Trains, Trains and More Trains

Trains always draw my attention and fascinate me. There is something about the steady rhythm of motion and sound that causes me to smile.  When I was a child, we enjoyed a large black train, maybe an O scale, that seemed to complete the Christmas tree. It was as much a part of Christmas decorations as the ornaments on the tree.

 Many years later Christmas was nearly upon us.  Cal discovered my attraction to what I call the “pretty trains”.  He bought me my very own Pennsylvania Flyer O-scale train # 8602.  I love to see this train under our Christmas tree and hate to put it away to hide in a box for the majority of the year.  I am happy if it just sits there or if it runs the track.  Calvin, I discovered, is happy with elaborate track formations and moving, sound activated trains.  The next year he bought more track and had a snazzy layout for the space available to us in our front living room.

This year when I finally realized his love for trains and complicated track layouts we decided to dedicate a room for “our” new hobby.  My husband and I are at the ground floor of creating our train room.  Cal has torn up the spare bedroom, even as far as tearing out the closet!  He has been diligently building the train tables.  Cal and I never settle with simple.  With our imagination and “his” skill we plan to make the most of our space.  I buy the train magazines and  Cal investigates.  Then we talk and dream together.  Cal is the track planner and I will be working on the scenery once the train tables are finished.  Cal built a helix for the N-scale train set up in our garage.  It took time and ingenuity on his part and he finally achieved building a working helix so that our trains can travel to the upper level track. More than one curious neighbor popped over to ask Cal what in the world he was building.  We may have a few angry wives in the neighborhood since at least one man wandered home wondering just where his train has been! 

This is our helix and the mess of our beginnings.  Do you have a photo or a story you want to share about your train room or train collection?

Susan Marlene Kinney