Introduction and my train history.

Hello fellow train lovers. I am a new member here and I will attempt to share with you where I am coming from, and where I fit in with this group.

As I posted earlier, I am 81 years old, and I am in the process of downsizing. That includes model train items that are both pre and post war.

My grandfather began the family tradition with an annual holiday set up in the 1920s or 1930s that grew through the years and was mostly handed down to me, the first grandchild.

His layout began with a Lionel train and two houses. A tall house from England had a hinged façade that opened up to reveal a living room and bedroom. The square house my grandfather built. He also began creating a Zoo with animal houses, cages and many animals imported from Europe, mostly Germany. The Zoo also included mechanical items like a fountain that spouted real water and a Merry-go-round.

I have included the few photos I have of those early days. The dates written on the photos are not correct. The two similar black and white photos were shot from the same vantage point and show two different year’s layouts. One shot shows the two houses. The second photo features a low mountain with a tunnel. The third B&W photo shows one of the Zoo buildings and some of the animals that made up the Zoo. The photo with dark brown woodwork is dated 1930. I strongly believe this was not the first year of this tradition.

If I have posted this in the appropriate place here on the site, I plan to share more photos of the evolution of this family tradition.