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 Posted - May 02 2014 : 11:31:05 PM
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Most all of us here obviously had Tyco sets as kids. What sets did you get? For myself, my very first set was a garage sale Marx 3 rail set that ran off a 6vt lantern battery. But, in 1977 I got a whole bunch of Tyco. From my parents I got a Silver streak set, dont remember if it was a Sears set or what cars it had with it. The day after Christmas we would travel from Kokomo, IN to West Alexandria, OH to my grand parents. From my dad's folks I got a Sears Royal Blue and from my mother's mom I got a Midnight Special engine and matching caboose. Unfortunatly none of it survived my childhood as I got into Lionel 3 rail in a big way during my teens. Now its German G scale in my garden and rebuilding my childhood Tyco collection. But now I have ideas how to make the old Royal blue run as good as she looks. I did get other Tyco engines before the conversion to O gauge. Mostly steam, had the ATSF ten wheeler and the D&RG bumble bee 12 wheeler along with old time passenger cars to pull. Cheers Mike
Still NT's, I have Aspergers.
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Posted - May 03 2014 : 08:48:25 AM
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| My first set was for Christmas 1954. It was an 027 Lionel 4-6-4 Hudson with a whistle in the tender and 4 cars and caboose. I can't remember what the Lionel term was for the engine set up, but if you cut the power, the engine would idle and if you cut it again it would reverse direction. It also had a smoke unit in it with a bellows hooked to the wheels so that it "puffed" the smoke out the stack. Still runs today.
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Posted - May 03 2014 : 10:18:42 AM
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I hated my first train set because in 1977 I wanted an AFX race track and my brother wanted a train set. when Santa came, he gave me the train set and my brother the race track (That idiot). I despise that train set, it was the Santa Fe F7 set, the same F7 that TYCO saturated the market with and now there are 3,000 on ebay now. For waht every reason that danm track stopped working. I thought it was because I left the transformer on all night, but since I have gotter back into railroading I have left my TYCO transformers on for days and they still work. I can say though I am happy hat TYCO was my first set and abecause of that is the reason why I collect TYCO.
This is that that train set looked like:
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Posted - May 03 2014 : 10:41:04 AM
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My first train set was an Athearn Warbonnet Express train set that I got about a decade ago.
Here's the box:
And the locomotive/rolling stock that came with the set:
-Steve
"A lot of modellers out there who go to these train shows see broken HO stuff and go, 'This is useless' when, in reality, they can still be used for modeling whether it's as a prop on your layout or a cool project to make something old new again."
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Posted - May 03 2014 : 2:08:01 PM
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Nice set Stephen, those newer Athearn cars with the metal wheels are great rollers.
My first set was a Lionel 027 on Christmas morning, my first HO was an AHM set on Christmas as well a few years later. Did not mess much with Tyco until recently.
The Lionel set is long gone - I think my mom disposed of it one way or another. AHM set gone too, except for the PC C-liner and the C&O caboose.
http://tycodepot.com/
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Posted - May 03 2014 : 2:18:27 PM
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The only trains to survive from my childhood is my fathers Lionel set from the late 40's. It was kept at my grandparents till I was in my early teens and could properly care for it. It now comes out at Christmas time for a few laps under the tree. I can barely remember my Marx battery set, mostly from looking at pictures of me playing with it. Now the Tyco sets I can vividly remember as I was a bit older. I would have been 4 going on 5 years old when I got my Tyco sets. Mike
Still NT's, I have Aspergers.
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Posted - May 03 2014 : 2:21:41 PM
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My first was an Bachmann and still have it! Has a F9, 2 cars and a caboose with a circle of ez-track. Think it's called the Thunder Rail or something of the like.
" Heck with counting 'em rivets, TRAINS ARE FOR FUN! Not called the Mad Scientist for nothing either!"
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babuff
Little Six
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Posted - May 03 2014 : 2:40:15 PM
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My first trains were O scale American flyer. My father started collecting pieces right after the war (WW2) About 5 yrs later he bought his house and built a large open oval bench work. I spent hrs. running that train, until my 2 yr old sister decided to see how well it could fly between the rails and the 3 feet to the concrete floor. That was the end of that train, but not my love with trains. When I was 10 I took my birthday money and bought an H O Varney hopper kit, and with his help built it. That hopper still proudly sits on my display shelf today, almost 60 yrs. later
Leo
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Posted - May 03 2014 : 2:53:38 PM
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had the old battery plastic trains that went in a circle 
Later I got the Lionel Rock Island Line set by General Mills
Later still I got a Bachmann Golden Spike set WITHOUT the GS boxcar
It must of been the later versions
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Posted - May 03 2014 : 4:17:30 PM
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Got such a set for Christmas when I was
about six years old. Later I got two turnouts and
curved tracks . I Never got straight tracks.
