Rick has been in touch with is Christmas tree train layout.
I think there’s something quite special about it – you can tell he’s having bags of fun with it and spreading the joy of a train layout. And that’s all that counts.
“Al:
My Brother-in-Law Fred Hughes from North Carolina brought your website to my attention.
He recently suggested I send along some photos of my multi-gauge Christmas layout, which changes thematically over a three year period.
This is the year of the 1960’s aluminum trees (three of them on my platform) circled by O, O-27, S and Classic HO trains dating from that era and various Plasticville and tinplate structures.
The layout is basic and pure fantasy with trains running via conventional power.
I set it up purely for the joy of running classic model trains – some old and some new – for me and for guests visiting over the Holidays.
I offer the following tour of this year’s Christmas layout.
I have 3 ovals of track for the trains and a figure-eight for a trolley winding its way through a Plasticville village, and an Alpine village I picked up real cheap at a tag sale. The kind of “eclectic” arrangement my Dad would have made back in the day!
I change the trains throughout the season and even have a special Christmas train for the grandkids on the big day. On the O Gauge loop I am currently featuring the sleek Lionel Santa Fe train I received when I was 5 years old. I still remember that Christmas morning and how stunning the train appeared then (it still does). It is great to have enjoyed something as a little kid that I can still enjoy as an old man.
The Lionel Trolley I received when I was 6 or 7 years old negotiates the sharper O-27 curves in the figure 8, serving residents and businesses of the villages.
I use Gargraves S Gauge track for the middle loop, running vintage AC Gilbert/American Flyer trains I have acquired at swap meets and train shops over the last 25 years. I love this GP-7 that is pulling some classic cars that likely saw action under aluminum trees in the 60’s.
Last but certainly not least is a classic HO Revell yard switcher pulling five equally classic Revell freight cars that I acquired over the past few years from eBay. I am sure these gems also ran under aluminum trees 60 years ago. I will also run some classic Lionel HO, Fleischmann, Gutzold and others over this inner HO loop this Holiday season.
By the way, I reserve realism and rivet-counting for my year-round, always under construction, HO layout in a converted bedroom.
Not sure if this simple Christmas layout is of any interest but feel free to share if you are so inclined. Pardon me but I must go back and run some trains.
Rick
Johnstown, PA USA”
A big thanks to Rick. It reminded me of:
And this one: Christmas layout.
Now it’s my turn to spread a little joy.
I know this is a time when many of you start or plan your layouts, so I thought I’d do some of the print out scenery at a very silly price for a few days.
How silly? How does $1.45 a building sound?
Yup, it’s a very silly deal, and you can grab it here, for the next few days.
Please be quick though, it’s just a quick flash sale to say thank you.
And of lastly of course, Merry Christmas!
Best
Al