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Friday, December 23, 2011

If Ma is not happy, nobody is!

I talked to my parents tonight for last minute preparations for Christmas. My Mother asked if I had the train that "Santa Claus" brought me was running. I told her, "What, you mean the train y'all got me in the hobby shop under Thalhimers Department store?" I was rebuffed. "No it was Santa Claus". She asked if it still smoked and made noise. I assured her it did. 


A "uncataloged" set. A mutt of the breed if you will amongst collectors of Lionel trains. The owner of the shop appears to have scrounged up some spare cars, a much derided "Scout" engine and tender. It is all O-27 scale. The smallest transformer that was on the books. A battery powered whistle control. 

The train survived my parents moving and sat in the garage there for many years.   This train will never hold the attention of collectors.

For me however it is priceless. After cleaning and repair of some minor stuff that really was not needed it now rides around here this Christmas and holds a place of honor in my living room the rest of the year.

I know how much it must have cost then. Especially for a painter and mill worker. Lionel was never cheap on any level. I am proud to have this here.

And once again I feel the wonder of the season and the love that parents have.

I will post on how you can do this under your tree soon. 
Merry Christmas! 



11 comments:

  1. That's awesome. I've wanted to put a train under the tree forever.

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  2. Outside of Museums, the "never removed from the original packaging" collecting for collecting always struck me as joyless.

    Things should be put to their intended use and enjoyed for that not just because of their rarity.

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  3. Brock- A bit further south!

    45er- Post coming but I am a bit partial to the big O gauge Lionel for under the tree.

    Odysseus- I agree. I have two Mustangs here. They were DRIVEN to car shows and went up against cars that were trailered to the show. They push the car off of the trailer and dust it. We are scraping bugs off of the windshield and cleaning the car.

    The most enjoyable part of showing those cars was driving them to and from.

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  4. Very nice, and a good story! Thanks!

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  5. Merry Christmas to you and yours!

    Looking forward to finding out about the train stuff.

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  6. The quirky pieces are the best by far, especially when they hold sentimental value!

    Have a very Merry Christmas!

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  7. Merry Christmas Keads. Hope you're having a great one.

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  8. NFO- Thanks!

    MSgtB- It's coming! Merry Christmas to you and yours!

    Blue- Same to you!

    North- Thanks my friend! Same to you.

    Brooke- Yes indeed! Same to you!

    Aaron- Thanks! Same to you!

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