A Complete Video Tour of my Model Railroad 'Empire' - compressed into 10 minutes

[Hiawatha Pete]

Last edited Tue Dec 29, 2020, 06:29 PM - Edit history (1)

Good afternoon DU'ers - Hope you are all having a Happy & Safe Holiday/Christmas/Kwanzaa/Hanukkah/Diwali/Festivus - whichever applies!

Since I have a few new acquisitions to my model train collection, I thought I'd share my most recent video showcasing my 8 x 9 foot Lionel O-gauge three-rail layout and my O-gauge model train collection – featuring engines & rolling stock from Lionel, MTH, Weaver, Williams, Atlas-O, K-Line, RMT & Buffalo Creek Graphics. Steam, diesel & electric power. Passenger & freight. Over 150 pieces of rolling stock, plus structures, scenery & accessories.

This is the most extensive tour of my layout & train collection rooms yet, however I've managed to squeeze it into a short 10 minute video. Lots of train operations, operating accessories and - IMO - plain old sh*ts & giggles!

Here is the vid:

&t=10s

Plus, for the most recent still images of my collection, see my website at https://northamericabyrail.info/model-railroading/

Hope you enjoy!

Best Regards,

Pete

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. Wow, my dear Hiawatha Pete!

That is one truly amazing video of your collection. You have obviously spent (probably) hundreds of happy hours, constructing the set and playing with the trains on it.

The array of trains and all their attendant pieces is truly astonishing. Who knew there were so many rail lines? And the variety of individual cars blows me away.

It's a labor of love.

Thank you for all your efforts and for sharing them with us.

[Hiawatha Pete]

4. Thanks CaliforniaPeggy!

For the compliments and for checking out my post.

It's always a pleasure to share my work with the wonderful folks here at DU, I could not ask for a better audience.

My collection, for all its variety, can only scratch the surface of the multitude of lines that cross or once crossed the U.S.A. and Canada - makes for fun and interesting collecting.

Thanks again for checking out my vid - Keep well & safe!

[safeinOhio]

2. Very cool.

I spent years working in a rail yard driving autos on rail cars. Mostly “tri levels” 3 decks and a few “bi levels” 2 decked for trucks. I remember the Track Mobil for moving strings of rail car around.

[Hiawatha Pete]

5. Thanks for the compliment!

And for sharing that snippet of your career experience, how interesting! I have a tri-level in my collection however it's the older open style. The best thing they did was to enclosed them to save the cars from rock throwers...

Thanks again. Pete.

[randr]

3. What a thing of beauty!

You must have spent hours. Great job!

[Hiawatha Pete]

7. Thanks for the compliment & for checking out my post!

I haven't kept track of the hours I spent tinkering with the layout - maybe that's a good thing as if I knew the actual amount of time spent I might end up re-evaluating my choice of hobbies!

In all seriousness though, I have no regrets, it's a labor of love.

Thanks again.

[Backseat Driver]

6. That's awesome! n/t

[Hiawatha Pete]

8. Thanks Backseat Driver...

...For the compliment & for checking out my post!

[Chainfire]

9. Thank You!

I did enjoy it. It is a very nice layout! It looks like a labor of love.

[Hiawatha Pete]

11. Thanks for the compliment Chainfire!

It is a labor of love as you state, been into model trains pretty much my whole life...

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

10. Very cool!

My brothers and I had electric trains (HO gauge) when we were kids, and our dad built a table for us in the basement. It wasn't anywhere near as elaborate as yours, but we had a great time putting together the "set," with all the little buildings and houses and trees and so forth. I thought it was a lot more fun than Barbies; even though I was just a girl I really loved that train set. It's great that you can still enjoy the hobby.

[Hiawatha Pete]

17. Thanks Velveteen Ocelot!

For the compliment and for sharing that interesting snippet of your family history. It's great to have those types of memories.

Yeah, I've been into model trains pretty much my whole life, it's an ongoing labor of love...

