Bob Crow III's Interests and Hobbies Web Site

Toy Trains

I also have a collection of "O" gauge Lionel and MTH (Mike's Train House) model trains and accessories.  I still have the Lionel 44 ton switcher train set that my Dad bought for me at Sears in 1958! 

In the 1990's, when I lived in Michigan I built a layout with five separate tracks, plus an elevated trolley.  As a matter of fact, about half of the main lines were elevated.  Unlike others in the train hobby, I am not very interested in building scenery.  I mostly enjoy the automation aspects.  So my Michigan layout included a lot of block signals, target signals, semaphores, street lights, operating gas stations, operating platforms, disappearing freight and passenger platforms, automatic train announcement boards, banjo signals, crossing signals, crossing bells, X cross-overs and turn-outs (switches).  The two outside tracks used O-72 (72") and O-54 (54") radius curves respectively.  The inside tracks and sidings were all 0-31 type track.  That was quite an exciting layout to watch when everything was powered up.

I only own one engine that was built by K-Line.  It is a Genesis with Virginia Rail Express (VRE) markings.  Later, I bought three closely-matching VRE passenger cars made by MTH.  This engine caused K-Line to go into bankruptcy.  The story is that K-Line originally paid to lease and incorporate the Lionel Railsounds™ train sound system into some of their engines.  Railsounds™ includes simulated engine noise and "talking" freight yard/engineer chatter.  But K-Line also mistakenly incorporated Lionel "cruise control" that holds locomotive speed constant both up and down grades.  Unfortunately K-Line did not pay Lionel for that additional optional feature.  Lionel sued and won.  K-Line went bankrupt.  Given this history, I believe that this engine will have some collector value in the future.

VRE commuter rail service runs through my development (Belmont Bay).  When I worked in Alexandria, VA, I used to ride it occasionally.

Unfortunately there is no room in this townhouse to set up a layout - which is what I would prefer to do as opposed to storing them in boxes.  But I could only sacrifice one room in my house for my hobbies - and the choice came down to either audio or trains. Of course audio won because it is a hobby that I can practice year-round.  I have a few of my trains on display, but 98% stays packed away... 

I haven't taken any good pictures yet of my trains.  So for now, this section is under construction.

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