The DIS Campers Train Thread: From Model Trains Up To The Real Thing

[bama_ed]

This is a spin-off thread started to move the topic of trains (of all sizes) out of our DIS Chit Chat thread here on the Camping Community board.

There are a few of us who enjoy running model (toy) trains and the recent Christmas holiday was an opportunity to pull them out and or decorate them for the joyous season. We posted in the Chit Chat thread and decided to take that traffic over here (since we can go on and on about the topic). All sizes and scales are free to discuss and post here.

We also can discuss opportunities or experiences to ride the real thing. In the last year or so I've ridden full size tourist trains including:

https://www.tvrail.com/ The Tennessee Valley Railroad (TN)
https://eastbroadtop.com/ East Broad Top Railroad (PA)
https://cumbrestoltec.com/ Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad (CO and NM)
https://mountainrailwv.com/ Cass Scenic Railroad (WV)

and a few others before that.

I'll start by saying that I model G Scale trains which are sized 1:24 or 1:29 depending on manufacturer. (as in "1 foot model train = 29 foot real train") and have a layout in my house of over 120' of mainline track. I have mostly Aristocraft rolling stock with some Bachmann and a few Lionel, LGB, and Delton pieces.

Almost 20 years ago I saw this model train hand car in the local hobby/toy store.



And I was bitten by the train bug.

I model mostly steam locomotives (some diesels though) like this Pacific 4-6-2 wheel arrangement in Southern Railway colors.



It's a hobby that keeps me at home and out of trouble. Only downside is the UPS man keeps bringing me more boxes.

More to come down the road. So anyone can talk their model trains from the smallest to the largest and even riding the real thing.

Bama Ed

PS - my enjoyment comes from operating the trains, not just collecting them. Not big on scenery either but I do have a couple buildings and people scattered around.

 

[Sjm9911]

Nice hand cart! I dont have any disney related train items. I should, but dont!

 

[DL1WDW2]

Reminder to visit the Yacht Club gingerbread display with incredible Santa train circling the wonderful Dept.56 Village display…And they have a new large scale gingerbread lighthouse with the light signal working designed to replicate the Lighthouse glowing on Friendship boat pier.

And new design for the Beach Club Carousel highlighting 4 countries in Epcot….
and new design for the BoardWalk gingerbread display !

 

[bama_ed]

Model trains can be indoors or outdoors.

Walt Disney made a model train cartoon with Donald Duck in 1951

OUT OF SCALE

Of course, Chip and Dale are his nemesis in this short.

7.5 minutes long only.

Bama Ed

 

[Stratman50th]

Yayy! Thanks for taking the lead on this Ed.
I pretty much do mostly "O". I started with a set that came with .027. It's called that because if you make a circle without straight pieces it comes out as 27" in diameter. "O" gauge was 31" in diameter. There's a couple of other differences. If you look at the track in profile the O is slightly taller than the .027. They both carry the same voltage. .027 was designed to be able to run smaller engines and rolling stock. .027 trains will run on O gauge track no problem. Many, but not all of the O gauge trains can not run on .027. The "gauge" or side to side distance between between the left and right wheels is the same but the trains are limited by length in being able to make .027 curves without derailing. Ok, enough of that. There's others around here that know much more than I do about the technical details. My layout is attached to a 4'X8' sheet of plywood. It has two oval tracks. "O" gauge on the outside and the smaller .027 inside. The trains are my thing and my wife does a Department 56 Christmas village on the layout. It's something we both enjoy. (Luckily for me! Ha).
This was the first locomotive I bought that wasn't part of a set:

A Lionel "General" in the colors of the Disneyland RR.
Unfortunately I too get more boxes delivered to the house than I should. It's kind of addictive.
Our Layout:


Finally, I've ridden on the Strasburg RR, the B&O short line from the B&O RR museum in Baltimore, and the Western MD RR.

 

[Stratman50th]

If you enjoy trains, another cool place to visit is the RR museum of Pennsylvania.
https://www.rrmuseumpa.org/
Most of it is inside and they have an awesome display.

 

[bama_ed]

If you enjoy trains, another cool place to visit is the RR museum of Pennsylvania.
https://www.rrmuseumpa.org/
Most of it is inside and they have an awesome display.

Yes it is LITERALLY across the street from the Strasburg Railroad (which is also the home base of the full scale Thomas the Tank Engine that is rented out as a fundraising device to many other railroads across the country).

I did Strasburg and the Pennsy museum both about 2.5 years ago (they are in Amish country).

Loved your layout this Christmas, @Stratman50th .

Ed

 

[Sjm9911]

Ok, while I dont really have anything up and running, i am going to show off some cool accessories! So this is a lionel oil drum loader, yes I have one. I have lots of the operating accessories. This was a remake of a american flyer model by Gilbert around 1954? Its prety cool how some of these things worked considering the technology used was 70 years ago.