So my lines are allways twisted - Erich
Edited by - Erich on May 03 2014 4:25:36 PM
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Posted - May 03 2014 : 8:39:40 PM
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quote:Nice set Stephen, those newer Athearn cars with the metal wheels are great rollers.
Originally posted by JNXT 7707Â -Â May 03 2014Â :Â 2:08:01 PM
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Why thank you.
-Steve
"A lot of modellers out there who go to these train shows see broken HO stuff and go, 'This is useless' when, in reality, they can still be used for modeling whether it's as a prop on your layout or a cool project to make something old new again."
Edited by - kovacste000 on May 03 2014 8:39:58 PM
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Posted - May 04 2014 : 01:23:39 AM
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As far back as I can remember I got inexpensive battery powered toy train sets for Christmas every year. Then probably about 1973 or 1974 I got my first electric set, a Lionel starter set called the Kickapoo Valley and Notthern. It had an 0-4-0 loco, an ore dump var, some other car, and a bobber caboose. A little while after that I got a set, the manufacturer I don't remember, that ran on O-27 track and was powered by a 6 volt lantern battery in the power pack. Since batteries don't last forever, I got the bright idea to try to run it with my Lionel transformer. Oops!
Christmas 1975 brought my first HO set, Tyco's Chattanooga Choo Choo. I still have the loco, crane car, boom tender, track and power pack from that set, all worse for wear. The loco stopped running and I traded it to a friend, but had second thoughts and managed to get it back.
I got the Tyco Durango set with the searchlight caboose for Christmas 1976. I still have all but the loco from that set, which sucks because the loco had the rare ALCO side frames instead of the common Blombergs!
In '77 or '78 I got a Life Like set with a Styrofoam scenery base, trees, lichen, signs, and a freight station. I still have the. Loco, cars, and the remains of the station, but the scenery is long gone.
Sometime in 1979 I mailed in box tops, an order form, and $20 to Kellogg's for a promotional train set from AHM. That set was awesome! It had an 8-wheel drive loco, 6 cars, signs, telephone poles, 3 or 4 cardstock buildings, an extended oval of track, even a set of cardstock BurmaShave signs! I still have all but the buildings, and the loco got chopped up for a project I never finished. That set was a heckuva deal for $20!
Also in 1979 Santa brought me the Tyco Silver Streak set. I still have all of it except for the cardstock truck terminal.
Finally, in 1980 came Tyco's Golden Eagle set, and it's still complete!
Thus ends my childhood train set history.
Glenn
I was thinking of the immortal words of Socrates, who said, "... I drank what?"
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Posted - May 04 2014 : 4:21:35 PM
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My first set, 1969 or 70. Still have the box.
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Posted - May 09 2014 : 10:10:27 PM
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My 1st set was an Aurora postage Stamp set. It had the UP #510 F unit 3 cars and a caboose. I loved that set. My mom and dad bought it for me in 1968 when i was 8. Had N scale all throughout my life till this year. sold off everything and hit HO .......But N will always have a special place in my heart.
Jim
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Posted - May 10 2014 : 11:20:41 PM
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First one given to me was a Bachmann HO set on my 5th birthday, with a UP F7, an M&StL hopper, a BN gondola and a caboose. I actually started out with m dad's old N-scale trains though when he gave them to me at age 2 (what was he thinking?!?! oh well, I never broke any...), which turned out to be an Aurora Postage-Stamp set with the German 0-6-0 and the American freight cars, some german commuter train, and an Arnold (or was it Fleischmann?) Santa Fe super chief with a burnt out F7.
--CRC
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Posted - May 11 2014 : 12:16:45 AM
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quote:First one given to me was a Bachmann HO set on my 5th birthday, with a UP F7, an M&StL hopper, a BN gondola and a caboose. I actually started out with m dad's old N-scale trains though when he gave them to me at age 2 (what was he thinking?!?! oh well, I never broke any...), which turned out to be an Aurora Postage-Stamp set with the German 0-6-0 and the American freight cars, some german commuter train, and an Arnold (or was it Fleischmann?) Santa Fe super chief with a burnt out F7.
Originally posted by PRR 4800Â -Â May 10 2014Â :Â 11:20:41 PM
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Ah, you mean this set?
