WGL and Jim Banner,
   I received my first train set in 1938,when I was 7 months old. It was a Lionel tinplate replica of one of the Zephyers.I still have it and it runs well. My grandfather was an engineer on the "Jersey Central",and always gave me train stuff every Christmas. After WWll,I got Lionels 0-4-0 yardgoat,and a Lionel 2-6-4,which ( sort of a K-4) I still have with many freight cars and passenger coaches. Now at age 71,and living in California,I have a large scale layout on my patio. I use aluminum track,and apply the Wahl oil to keep things operating well.
David

I was a New Hampshire resident for over 50 years,and have ridden the Mt.Washington Cog Railway many times. The last time was on a return trip in 2002. I will certainly miss the smoke,soot,and clatter of the steam locos,but can understand the change over for economic and ecological reasons. I rode the Georgetown Loop before the steam loco broke an axle. Hopefully,they will be able to return it to service.
  David

My favorite locomotive is the 4-6-0 camelback or Mother Hubbard that the "CNJ" used for years. My grandfather was an engineer on them for almost 40 years,and they ran past my house everyday during my youth.

   Our tree will be put up around December 10th. As usual,I will set up my Lionel,0-27 tinplate,Flying Yankee/Burlington Zephyr, that my  locomotive engineer grandfather gave me for Christmas in 1938 when I was 7 months old. All that has ever been done to the power car is to replace the brushes and headlight bulb,clean the commutator,and lubricate it every year. I'm still using the original 25 watt transformer and original track sections and turnouts.

My first train set was a christmas gift when I was 7 months old from my grandfather who was a locomotive engineer. That was in 1938. It was the tinplate version of the "Flying Yankee/Burlington Zephyr in O-27 by Lionel. I still have it in running condotion. Since then I have had various model railroad layouts in HO and N scale in every home I have had. Currently,I have a large scale set up om my patio. It consists of all Bachmann equipment.

Lionel: Tinplate "Zephyr from 1938
            O-27,0-4-0 Yard goat from 1948
            O-27, 2-6-4,with 15 freight cars from 1950,and misc lionel locos from the early 1940's,with lithographed freight cars.

Marx:Misc. passenger set with Cornelius Vanderbuilt loco.

Various Roco and Liliput German trains in HO scale
 
Bachman: Orient Express set in HO scale
                Iron Duke set in N scale
                Empire builder set in N scale
                2-8-0 Consolidation loco in N scale (B&M)
                Polar Express set in G scale
                3 additional "Annie" locos in G scale

I have ridden in the cab of steam locomotives many times. My grandfather was an engineer on the "Jersey Central Railroad".

My last steam train ride was at the "Georgetown Loop"in Colorado,July,2006.

I don't Chase steam locomotive sites,but plan ahead to ride different ones and take photos

One of my favourite steam locomotives was the streamlined "Crusader" that used to run past my house on the Reading R.R. But I am/was partial to the Camelback 4-6-0's that the "Jersy Central" used for many years.

I too fly the flag every day,weather permitting,and in Southern California,that is nearly every day.

I try to get to the Train Museum in Sacramento several times a year. I also go to the "Orange Empire"in Perris,Ca. Last summer I spent considerable time at the "Georgetown Loop" operation in Colorado. A friend of mine belongs to the Colorado Historical Society,and writes articles for the "Colorado Time-Table" newspaper. I go to the local train museum and model railroad display in San Diego regularly.

As a boy in New Jersey,I remember the mail sacks actually being tossed out by hand onto the station platform. It was at the same hour everyday,so any personel sweeping the platform knew enough not to be there at that hour.

Born and lived in N.J. until age 18,had a Lionel O-27 layout, then lived in N.H for the next 46 years,had several HO layouts in various homes,now live in San Diego,and have an indoor "N" scale layout,and am starting a large scale layout on my patio area. My grandfather was a locomotive engineer for the CNJ and LV,and gave me my first electric train when I was just 7 months old.
David

Good move!!! Now maybe we can avoid the SPAM,especially the porn.
David