tainkc Loc: Kansas City

My wife will be understanding only for so long. You see, half of our finished basement is filled by an H.O. layout. One of our gardens in the front yard is occupied by a garden railroad (the backyard is off limits).

So, a compromise had to be struck. I have a ton of Lionel trains and the only time that I am allowed to run them is at Christmas time and originally, around the Christmas tree.

Well, the collection kind of grew. And grew. And grew. What was I supposed to do? I just couldn't leave them in the attic. We can no longer put presents under the tree. Entertaining in the living room is no longer practical.

Fortunately there are no weapons in the the house. I was trying for a record of 6 separate tracks (I can do 11) but for health reasons, I decided to back off.

I'm still here.

My wife loves me.

My wife is a good sport. She learned to navigate to her easy chair without complaining.

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That is a $10,00.00 rug by the way. Why would anyone do this; especially with grandkids?

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Originally, there was not that much under the tree.

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My wife is from from North Dakota. I thought this would help placate things. It didn't.

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I am from Chicago originally. Hence; the C&NW and the Soo Line.

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This area was full of huge boxes just up until Christmas day.

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I can't let my wife see what I did to the rug. I am pretty sure she has seen this while bitting her tongue.

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This is just half of what I set up. The floor of the loft is blocking the rest of the view.

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luvmypets Loc: Born & raised Texan living in Fayetteville NC

Wow!! That is awesome!!

Is that a magic wand I see on the tv tray? I hope your wife isn't about to "poof" them out of existence.

Dodie

BudsOwl Loc: Upstate NY and New England

You’re lucky because it looks like she did all the compromising. Great train set and excellent photos. Makes me want to go to my archives and dig out my photos of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s model railroad layout. The only thing is that they are all in RAW so I would have to make them jpgs.
Bud

TJBNovember Loc: Long Island, New York

I so remember when I could do that. Then I met and married the lovely and caring woman who is my wife. Slowly the the trains and the 7&1/2 ft Christmas tree and the old sofa I could run my trains behind and around got crowded out by more and new furniture. My Christmas villages were displaced by the need for permanent homes for my wife’s many plants. The basement running layout needed to be disassembled as we combined our two house holds so as to store the overflow. I envy you greatly for what you have. Merry Christmas my fellow HOG and Lionel enthusiast.

tainkc Loc: Kansas City

Thanks, Dodie! That magic wand is actually for a remote plugin that goes into the wall socket. It is used to turn the tree lights and the building lights on and off. Pretty lame but cute. The little ones like it.

tainkc Loc: Kansas City

Thank you, Bud. Yes, she is a very good sport. They have a model train layout set up at the Union Station in downtown K.C. It grows real big at Christmas time.

tainkc Loc: Kansas City

You poor thing. We have 4 children. We made them grow up, Kicked them out of the house and get married. Oh, and made them get their own homes.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

I just heard a rumor that your wife is borrowing a Great Dane puppy that loves to chase small things that run around on the floor and "CHOMP!" them.

RIP (railroad in pieces)

tainkc Loc: Kansas City

Ha, Ha! No dogs a allowed. I think that a beagle would be worse, though.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

How about a nearsighted cat that thinks they are big mice?

tainkc Loc: Kansas City

Ask and ye shall receive.

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robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Go to the pet store and get a few white mice to ride around on the trains.

dougbev3 Loc: Pueblo, Colorado

Some of my Railroad buddies ran their trains on a shelf attached to the wall. They run from room to room , even up and down the stairs to every room.

tainkc Loc: Kansas City

Yep. I know all about that. I installed a shelf railroad in a friends living room. He liked it. There is a restaurant downtown that delivers its' food to the tables via a shelf railroad.

ghbowser Loc: Shenandoah Valley, Virginia