. My Grandson made that cross out of 2 simple 2x4s left over from a project his dad was working on 4 years ago. It' very special to me. It' slightly off center when he put it together but that gives it character. That' the meaning behind all of this. When I see that cross it grounds me and reminds me of the true meaning behind all of this. Bless you and your family and thank you for your kind comments. I am keeping the cross up even after the layout is removed
Such great pictures and Christmas spirit here on this thread!
Wishing everyone a safe, restful and Merry Christmas!
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