Getting A 1950's Lionel Train Set - Model Train Help BlogModel Train Help Blog

September 8, 2009

Getting A 1950’s Lionel Train Set

A reader from the USA sent in this childhood recollection:

When I was four years old, in the mid 1950’s, I received my first Lionel train set. My father set it up on a board in the basement. So far this is a typical story for many of us.

Each year around the Christmas Holiday season we would go to our local hardware store where Lionel trains were sold and new items would be purchased and added to the display.

At eight, we moved to the country of central New Jersey. The display was put in that basement and grew as I began to purcase items and train sets that friends no longer wanted. With my bicycle, I explored the area and soon discovered the tracks where the mightly electric GG1’s would wisk passengers and sometimes freight between New York, Philadephia and Washinton, DC. I was mesmerized as I watched in awe as these trains whiz passed in the early evening, with the occasional blue sparks coming off the wires and the lights flickering in the passenger cars as they quickly went by reminding me of a giant toy train.

As I got older all the items were carefully packed and boxed away.

Many years passed. I live in the mountains of the Western US and those memories of growing up the East during the 1950’s have returned. The old trains were carefully unpacked and renovated. Many, many new trains were obtained for my dream layout. The new technology is indeed remarkable.

I am building a large garage of over 1400 square feet to house my train display depicting that era of the mid 1950’s, that end of steam and where diesel begin to dominate.

The electric Pennsy GG-1’s would still march on for many productive years. Now, as I day dream of the layout, I consult books and magazines and am amazed at the wealth of information. So, in several years I too will have the dream of a display fulfilled, depicting vignettes of the the mid-fifties, showing NYC, New Jersey, Eastern Pennsylvania on to Washington, DC, where many great railroads of the Eastern, United States once plied.

My collection is rapidly growing, anticipating when they will be rolling down the rails. As I research, I have learned how much rail transportation has contributed and advanced civilation of not only America, but the rest of the World!