Christmas Trees, Trains and More - 2024

[Bruette]

The idea and the name of this new thread came from a suggestion by the esteemed @Iron Horseman Thank you sir, great idea and I love the name!

I'm torn. I hate opening new threads for the sake of opening new threads....

On the other hand, does everyone want to wade through all last years Christmas stuff to get to this year. Or does the forum software keep track well enough that isn't an issue? It does always pop me to the end of the thread since it knows I've read it all. But then when does it get too long?

I have no reservations about new threads, or any shame at all for that matter So here is the new thread!

I'm making effective use of my day off. For the first time since 2016 I will have a true Thanksgiving Day train! Rather than Lionel's RTR LionChief Polar Express set running under the Christmas tree in the living room I will have a train of Lionel Thanksgiving cars. Lionel's 0-8-0 Toy Maker Santa Express will pull the train, complete with personalized caboose made in the USA by Lionel. "Bruette Family Christmas Railroad" Here is a photo of the locomotive and tender I found on Bing. More photos of the actual train and much more will follow, soon, I hope. God willing and time permitting.

Edit 11/25/24:
I was disappointed to learn my Lionel LionChief 0-8-0 Hallmark Santa's Toymaker Express locomotive (see photo above) has less than half the pulling power of my Lionel conventional 0-8-0 Santa's Express locomotive. After I added all eight cars to my Thanksgiving train and ran it several times around the track until it began stopping and starting.

I removed the train, checked all the connections, and thoroughly cleaned the track. Then I added cars one by one behind the locomotive. The addition of the eighth car proved to be too much; consequently, the train began to slow down on the curves.

I noticed the locomotive was slightly warm when I removed it from the track to find out why it was stopping and starting. It must have been overheating under the load of pulling eight cars. I know the power supply is sufficient. It powers my Polar Express lighted passenger car train with all the lighted add-on cars. I dropped the eighth car and now it runs fine.

 

[TLOC]

Congrats Louis. I’ve never had a train circling the tree but they always have looked cool in photos. Enjoy!

 

[Bruette]

The Late GarryCBQ's Christmas Tree and Trains.

11/11/2018
GarryCBQ posted, "Here is our Christmas tree that my wife wanted up early. .... Of course, Lionel trains belong under a Christmas tree. I have had these trains for many years. I just added the Central Vermont boxcar."

12/24/2020
GarryCBQ posted, "This picture is from a previous year. We did not put up our big tree this year."

Garry may not be with us anymore, but he lives on through all of us. He was a significant help to me and many others. He was and continues to be a great inspiration to me and many others.

I wish I had additional Christmas train photos of other members who are no longer with us. Garry, Sherrel and all the others, we will never forget you.

One of the most challenging aspects of aging is coping with the loss of many people along the journey. In my view, the finest tribute to them is to cherish their memory and to embrace life fully.

 

[Bruette]

Congrats Louis. I’ve never had a train circling the tree but they always have looked cool in photos. Enjoy!

TomO, we all have passions that drive us. One of mine is Christmas trains.

Age may be catching up with me, but deep down, I'm still that boy trying to set up a Christmas train beneath our tree. Lionel is so much easier than the first Tyco set I had. I never did get that Tyco set to run reliably under the tree in 1974. I managed to get it up and running years later, in 1988.

December 1st, 2006, I took the family to the old MB Klein store on Gay Street in East Baltimore. We picked up an Athearn Coca Cola Christmas RTR HO set with DC power pack and Bachmann EZ track. My son would set up that set, EZ track really is easy. The Athearn set ran reliably under our Christmas tree every year until I got my first Lionel set, the Polar Express O-gauge RTR set in 2012. I've been running Lionel trains ever since.

Thank you for your kind words. I can promise you I will enjoy my Christmas trains.

 

[NorthTexasRailroad]

Louis,
Thanks for starting the new thread. I'll definitely post some stuff here. My Xmas train isn't anything special, just repurposing my Bachmann HO starter set locomotive (DC). My wife and I have gotten a Xmas car each year since I started the train, so it's a few cars longer now. Plan on setting up the tree next weekend once Thanksgiving festivities are done.

 

[Colbert]

Love this cat !

