Posts Tagged ‘electric train’
….continued from yesterday…..
American Flyer New York Central
World War II ended the production of toy electric trains from 1940 through 1945. When production resumed after the war, their popularity skyrocketed.
By the 1950′s, electric trains were the most popular toys among boys in the United States. Lionel was the largest toy train manufaturer, and they had become much more affordable.
Over the years various gauges of toy trains were introduced to the public. Realistic sounds and digital control systems were eventually added to the electric toy trains in the 1980′s. It has been estimated that there are over a half million train collectors in the United States and Canada.
Not only do toy electric trains provide a lot of enjoyment for the entire family, they have a history almost as rich as that of the real railroads.
Toy trains first appeared on the market during the 1860′s. These trains were simply designed and were made from wood and metal. It is highly unlikely that the designers of them had any inkling of what these simple floor toys would evolve into.
The first electric toy train was introduced to the world in 1901, a product of the Lionel Toy Company. Originally this train was meant to be used only as a window display. However, customers soon grew more interested in the trains in the window display than in the merchandise.
During the 1920′s electric toy trains became really popular. All of the kids wanted one, but only the rich could afford them.
…more tomorrow…..
Perhaps you and your family have been trying to come up with a hobby that all of you can participate in and enjoy. After careful consideration of several ideas, all of you agree that setting up an electric toy train would be the perfect choice!
Now that that has been decided, a myriad of other questions come to mind. Trains come in a variety of sizes and gauges. Which one fits your needs and requirements? How much track do you want and how will you arrange it? Accessories? You may want a few at first and add more later over time.
One big question is where to put your train. Do you have a table or large piece of plywood and space to display it?
A few years ago our son built a shelf or ledge along the four walls of a room in his home. It was several inches down from the ceiling. (I’m sure you have seen such an arrangement.) While it was fun to watch, that was not the ideal setup in my opinion. I like to see a train, or even 2 or 3 trains, set up with crossings, tunnels, buildings, people – all things that mimic real life situations. How you set yours up is just a matter of choice, and no matter how you do it, it will be great fun!