TRAIN TIME: Lionel #1688E Commodore Vanderbilt

Another post in the 'forgotten fotos file', the Lionel #1688E Commodore Vanderbilt. I took these photos just prior to selling the engine. When I switched from HO scale model railroading to 3-rail O-gauge, I was pretty much feeling out different tinplate and toy trains. Lionel was something I never had as a kid but certainly its reputation was known to me.  Understandably it was a natural to start collecting. But then I latched on to Marx and my Lionel infatuation pretty much ended. Marx was cheaper, and more toy-like which is what I was looking for. It was the anti-scale. Being into scale trains is exasperating. There is a certain pressure brought on by the hobby press that makes a person believe they have to micro-detail every single square millimeter of train layout real estate. That level of detailing can wear a person down. I just wanted to run trains for crying-out-loud! And 3-rail O-gauge tinplate got me up-&-runnin' in no time and there was always an option to detail if I wanted.. Anywho, here's a few shots of a classic toy engine from Lionel's golden years - Enjoy! Opa Fritz and Oma Bettina