Aspies and Model Trains or real ones.

[artfull dodger]

Its been shown thru studies that many model railroaders are Aspie or somewhere on the spectrum. I have shared my outdoor garden railway in previous threads, but the coming winter is supposed to be harsh if we take stock in some of the predictions. Time for me to build a new indoor railway. I have always loved the colorful tinplate metal trains produced before the second world war. Last night I bought this 1931 era Bassett Lowke engine, named the Duke of York. He is eco friendly being a clockwork or spring drive. Just wind him up and send him down the line. I am also in the process of buying a second engine that runs on real steam. These are O scale, same size as Lionel trains. My new layout will be all British style using both Bassett Lowke and Hornby tinplate trains, track and buildings. I should be starting on the table they will run on later this fall. Trains allow me to go into a world that I understand, were I am safe and secure. Whether it be playing with model trains or sitting in a lawn chair watching real trains go by. Here is a pic of the Duke of York. Mike

 

[clg114]

Its been shown thru studies that many model railroaders are Aspie or somewhere on the spectrum. I have shared my outdoor garden railway in previous threads, but the coming winter is supposed to be harsh if we take stock in some of the predictions. Time for me to build a new indoor railway. I have always loved the colorful tinplate metal trains produced before the second world war. Last night I bought this 1931 era Bassett Lowke engine, named the Duke of York. He is eco friendly being a clockwork or spring drive. Just wind him up and send him down the line. I am also in the process of buying a second engine that runs on real steam. These are O scale, same size as Lionel trains. My new layout will be all British style using both Bassett Lowke and Hornby tinplate trains, track and buildings. I should be starting on the table they will run on later this fall. Trains allow me to go into a world that I understand, were I am safe and secure. Whether it be playing with model trains or sitting in a lawn chair watching real trains go by. Here is a pic of the Duke of York. Mike

Real Aspies or real trains? Oh, sorry, that was just me being a smart aleck. Although I do not have a model train I really like watching them run. The more detailed, the better. Last year someone (probably you) posted pictures of a really great outdoor setup. I have to many irons in the fire already, so I will not be building one anytime soon. But when I find them, I will spend time watching it run. More pictures?

 

[artfull dodger]

That was my outdoor set up, when I get time later tonight or tomorrow, I will post some more pics I have of past train setups I have done. Mike

 

[watersprite]

I very much look forward to your pics. The clockwork nature of the train's power is fascinating to me.
~ k

 

[Aspergirl4hire]

I loved trains as a child. I had an HO model that I elaborated on, mostly in my dreams, but I used to beg to go to hobby shops at Christmas to see the big promotions. Still like them, even modern ones.

 

[clg114]

That was my outdoor set up, when I get time later tonight or tomorrow, I will post some more pics I have of past train setups I have done. Mike

Thank you.

 

[Destination Unknown]

I used to have an HO layout set up. When I was a kid I was given someones old train stuff. I'm guessing it was from the 1940's era. It didn't work well with the modern couplers. I still have it boxed up. These days, rather than a building a detailed train layout, I would just like to have a double track around the top of a room set up to run some trains on.

 

[artfull dodger]

Here are some pics from the past of train layouts I built years ago. First up is a Marklin HO scale layout




Next up is a picture of a real train running where I live. I helped out in the repair shop of this little railroad as a teenager, thru the generosity of the head mechanic and president, I learned how to work on, and operate this locomotive. This only deepened my intense obsession with trains both real and toy/model.

Next are some pics from my first garden railway after we moved into our first house


UP next are some pics from the late local HO scale model train club, we had a 15' by 50' train layout, it still exhists but lays dormant due to the failing health of the owner of the property, most likely will be torn down in the coming years.



I have spent the better part of 42 years with a deep obsession with trains and that will never change, I even worked for a big railroad at one time, but being pre-diagnosis, I was not able to cope with the stress related to the job and ended up leaving after a year. I love the job, couldn't deal with the stress. I hope in time some other model railroaders/Aspies will find thier way here to AC and strike up a friendship with me. Mike

 

[Nitro]

I have all the makings of a small HO setup that will be assembled when the season changes to winter. My N gauge trains won't be set up again until my great room is finished. I want to reproduce the Homestead Works United States Steel mill in N gauge as a tribute to my maternal grandfather who worked his entire lifetime there as a chemist.

 

[artfull dodger]

Here are both of my new pre war, ie 1930's vintage, Bassett Lowke tinplate trains. The first one is the wind up or properly called Clockwork Duke of York and the 2nd one is the Live Steam Stainer Mogul. It burns alcohol in a burner between the frames and below the boiler to actualy boil water in the boiler creating steam. Which in turn drives the cylinders, one on each side to drive the wheels and pull the train, will run about 30-40min once I wake it back up. Its been stored and unrun for several decades. Even has a whistle in the cab I can blow. Both are the same size as the popular Lionel brand trains and can run on the same track. Dodger