It's the closest I could find to the Aurora set you described as your first train set but I'm pretty sure this is the one.
-Steve
"A lot of modellers out there who go to these train shows see broken HO stuff and go, 'This is useless' when, in reality, they can still be used for modeling whether it's as a prop on your layout or a cool project to make something old new again."
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Posted - May 11 2014 : 8:51:26 PM
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Mike,
My first set was a Silver Streak as well, probably around 1981/82. Love to get my hands on a replacement. I miss the "train set" fun.
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Posted - May 11 2014 : 9:56:56 PM
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SS sets are fairly common on evilbay and on here for that matter. If you want one, post up in the for sale/wanted area or watch evilbay. I still want to find a boxed Sears Royal Blue set but that may take awhile to find. I have most of my childhood Tyco engines now. Waiting on my funding to rebuild to purchase the D&RG 12 wheeler from a member here. Then all I have left is the Midnight special Shark, saw one at the show last weekend but I was out of $$ by then. Mike
Still NT's, I have Aspergers.
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Posted - May 12 2014 : 12:15:55 AM
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First set ever was my Marx 0-27 or slightly S-scale set that was running around my Christmas tree when I woke up Christmas morning I think in 1970. First Tyco set in HO was a Santa Fe F-7 in Warbonnet colors with a freight set. I still have them both and they still run and are highly prized in my collection. This set was followed closely by my first bicentennial Tyco set with the C-430.
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Posted - June 03 2014 : 10:14:06 AM
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| Amazing topic, fascinating replies.
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Posted - June 03 2014 : 10:33:37 AM
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quote:Amazing topic, fascinating replies.
Originally posted by Chops124Â -Â June 03 2014Â :Â 10:14:06 AM
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I'd have to agree with that one, Chops.It's fun looking at everyone's first model train set and seeing how it is now if they still have stuff from it and how they use it today.
-Steve
"A lot of modellers out there who go to these train shows see broken HO stuff and go, 'This is useless' when, in reality, they can still be used for modeling whether it's as a prop on your layout or a cool project to make something old new again."
Edited by - kovacste000 on June 03 2014 10:34:01 AM
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Posted - June 19 2014 : 4:35:02 PM
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My first HO set was an AHM Basic UP freight engine three cars got that at Korvettes My frst Lionel was a used set my Mom got at an American Legion sale
Sh paid a dollar Lionel 243 set w four cars 1960 set still have the HO pack and the alis chalmers and cities service tank car
First of MANY
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Posted - June 19 2014 : 4:37:05 PM
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OH YEAH First TYCO set?
1974 Spirit of 76 set have it all but the log car replaced that later on
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Helm
Little Six
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Posted - June 20 2014 : 08:35:32 AM
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As a kiddo in the mid 50s, I got a Lionel set for Christmas: The Texas Special with a powered diesel and a dummy diesel (A-A unit). Needless to say, it got a lot of use!
In the late 60s I bought my first Tyco. I don't remember the name of the set or all of the cars, but it was a dark green PRR F-7 with a red four wheel bobber caboose. There was an operating hopper car (but no accesories to make it work) and I think a reefer.
RicH
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Posted - June 20 2014 : 12:34:09 PM
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quote:OH YEAH First TYCO set?
1974 Spirit of 76 set have it all but the log car replaced that later on
Originally posted by thesiding - June 19 2014 : 4:37:05 PM
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Wait, they made Spirit of 76 stuff since 1974? I thought they were only made in 1976 and maybe 1977. Guess I'm wrong.
-Steve
"A lot of modellers out there who go to these train shows see broken HO stuff and go, 'This is useless' when, in reality, they can still be used for modeling whether it's as a prop on your layout or a cool project to make something old new again."
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Posted - June 20 2014 : 12:48:50 PM
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| YEP its in the 1974 catalog got it that Christmas the blue stripe nose version
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Posted - June 20 2014 : 1:49:45 PM
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My first set was the Tyco Golden Eagle. It was cataloged in 1980 only, but I think I got it in 1983. It must have been on clearance by then, or maybe even secondhand, but as I recall, everything was there, even the unused sheet of Nite-Glow strips. It was a nice set.
It was also my first Tyco repair experience, when my younger brother was playing with the loco and accidentally dropped it down the stairs. Both trucks fell out. I thought it was ruined, until I realized that the trucks simply popped back in. I did so, and everything was fine.
