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 Posted - January 10 2013 : 11:08:01 PM
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I couldn't help but notice that since maybe the 1980s, Life-Like would offer train sets that were different from the norm; they would come with landscaping material that would be used to create a full starters' model railroad. This does not count those "Complete Railroad HO Electric System" platform sets from the 1970s, but are packaged like conventional train sets to be assembled on plywood or whatever.
The earliest example would have to be Life-Like's "Complete Model Railroad", probably from the mid or late 1980s. The train would have an F7 diesel locomotive, three freight cars and caboose (it was available in Santa Fe and Southern Pacific versions, IDK what other roadnames were available.) The track layout consisted of a 45"x56" oval of steel Code-100 track with a siding that ends on a lighted bumper track section. It also included the lighted yard tower and railroad crossing gate operating accessories, town church building kit, the styrofoam "Twin Peaks Overpass" tunnel thingy, painted figures, cars and trucks, signs and utility poles, a grass mat, earth material (I think), trees and lichen material.
There was also the "Mountain Run," which was similar but had no switch; just an over/under track layout, lacked the figures, vehicles and railroad crossing but also included a bridge/trestle set, town church and general store building kits, lighted yard tower, signs and utility poles, mountain paper for tunnels and lake paper. The train was hauled by a Union Pacific lo-nose GP38-2 locomotive.
Here are a few more...
Norman Rockwell-themed set...
City Express (this is like a cross between their similar "Double Train Express" and "Super City Elevated Rails" sets.)
The "Cross Country Explorer" (not pictured), featuring a double-oval track plan identical to the Railroad Empire/Diesel Driver and Freightline U.S.A. sets (complete with Power-Loc track and trestles), a seven-unit train hauled by a red/silver warbonnet Santa Fe GP38-2 lo-nose locomotive, flashing light storage tank, coal tipple, log dump station, railroad crossing (dual gates), SceneMaster campground "Build-a-Scene," vehicles, signs and utility poles, grass mats, trees, earth and lychen material, lake paper and a tunnel made using mountain paper.
TRIPLE TRAIN EMPIRE! This actually features Proto 1000 locomotives and rolling stock.
Anyone else know about these? I do find them rather unique train sets...
Edited by - wiley209 on January 11 2013 08:55:25 AM
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Posted - January 11 2013 : 01:08:38 AM
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the last 3 pics did not work 
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Posted - January 11 2013 : 01:20:27 AM
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Only your first pic is working, but I know what you're talking about.
In the 80's and early 90's, these Life-Like sets were staples of the JCPenney Christmas catalog. Maybe Sears and Monkey Wards too, I don't remember. Anyway, they always had their own page and there were two or three different sets.
These hold a special place for me, because my first HO set was on of these Life-Likes from the catalog. It arrived on Christmas morning in a huge box, mainly because of the styrofoam mountain that was included. I'll never forget opening that thing up and seeing my first HO scale trains. I got a two train layout with buildings and scenery that I set up before lunchtime on Christmas day.
That set in your picture is typical of what you would get, except that it has the paper mountain instead of the solid styrofoam one I had. There were plenty of both. They all came with some combination of basics....track, trains, trees, buildings, etc.
One of the best parts about these sets was the "basics for beginners" book/magazine that came with them. It offered all sorts of tips on how to add detail to your layout...most of which involved purchasing more Life-Like products.
A lot of the guys on here were raised on Tyco, but as for me I was raised on Life-Like. Not that I don't love Tyco, it's just that it had already started to fade when I came along.
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Posted - January 11 2013 : 08:58:36 AM
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quote:
One of the best parts about these sets was the "basics for beginners" book/magazine that came with them. It offered all sorts of tips on how to add detail to your layout...most of which involved purchasing more Life-Like products.
A lot of the guys on here were raised on Tyco, but as for me I was raised on Life-Like. Not that I don't love Tyco, it's just that it had already started to fade when I came along.
Originally posted by burlington77Â -Â January 11 2013Â :Â 01:20:27 AM
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Many of Life-Like's sets still come with the "Basics for Beginners" booklets. I actually followed a few of them on my layout.
I was also raised on Life-Like and still prominently use their stuff on my layout, except for the track (I migrated to Atlas True-Track and couldn't be happier), but I'm also collecting some Tyco stuff for it as well (I already have a few Tyco freight cars, truck terminal and crossing signal.)
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Posted - January 12 2013 : 9:46:01 PM
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Found another set on eBay, this time it's called the Scenic Lights Express, and is focused more on light-up accessories. It's a two-train set; the track plan is currently unknown, but I think it involves a figure-8 with an inner-loop, like the Double Train Express. It has a freight train with a Santa Fe F40PH locomotive (come on, it should be a GP38-2!), two freight cars and a caboose, and a passenger train with a Santa Fe F7 Warbonnet locomotive and three lighted Santa Fe passenger cars (full dome, small dome and observation car.) The track is Power-Loc, and has a bridge/trestle set for the over/under part. Accessories include two lighted yard towers, four streetlights, four spotlights, and the Town Church and Snap-Loc Train Station building kits with interior lighting kits, along with road signs and telephone poles, grass mat, earth ground cover material, lychen, mountain and lake paper.
I think I need some of that deluxe lake paper for MY layout... if anyone had/has a scan of it, that'd be good enough for me!
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Posted - January 12 2013 : 10:10:10 PM
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| I'd like to find one or two of those elevated stations in City Express
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Posted - January 22 2013 : 10:48:30 AM
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Here's another one I saw listed on eBay:
Again, this one obviously appears to be from the '80s. The "America Build Railway" train set uses a 45x54" double-oval track plan with switches, and the train has a Santa Fe GP38-2 lo-nose warbonnet locomotive, three freight cars and a caboose. The accessories include the construction site "Build-a-Scene," general store building kit, blinking storage tank tower, operating crossing gate, railroad signals, signs and utility poles, grass mat, ground cover material, trees, lychen and mountain paper for tunnels.
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Posted - January 22 2013 : 9:29:09 PM
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ah thats who made my construction set  I forgot 
Now I want one again 
Also note that Al's General Store has the original real advertizing instead of the cheap generic rip-offs
Need that too 
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Posted - January 28 2013 : 4:28:03 PM
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Another one I found:
The track plan looks very similar to the Mountain Run train set...
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Posted - February 25 2013 : 4:04:50 PM
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quote:Another one I found:
The track plan looks very similar to the Mountain Run train set...
Originally posted by wiley209Â -Â January 28 2013Â :Â 4:28:03 PM
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This was sold in the JC Penny Christmas wishbook - this set even has the catalog number - believe this was custom made for JC Penny back in the 80'sa
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 Posted - September 23 2024 : 10:58:56 PM
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Nice to bring this back for the next generation of model railroaders.
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Posted - September 24 2024 : 8:25:44 PM
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quote:
Nice to bring this back for the next generation of model railroaders.
Originally posted by wks - September 23 2024 : 10:58:56 PM
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I agree & still looking for that Construction Site unassembled
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