Thanks again! Always a pleasure to share a my work with such a great audience.

Pete

[JDC]

12. Fun. Love the sound of trains on the track(s)

[Hiawatha Pete]

18. Thanks for the compliment & for checking out my post!

It's a hobby that's provided me with countless hours of fun.

Regards, Pete

[SeattleVet]

13. Very nice!

I remember spending many happy hours with my O-gauge setup in the early 1960's. My grandfather build a base layout for me using 2 sheets of plywood.

Most of the stuff is probably still in boxes in the basement of the house my parents bought after I went into the Air Force in 1972. (I don't think there's anything of any real value - it was all pretty well used, beat up, and worn out by me as a kid!)

[Hiawatha Pete]

19. Thanks SeattleVet!

That's neat that your grandfather built a layout for you that provided so much fun and enjoyment.

The 1957 Lionel catalog had a really neat plan for a layout built on two 4x8 sheets of plywood, I've always wondered if anyone had recreated it.


Cheers, Pete

[Karadeniz]

14. Besides how impressive it is and how much pleasure it has obviously given you, there is an added

Bonus to this hobby! I NEVER know what to give my husband when it's gift giving time...NEVER! So frustrating! If he had a hobby like yours, I'd never be at a loss... and would actually enjoy hunting around for the perfect little addition!

[Hiawatha Pete]

20. Thanks for the compliment, Karadeniz!

Yes, my layout and collection have given me countless hours of enjoyment.

I wish I could offer a suggestion. Sometimes it's a case of reconnecting with what you enjoyed in your youth or as a child - model trains in my case. I know what you mean though, some of my family members are really hard to buy for... way I figure is that's the reason money, and now e-transfers, were invented

[Karadeniz]

15. Besides how impressive it is and how much pleasure it has obviously given you, there is an added

Bonus to this hobby! I NEVER know what to give my husband when it's gift giving time...NEVER! So frustrating! If he had a hobby like yours, I'd never be at a loss... and would actually enjoy hunting around for the perfect little addition!

[Stuart G]

16. Kick....wonderful layout...time to put mine up..HO Guage...lots and lots of stuff..

[Hiawatha Pete]

21. Thanks for kicking my post, StuartG

Good to hear from you!

There's such a wide variety of stuff available in HO, as your collection attests, that sometimes I wonder if I should have switched scales. However in my case my vision is not as great as it was - with O scale it's easier for me to see the wheel flanges when trying to place the locos & cars on the track. But I always enjoy seeing other train collections and layouts, regardless of scale.

Thanks again,

Pete

[denbot]

22. That was mesmerizing..

Really cool collection, and layout. Thank you for sharing your hobby with us.

[Hiawatha Pete]

23. Thanks Denbot!

It's my pleasure to share, especially with such a wonderful audiences as yourselves

Cheers, Pete

[ThoughtCriminal]

24. Now that I'm retired

I may dust off the N-gauge trains I put away when I left for college.

[Hiawatha Pete]

25. N gauge is awesome

I stuck with O gauge for the childhood memories and cuz I'm too lazy to clean the track more than once a year, but I love seeing the N gauge trains at the local model train shows. So much bang for your buck in regards to space. And if you have room for a larger layout like some I've seen at the train shows... well I'm sure you've seen for yourself....Thanks for checking out my post!

[malaise]

26. Stunning

I'm betting this collection has kept you out of trouble for decades - beautiful

Happy New Year to you and yours

[Hiawatha Pete]

27. Thanks Malaise!

For both the generous compliments & for checking out my post.

As you've alluded to, it has in fact been a labor of love for decades, pretty much a lifetime hobby for me.

And it has indeed kept me out of trouble...and so has following DU, first as a lurker then as a member.

I love reading your posts BTW: truthful, colorful, & so very entertaining to read - much needed in these during these dire times. Keep up the good work!

Likewise, Happy New Year to you & yours as well!

Best Regards, Keep Well & Safe

Pete