I don't fully recollect what happened to that set. I know I had the habit of attempting repairs on my own, which tended to cause rapid attrition. I think the Tycopak stopped working correctly at some point, and I vaguely remember thinking that cutting off the cord was a good first step for disassembly. Needless to say, there was no railroading after that, and by 1985 the last intact, 'unrepaired' piece was the BN boxcar, which I donated to a school auction.
My railroading was restarted in 1987, when my brother got a Tyco Rail Master 72 set. This set survived, and was augmented by an AHM Santa Fe figure-8 set, a collection of very old Rivarossi-era Lionel HO from grandma's attic, and assorted purchases from the train shows, hobby shops, and the train section of Toy World. We built a 4x4 layout, then a 4x8, then an 8x8, and eventually an insane empire on salvaged lumber filling half of a 20 x 40 foot basement lit by a few pigtail bulbs and Shoplites. Nearly all of it was used or scrounged. We didn't have any money, but we got MR every month and wanted to do it all. :)
Motive power was an insane fleet of diesels mostly assembled from train-show junkboxes. I had a model of my hometown's central business district all scratchbuilt from cereal-box cardboard...had gone around town with a notebook and tape measure for weeks to get all the dimensions, and even managed to get plans from city hall, made for a reno project that had never gotten off the ground. I worked on that through high school (by which time my brother had dropped out, and my other brother joined up) but all I have left of it now is the remains of a kitbashed wheel car, three Athearn streamlined passenger cars, and one scratchbuilt house, the yellow one in this picture, which was the second structure I ever built:
Everything else was lost in moves, or pitched into a dumpster in 1999 when I decided I was done forever with model railroading.
My model railroad was called the Allegheny Central. Curiously, Fred Lagno's model railroad of the same name, which appeared much later, has an almost identical setting and color scheme, as well as the same overall flavor I was going for. Synchronicity.
I've got two or maybe three blurry photos of my old 4x8, but unfortunately, none of my big dream empire. If I can dig up the photos I will post them here someday. :D
Edited by - Autobus Prime on June 20 2014 1:56:13 PM
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Posted - July 23 2014 : 9:02:08 PM
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mine was a AHM set, came with that all time classic C-Liner in Santa Fe.
This was around 1974-ish. Birthday or Christmas gift,,one of the two.
The loco has taken a beating over the years,but still runs.
I don't remember exactly which cars came in the set other than a Santa Fe cupola caboose.
I still run it now and then,just becuz,and sometimes just to hear that distinctive growl these AHM C-liners make.
[URL=http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/jbsmith966/media/AHMC-Liner.jpg.html] /tyco/forum/uploaded/jbsmith966/AHMC-Liner.jpg [/URL]
Edited by - jbsmith966 on July 23 2014 9:05:10 PM
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Posted - July 24 2014 : 10:29:39 AM
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My first set was a Marx New Haven F3 a&b set similar to this one. I do know it had a flat car with it, but it was missing the load when I got it and that was it. It had everything else. I purchased it as a ~complete set at a house auction for $20 when I was 14. When I lifted the plastic insert, after buying it, I discovered a pristine Athearn F7ab set at the bottom of the box.
I sold the Marx set to a fellow who was advertising in MR, looking for Marx sets. I called him up, told him what I had as best I could, he offered me $50, so I took it. My first HO train sale!
on a side... I find it interesting Worthpoint has a copyright on the snowbird photo... It was taken from a listing I posted on eBay back in 2011! I sold those engines and I took the photos and they have a copyright on it? They didn't pay me for the photos! They can kiss my hairy *ss!
Sean
"If everything seems under control, you're not going fast enough!" - Mario Andretti!
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Posted - July 24 2014 : 3:03:38 PM
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If you don't claim a copyright on your work I don't think there is anything to legally stop someone else from doing so. If you want to claim a copyright on your work all you have to do is put a copyright notice on it; no registration process is required. Just write "Copyright" followed by the copyright symbol, followed by the current year, followed by your name. You can add "All rights reserved" if you wish.
On a lighter note, it's always great to find a bonus hidden in the box! My in-laws bought me a Bachmann set from an antique mall and when I lifted the lid I also found a Life Like BAR modern boxcar. Not on the level of two pristine Athearn locos, but still cool.
Glenn
I was thinking of the immortal words of Socrates, who said, "... I drank what?"
Edited by - gmoney on July 24 2014 3:50:12 PM
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Posted - July 24 2014 : 4:52:09 PM
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I think what Worthpoint is claiming is that they licensed a copyrighted work, presumably from eBay. Perhaps eBay claims the copyright? I don't know, but I agree, it's startling to see your own photos marked like this on someone else's site.
That said, nice Marx New Haven set!
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