I starting collecting when I was in the army and stationed in Germany, found the world of Marklin and German engineered HO scale models.  Fortunately for me, I could get 3 to 4 Marks to my dollar so the locomotives and cars were inexpensive.  So, now I have a closet full of Marklin Steam era locomotives and cars.

Recently, I noticed that O scale was looking more and more realistic (yes, even the three rail) so I starting collecting Steam Locomotives and Steam era cars.  They also take up a lot of closet space.

While my mom was very tolerant of my dad's train board and sets, my wife is not.  For some reason she will not let me convert even one of our bedrooms into a train room!  Something about keeping the rooms set up for visiting children and grandchildren.  I thought when they left home for college and careers I would be able to take over their unused rooms.  Oh well.

So, I am waiting for retirement when I will open a little hobby shop where I can run my trains and build my layouts in peace,  I intend to have a sign on the door that says "If the door is unlocked - Come in!  If the door is locked - I'm retired..."

I starting collecting when I was in the army and stationed in Germany, found the world of Marklin and German engineered HO scale models.  Fortunately for me, I could get 3 to 4 Marks to my dollar so the locomotives and cars were inexpensive.  So, now I have a closet full of Marklin Steam era locomotives and cars.

Recently, I noticed that O scale was looking more and more realistic (yes, even the three rail) so I starting collecting Steam Locomotives and Steam era cars.  They also take up a lot of closet space.

While my mom was very tolerant of my dad's train board and...