 

[Iron Horseman]

Lionel is so much easier than the first Tyco set I had.

Larger size allows for greater tolerance and ruggedness. Plus I just ordered a bunch of old Lionel tubular track. I think it will be much easier to set up and take down than the Altas or Lionel Fasttrax stuff. Just hope I can find enough various curve sizes and degrees. I've got tubular O-72 and know I can get O-54. Hope there are others in between out there - maybe Gargraves?

 

[Bruette]

Larger size allows for greater tolerance and ruggedness. Plus I just ordered a bunch of old Lionel tubular track. I think it will be much easier to set up and take down than the Altas or Lionel Fasttrax stuff. Just hope I can find enough various curve sizes and degrees. I've got tubular O-72 and know I can get O-54. Hope there are others in between out there - maybe Gargraves?

The old Tyco track system was not user friendly, at least not to me.

Menards sells 3-rail tubular track. Trainz might also be a useful source. I've seen it at Train World too. I'm sure there are others as well.

After more than 12 years I am finding some broken Lionel Fastrack. So far, no more than a half dozen pieces. Not too bad out of the hundreds of pieces I have and the number of times I have taken them apart.

 

[Iron Horseman]

Cross Posting with the RPO - I attended the Trainworld Christmas Live On-Line Event the other day. Saw this Polar Express 20th anniversary box car. Normally I don't go in for the anniversary sort of things, but I liked the lighting effect in the back lit "BELIEVE" ticket on it. They said they got 100s in and they were flying off the shelves. I went to the site and it showed 10 units left. I thought they always have a free shipping deal over thanksgiving so I'll wait for that. Next morning I looked and they had 7 units left. I thought well, I don't know.... Checked later that day and 5 units left. So I ordered. Sure enough the next day I checked and they were out of stock. Sorry, for the wires, I wanted to light up the "BELIEVE" for the photo, but you can't tell anyway.

Then the way shipping and my credit card works, I needed to have an amount $5 greater than the price of the car. First time I ever wished something cost more! So I shopped around looking for something that cost $5. Couldn't find anything but I did find this car on the "blue plate special" clearance section. It is clearance because it is 2021. But it is cardinals. At the new house we have cardinals everywhere and adopted it as the estate crest. By happen chance 2021 is when we bought the house, so it works out.

 

[Iron Horseman]

Menards sells 3-rail tubular track.

I've not been impressed with the Menards track. They don't have nearly enough "ties" on the longer sections. I know I could add them but that is sooooo much work.

 

[Iron Horseman]

Congrats Louis. I’ve never had a train circling the tree

And you call yourself a model railroader!!!! ?? Oh the heresy of it all.

 

[Bruette]

Cross Posting with the RPO - I attended the Trainworld Christmas Live On-Line Event the other day. Saw this Polar Express 20th anniversary box car. Normally I don't go in for the anniversary sort of things, but I liked the lighting effect in the back lit "BELIEVE" ticket on it. They said they got 100s in and they were flying off the shelves. I went to the site and it showed 10 units left. I thought they always have a free shipping deal over thanksgiving so I'll wait for that. Next morning I looked and they had 7 units left. I thought well, I don't know.... Checked later that day and 5 units left. So I ordered. Sure enough the next day I checked and they were out of stock. Sorry, for the wires, I wanted to light up the "BELIEVE" for the photo, but you can't tell anyway.
View attachment 205264 View attachment 205265
Then the way shipping and my credit card works, I needed to have an amount $5 greater than the price of the car. First time I ever wished something cost more! So I shopped around looking for something that cost $5. Couldn't find anything but I did find this car on the "blue plate special" clearance section. It is clearance because it is 2021. But it is cardinals. At the new house we have cardinals everywhere and adopted it as the estate crest. By happen chance 2021 is when we bought the house, so it works out.

You could not have planned it any better. Both are magnificent cars, congratulations! I'm so glad you posted them in this thread, thank you!

Lionel is making a fair profit from Polar Express merchandise. Put the Polar Express name on anything and it sells. Thank God for Lionel's Polar Express. That was my first Lionel train, but not my last!

I've not been impressed with the Menards track. They don't have nearly enough "ties" on the longer sections. I know I could add them but that is sooooo much work.