Disclamer, not my video, its creator is on you tube and proper credit is given!

 

[bama_ed]

Current DIS article about Walt and trains (kinda).

https://www.wdwinfo.com/walt-disney-world/walts-spirit-lives-on-with-trains-throughout-disney-world/

Bama Ed

 

[bama_ed]

For an historical perspective, a few of us had a DISMeet where we camped/stayed close to Marceline, MS in 2021 (during the C*vid time) and toured the Walt Disney-related sites in Marceline itself.

https://www.disboards.com/threads/announcing-the-midwest-meet-in-marceline-mmm.3822979/

It is IMO underrated and should be visited by any serious Walt/train fan. Although Walt only lived there a few years in his young life, it was a FORMATIVE influence on him that you can see in the Magic Kingdom(s) such as Main Street USA, the trains around the MK, and even his backyard railroad in Holmby Hills, CA at his personal home.

Trains are still important.

Ed

 

[Stratman50th]

Almost time to pack up the Christmas layout. But!!!! I have an idea I'm bouncing around in my head. I'm a huge fan of Henry Flagler and what he did for developing the east coast of Florida. I'm going to collect some Florida East Coast Railroad locomotives and passenger cars. I'm a fan of passenger cars more than freight. Just what I like. Anyway, my next 4'X8' layout is going to be half beaches and half stone arched trestles to mimic the overseas highway to the keys. I'll probably sculpt foam for the land and acrylic for the water. We'll see how it turns out. Of course I want it to come out nice, but I'm also looking at it as a learning experience in how to work with the materials. That's the idea anyway.

 

[Stratman50th]

I've been following this guy for awhile and I want to try working with epoxy resin, (not acrylic). The only thing at this point I can forsee a problem with is the resin cracking when I try and move the board around. Anyway, an example of where I'm going with this:

 

[Stratman50th]

Ed's post on Walt's trains reminded me of something. I don't know if I posted these before but my dad and I took the Roundhouse Tour, I think it was 2002. Dad was also a big train fan and all of my various train excursions we took together or as a family. Dad died in 2010 from pancreatic cancer and I miss him every day, but I have the memories and a bunch of pictures!





My dad....

And me before I was an old guy!

 

[bama_ed]

Ed's post on Walt's trains reminded me of something. I don't know if I posted these before but my dad and I took the Roundhouse Tour, I think it was 2002. Dad was also a big train fan and all of my various train excursions we took together or as a family. Dad died in 2010 from pancreatic cancer and I miss him every day, but I have the memories and a bunch of pictures!
View attachment 823524
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My dad....
View attachment 823529
And me before I was an old guy!

My dad, sons, and I did the train tour also. Fantastic.

 

[bama_ed]

Almost time to pack up the Christmas layout. But!!!! I have an idea I'm bouncing around in my head. I'm a huge fan of Henry Flagler and what he did for developing the east coast of Florida. I'm going to collect some Florida East Coast Railroad locomotives and passenger cars. I'm a fan of passenger cars more than freight. Just what I like. Anyway, my next 4'X8' layout is going to be half beaches and half stone arched trestles to mimic the overseas highway to the keys.

Good idea @Stratman50th .

I too have been a fan of Flagler and his Florida hotels and railroad. I have these two books about the FECR and its extension to Key West over 100 years ago.



ED

PS - the arches/bridges that parallel the 7 Mile Bridge south of Marathon and the remaining bridge structure at Bahia Honda State Park are FECR remnants that still exist.

 

[Stratman50th]

PS - the arches/bridges that parallel the 7 Mile Bridge south of Marathon and the remaining bridge structure at Bahia Honda State Park are FECR remnants that still exist.

i rode my motorcycle from MD to Key West in 1979. That was a loooong ride! Glad I crossed the old bridge before you couldn't drive it any longer.

 

[bama_ed]

i rode my motorcycle from MD to Key West in 1979. That was a loooong ride! Glad I crossed the old bridge before you couldn't drive it any longer.

See the next post.

 

[bama_ed]

Good thing you made it across before 'Ah-nold' got to that bridge.

I was only 15 in 1979. The 70s decade must have been cool to experience as a young adult.

 

[bama_ed]

Also, if you haven't met our poster @Boomer1 and her train friend, Evangeline, you can in this post.

https://www.disboards.com/threads/meet-evangeline.3887204/

Bama Ed

 

[Sjm9911]

I will be posting soon, to busy cleaning up stuff so I have room to start working. So , garage clean, tools orginized, basment train boxes emptied out and sorted into labled boxes ie: parts, ground cover, accessories, track, miss stuff I was working on before I moved but now have no clue what goes where. Lol. I am also going to add another half wall of shelves. And after I fix the dryer, next week will be working on the layout. Hopefully!