Train layout portable

[Beap52 1,867]

Today I took a portable train layout for an assisted living facility for show and tell.  I had some pictures projected upon a screen of how I made some of the items and a video of my layout at home.  Talked about how I got into trains (wife's uncle passed and left them to us).  Answered questions how I made mountains, buildings and other items.  I anticipated spending 30 minutes or so and ended up over an hour.  The residents (some 20 of them) seemed to enjoy and appreciate  The activities director asked who and where they rode trains.  Interesting stories.   Lots of laughter and memories for these folks.  

 

One funny part.  I normally run my trains pretty slow--just looks more natural.  Someone asked "will it go faster?"  Another "Yeah, lets see it go fast."   So I opened up the throttle and nearly all of them cheered!  Not too bad for a 79 year old engine.

[adsm08 3,996]

I like trains.

[ebinmaine 76,568]

18 minutes ago, adsm08 said:

I like trains.

 

Me too.  

[SylvanLakeWH 30,170]

Me three

[8ntruck 8,488]

79 year old locomotive. - 1945 Hudson?  My memory is not good enough to come up with the Lionel model number.  A Polar Express tender, but the rest of the cars look to be from the 50's?  Prewar transformer?

 

Good job on the layout.  Looks to be 3' by 6'?

 

I've  got a late 40's Hudson in my collection that looks like it has about a million miles on it - worn wheels, worn pick up rollers, worn paint, but still runs like a top.  Reasonable puller, too.  I always enjoy running it.  I've taken it to several events where I have set up and run a layout.

 

Always enjoy talking with the folks when I set up a demo layout like that.

[Handy Don 15,658]

We got out the HO set two years ago so the grands could see it. Two of them appreciated how to handle and use them; two of them were ready to start being rough. Sigh. 

 

Been lucky enough to ride lots of trains: commuting to NYC for 30-ish years, Auto-Train to Florida, overnight and high-speed trains in Europe, the Acela, the Eurostar through the Chunnel, subway systems in lots of cities. The train through the Rockies and maybe a transcontinental are still on my bucket list. 

Heck, @Bill D drives trains for a living!

[Beap52 1,867]

34 minutes ago, 8ntruck said:

79 year old locomotive. - 1945 Hudson?  My memory is not good enough to come up with the Lionel model number.  Lionel 2025 as best as I can tell.   It was a basket case but I was able to find  the parts to make it run. A Polar Express tender, It didn't come with a tender so I bought a fairly modern tender with chugging sounds, men talking and a screaming whistle.  All the noise got old pretty quick so I run it silently so about all you hear are the steel wheels on the track but the rest of the cars look to be from the 50's? As best as I know they from 50's. I've added a LED light on the tail of the caboose.   Prewar transformer?  Yes, I've got four of them.

 

Good job on the layout.  Thanks simple and easy to move Looks to be 3' by 6'?  Yes, 3x6"  an old slab door.  

 

I've  got a late 40's Hudson in my collection that looks like it has about a million miles on it - worn wheels, worn pick up rollers, worn paint, but still runs like a top.  Reasonable puller, too.  I always enjoy running it.  I've taken it to several events where I have set up and run a layout. First outing for me.  My main layout ( "L" shape 11' by 22')  is where the buildings came from. I made them --mostly out of foamboard, poster board from dollar store, aluminum foil, glue and paint.  The mountain is basket weave pasteboard with paper mache and then painted.  I made almost all of the trees-twisted wire and unraveled rope other are natural weeds from garden and the like.  This train was in a foot locker, wrapped in cloth and newspapers since the mid 1970's. I pretty much disassembled them, rewired as needed and  cleaned them up

 

Always enjoy talking with the folks when I set up a demo layout like that.  The folks seemed to have a good of a time as I did.  One lady  moved a chair up near the layout and sat there just watching the train go around.  She'd look into the tunnel as the train entered.  Frankly, I was amazed at how much of the detail the folks picked out.  Everything from log cabin door being open to broken windows. I  was asked to leave it a week or so.  

 

[Handy Don 15,658]

4 minutes ago, Beap52 said:

I  was asked to leave it a week or so. 

Did you take the keys? Be prepared for some folks to slip in and run it! 

[Ed Kennell 44,100]

Trains and trolleys were my transportation while working in Europe.    My fave was the cogged train to the base of the Matterhorn at Zermot.

[8ntruck 8,488]

1 hour ago, Ed Kennell said:

Trains and trolleys were my transportation while working in Europe.    My fave was the cogged train to the base of the Matterhorn at Zermot.

When I was in college, the family went to visit my sister and her husband in Vermont.  One of the stops we made during the trip was to ride the cog railway up to the top of Mt. Washington.  Was still steam powered at that time.  Quite a ride.

[ebinmaine 76,568]

3 hours ago, 8ntruck said:

When I was in college, the family went to visit my sister and her husband in Vermont.  One of the stops we made during the trip was to ride the cog railway up to the top of Mt. Washington.  Was still steam powered at that time.  Quite a ride.

 

They still run that steam once a week.  

[Bill D 2,512]

@Handy Don  I had a train set as a kid,  but real trains are much more fun to run.  

[pfrederi 19,503]

I have the same searchlight car, box car and Caboose. My Hudson and tender was about 1954/5

[squonk 45,092]

33 minutes ago, pfrederi said:

I have the same searchlight car, box car and Caboose. My Hudson and tender was about 1954/5

I too have that same searchlight car. I had to rewire it and run it on my Christmas train as it searches the skies for Santa

 

 

You can almost hear that Detroit Diesel running! 

 

 

Edited 1 hour ago by squonk

[Ed Kennell 44,100]

The Frostburg Flyer in Western Maryland is a scenic ride.

 

 

 

[lynnmor 8,384]

14 hours ago, Beap52 said:

Today I took a portable train layout for an assisted living facility for show and tell.  I had some pictures projected upon a screen of how I made some of the items and a video of my layout at home.  Talked about how I got into trains (wife's uncle passed and left them to us).  Answered questions how I made mountains, buildings and other items.  I anticipated spending 30 minutes or so and ended up over an hour.  The residents (some 20 of them) seemed to enjoy and appreciate  The activities director asked who and where they rode trains.  Interesting stories.   Lots of laughter and memories for these folks.  

 

One funny part.  I normally run my trains pretty slow--just looks more natural.  Someone asked "will it go faster?"  Another "Yeah, lets see it go fast."   So I opened up the throttle and nearly all of them cheered!  Not too bad for a 79 year old engine.

Thank you for doing that, there is a real demand for comforting the seniors.