I'm sorry to hear that. The last thing you need is more work in your Christmas Forest.

The only O-gauge track I've used is Lionel's FasTrack. I have a couple of sets that came with Lionel's tubular track, but I have never used it, yet. I hope to remedy that sometime after Christmas.

And you call yourself a model railroader!!!! ?? Oh the heresy of it all.

I'm even worse; as a Lionel enthusiast, I've never used tubular track. I might as well be tried for heresy!

 

[Iron Horseman]

Lionel is making a fair profit from Polar Express merchandise. Put the Polar Express name on anything and it sells.

They are cranking out as much Polar Express and associated Christmas stuff as almost everything else combined.

I talked to them last March, and they reported that the Polar Express sales (specifically the non-Legacy) set. Has exceeded the sales of the Santa Fe F3 in red warbonnet paint scheme (as I reported was their "best seller ever" in the Wonders of Model Railroading World #3 I think).

 

[Bruette]

They are cranking out as much Polar Express and associated Christmas stuff as almost everything else combined.

That doesn't surprise me.

the Polar Express sales (specifically the non-Legacy) set. Has exceeded the sales of the Santa Fe F3 in red warbonnet paint scheme

That does surprise me! Although it shouldn't, I own three traditional scale Polar Express sets and numerous add-on cars.

If I'm not mistaken,
The original 2243 Santa Fe F3 AB unit was produced from 1955 to 1957 The peak of Lionel sales. "The golden age of model railroading"
A reissue of the Santa Fe F3 Warbonnet set was produced in 1991.
The Santa Fe Anniversary Passenger Set (F3 A-B-B-A) was released in 2000 to celebrate Lionel's 100th anniversary.
I'm assuming they included all of them in the totals.

 

[Iron Horseman]

That doesn't surprise me.


That does surprise me! Although it shouldn't, I own three traditional scale Polar Express sets and numerous add-on cars.

If I'm not mistaken,
The original 2243 Santa Fe F3 AB unit was produced from 1955 to 1957 The peak of Lionel sales. "The golden age of model railroading"
A reissue of the Santa Fe F3 Warbonnet set was produced in 1991.
The Santa Fe Anniversary Passenger Set (F3 A-B-B-A) was released in 2000 to celebrate Lionel's 100th anniversary.
I'm assuming they included all of them in the totals.

At the time I didn't think to ask. I had already asked them so many other "historical" questions, I think they just wanted to get rid of me and back to work.

 

[Bruette]

At the time I didn't think to ask. I had already asked them so many other "historical" questions, I think they just wanted to get rid of me and back to work.

Thank you for your diligence. Is there an online link to your article?

 

[Bruette]

Finaly, something is complete and right on time! My Thanksgiving Day train.

Here it is in action pulling Thanksgiving cars and a very special caboose.

If you're interested, I'll be sharing more about this train, possibly later today.

 

[Bruette]

Our 2024 Thanksgiving turkey.

On our Thanksgiving table:
Turkey
Extra-large carrots and potatoes used to form a rack and baked under the turkey
Sauerkraut
Mashed potatoes
Green bean casserole
Corn
Dressing
Gravy
Cranberry sauce
Candied yams
Fresh baked rolls
All homemade and served hot, without the use of a microwave.

The deserts:
Sugar free pecan pie
Sugar free apple pie
Cherry/Apple cake
Cranberry cake
Pumpkin cheesecake
All home made
We bought a walnut cake and whipped cream.

I have no idea how my wife manages to do all this and looks good doing it. I am thankful for my exceptionally beautiful and incredibly productive little angel.

Once again, I ate too many carrots, they are irresistible when baked under the turkey! I was unable to finish half my plate. I had more than enough to taste all the things I like best, but no room for dessert. The leftovers will be great!

I hope Everyone had a wonderful thanksgiving!

 

[Bruette]

Our living room is decked with the Thanksgiving train and the Christmas tree. More Christmas decorations will follow, and the Lionel Polar Express will replace the Thanksgiving train.

 

[migalyto]

Our living room is decked with the Thanksgiving train and the Christmas tree. More Christmas decorations will follow, and the Lionel Polar Express will replace the Thanksgiving train.

Beautiful Louis

Our stuff will go up tomorrow.