Do you have a Seasonal Layout Memory from years ago?
Nov 9, 2019 20:31:13 GMT
Country Joe likes this
Post by chipset35 on Nov 9, 2019 20:31:13 GMT
Since my older brother died 2 weeks after being born, I grew up with no living brothers or sisters.
For my parents who suffered 11 miscarriages due to a murderous doctor in the 1950's, having finally being able to celebrate all holidays with a child of their own was a big deal for them.
They were each now in their late 30s, so I believe this was just one reason why they always went out of their way to make Holidays special.
When Thanksgiving started getting closer as it is right now, today...my father would suddenly announce "I think its time to put up the train layout".
This event that happened every year from 1966-1975, until other things became more a priority.
However, I can still remember in the fog of time, doing some activity that was interrupted by my fathers Seasonal Layout announcement.
Then, sprinting in joy and cheering, as we went downstairs into our big basement to pull out the 2 Lionel Train Sets, and our big 6'x12' plywood sheet my father had staple gunned some dark green vinyl and nailed town double loop of track.
No turnouts, no signals, just some buildings he built from kits unpainted, one working lionel crossing gate/signal, a dozen Lionel(?) electric lamp posts (big green with white plastic), telephone poles, lichen, and trees.
He did not make good money for the 1960s, but somehow bought a brand new home in 1962, kept amble food on the table and all of us happy by working overtime...overtime...overtime...
So when most Holidays rolled around especially Thanksgiving and Christmas he would take a day or two off.
As the smell of the musty closet that our train stuff was stored in rushed out upon breaking the seal by opening the door; which had probably not been opened for a whole year since last Thanksgiving, as that is where our Christmas stuff was stored as well.
The smell of lichen, mold, smoke fluid residue, oil, grease, pine, wood, etc etd etc, all the things you could possibly smell from the long storage of model train and Christmas stuff.
And as the layout scenery was carefully laid out on the plywood, which rested on two wooden "saw horses" my father made out of 2x4s, a new smell entered down from the kitchen and into the train room.
Home Made cookies and other treats, my mother had been baking while we worked.
A glass of milk for me and a cup of coffee for my dad and as many cookies as we could eat while finishing up that layout.
Soon, the smell of ozone filled the air and the "growling" sound of Lionel locomotives filled the air.
It was pure utopia...pure happiness.
Later that night my father would either leave for work as part of weekend overtime and come back early next morning for his one day off on Sunday that week.
I bet he drove to work in total glee down the Long Island Expressway to work in NYC, drinking his coffee while eating cookies and thinking how happy he made me.
One thing for sure, I know he enjoyed it just as much and maybe more than I did...as I always let him run the trains more than I ran them!
For my parents who suffered 11 miscarriages due to a murderous doctor in the 1950's, having finally being able to celebrate all holidays with a child of their own was a big deal for them.
They were each now in their late 30s, so I believe this was just one reason why they always went out of their way to make Holidays special.
When Thanksgiving started getting closer as it is right now, today...my father would suddenly announce "I think its time to put up the train layout".
This event that happened every year from 1966-1975, until other things became more a priority.
However, I can still remember in the fog of time, doing some activity that was interrupted by my fathers Seasonal Layout announcement.
Then, sprinting in joy and cheering, as we went downstairs into our big basement to pull out the 2 Lionel Train Sets, and our big 6'x12' plywood sheet my father had staple gunned some dark green vinyl and nailed town double loop of track.
No turnouts, no signals, just some buildings he built from kits unpainted, one working lionel crossing gate/signal, a dozen Lionel(?) electric lamp posts (big green with white plastic), telephone poles, lichen, and trees.
He did not make good money for the 1960s, but somehow bought a brand new home in 1962, kept amble food on the table and all of us happy by working overtime...overtime...overtime...
So when most Holidays rolled around especially Thanksgiving and Christmas he would take a day or two off.
As the smell of the musty closet that our train stuff was stored in rushed out upon breaking the seal by opening the door; which had probably not been opened for a whole year since last Thanksgiving, as that is where our Christmas stuff was stored as well.
The smell of lichen, mold, smoke fluid residue, oil, grease, pine, wood, etc etd etc, all the things you could possibly smell from the long storage of model train and Christmas stuff.
And as the layout scenery was carefully laid out on the plywood, which rested on two wooden "saw horses" my father made out of 2x4s, a new smell entered down from the kitchen and into the train room.
Home Made cookies and other treats, my mother had been baking while we worked.
A glass of milk for me and a cup of coffee for my dad and as many cookies as we could eat while finishing up that layout.
Soon, the smell of ozone filled the air and the "growling" sound of Lionel locomotives filled the air.
It was pure utopia...pure happiness.
Later that night my father would either leave for work as part of weekend overtime and come back early next morning for his one day off on Sunday that week.
I bet he drove to work in total glee down the Long Island Expressway to work in NYC, drinking his coffee while eating cookies and thinking how happy he made me.
One thing for sure, I know he enjoyed it just as much and maybe more than I did...as I always let him run the trains more than I ran them!
