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Northeastern Pennsylvania Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, Pocono area
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Old 12-08-2008, 08:58 AM
 
Location: Louisville, KY
1,590 posts, read 4,626,359 times
Reputation: 1381

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I always thought this was a common tradition in america. I have a 2 nice Lionel sets but my new house just doesn't have the room for them, so i figured i would pick up an HO set last night. The local hobby shops were all closed by 5 so i ran to the 2 biggest retailers that capitalize on christmas...walmart and toys are us.

I remember growing up and getting into toys r us meant 2 aisles full of trains. so that was my first stop. after working my way through the most ignorant crowd i ever walked through i found nothing.

baffled and with 45 minutes to kill before the lazer tag christmas party we stopped at walmart, who also had nothing....

Seemed strange to my fiance and i, both who haven't have a tree with no trains and couldn't think of anyone back home who didn't have a train under their tree.. are trains just an old school Pennsylvania tradition? or are they just not flashy and neat-o enough for kids anymore?
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Old 12-08-2008, 09:07 AM
 
Location: John From Scranton
858 posts, read 3,044,635 times
Reputation: 433
Quote:
Originally Posted by 61scout80 View Post
I always thought this was a common tradition in america. I have a 2 nice Lionel sets but my new house just doesn't have the room for them, so i figured i would pick up an HO set last night. The local hobby shops were all closed by 5 so i ran to the 2 biggest retailers that capitalize on christmas...walmart and toys are us.

I remember growing up and getting into toys r us meant 2 aisles full of trains. so that was my first stop. after working my way through the most ignorant crowd i ever walked through i found nothing.

baffled and with 45 minutes to kill before the lazer tag christmas party we stopped at walmart, who also had nothing....

Seemed strange to my fiance and i, both who haven't have a tree with no trains and couldn't think of anyone back home who didn't have a train under their tree.. are trains just an old school Pennsylvania tradition? or are they just not flashy and neat-o enough for kids anymore?

I had them all my life.. And let me tell you helping my dad set up are large display was one of the best parts of being a kid for me back then. Took a few hours to hook up. Then you get the chance to pull the level and see if it works.. Lots of fun and good times. Anyone with kids should have a good train set. I had a HO, there junk..
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Old 12-08-2008, 09:23 AM
 
Location: Louisville, KY
1,590 posts, read 4,626,359 times
Reputation: 1381
Quote:
Originally Posted by John From Scranton View Post
I had them all my life.. And let me tell you helping my dad set up are large display was one of the best parts of being a kid for me back then. Took a few hours to hook up. Then you get the chance to pull the level and see if it works.. Lots of fun and good times. Anyone with kids should have a good train set. I had a HO, there junk..
i'm not a huge fan of HO stuff, but my great room is packed with a 90 gallon salt water aquarium, a large couch, end tables, tv, and the breakfast bar from the kitchen. my train setup has only the size of my love seat to fill since i tossed that in the spare bedroom to make room....
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Old 12-08-2008, 09:26 AM
 
2,473 posts, read 5,454,994 times
Reputation: 1204
Quote:
Originally Posted by 61scout80 View Post
I always thought this was a common tradition in america. I have a 2 nice Lionel sets but my new house just doesn't have the room for them, so i figured i would pick up an HO set last night. The local hobby shops were all closed by 5 so i ran to the 2 biggest retailers that capitalize on christmas...walmart and toys are us.

I remember growing up and getting into toys r us meant 2 aisles full of trains. so that was my first stop. after working my way through the most ignorant crowd i ever walked through i found nothing.

baffled and with 45 minutes to kill before the lazer tag christmas party we stopped at walmart, who also had nothing....

Seemed strange to my fiance and i, both who haven't have a tree with no trains and couldn't think of anyone back home who didn't have a train under their tree.. are trains just an old school Pennsylvania tradition? or are they just not flashy and neat-o enough for kids anymore?
I think you hit the nail on the head with the "not flashy & neat-o" comment!!

When we were young, we had to use our imagination a lot more than kids today. The toys I see nowadays do all the "imagining" for them!! In a way, I feel sorry for them 'cause I think the "magic" of Xmas is now how expensive & how many...or maybe I'm just getting old....
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Old 12-08-2008, 09:33 AM
 
Location: Marshall-Shadeland, Pittsburgh, PA
32,620 posts, read 77,624,272 times
Reputation: 19102
We don't have a Lionel set, but when I was younger I started to really get into HO-scale (not, I'm not calling you all a "ho!" LOL!) trains and villages. I still have my train set in our basement along with a few buildings and a massive HO-scale catalog that I purchased back when there was still a big train store on the second-floor of the Steamtown Mall (I think it's now a jewelry store).
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Old 12-08-2008, 09:51 AM
 
2,473 posts, read 5,454,994 times
Reputation: 1204
Quote:
Originally Posted by ScranBarre View Post
HO-scale (not, I'm not calling you all a "ho!" LOL!)
LOL!! I just gotta visual of all these fat prostitutes gettin' up on the scale & weighing in!!

Oy!! I need a life!!!
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Old 12-08-2008, 09:54 AM
 
Location: NE PA
7,931 posts, read 15,823,549 times
Reputation: 4425
Quote:
Originally Posted by ScranBarre View Post
back when there was still a big train store on the second-floor of the Steamtown Mall (I think it's now a jewelry store).

Too bad that store isn't there anymore....it was perfect having a train store in a mall right next to a national park devoted to trains....you'd think it would be a good fit...

Went on Steamtown's Holiday Express the other day...it was a good time....first time I've been on a Steamtown train since maybe 6th grade.
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Old 12-08-2008, 09:54 AM
 
Location: Marshall-Shadeland, Pittsburgh, PA
32,620 posts, read 77,624,272 times
Reputation: 19102
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jungle George View Post
LOL!! I just gotta visual of all these fat prostitutes gettin' up on the scale & weighing in!!
HAHA! Well I weigh in at 140 lbs. soaking wet, so person #1 in the line is now finished!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jungle George View Post
Oy!! I need a life!!!
You and me both, Georgie! I have a final at 3:15 PM down on campus and instead of studying I'm flittering time away watching the Price is Right, listening to my tummy rumble, and chatting with middle-aged people on a message board! LOL!
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Old 12-08-2008, 09:56 AM
 
Location: Marshall-Shadeland, Pittsburgh, PA
32,620 posts, read 77,624,272 times
Reputation: 19102
Quote:
Originally Posted by go phillies View Post
Too bad that store isn't there anymore....it was perfect having a train store in a mall right next to a national park devoted to trains....you'd think it would be a good fit...

Went on Steamtown's Holiday Express the other day...it was a good time....first time I've been on a Steamtown train since maybe 6th grade.
I used to love that store growing up. I'd play around with all of their cute little train displays and make "choo choo" noises. I'd always nag my parents to take me to Steamtown instead of their favored Wyoming Valley Mall for that very reason. It's mind-boggling how a train store adjacent to a national historic site DEVOTED TO TRAINS could flop.
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Old 12-08-2008, 09:56 AM
 
Location: John From Scranton
858 posts, read 3,044,635 times
Reputation: 433
Quote:
Originally Posted by ScranBarre View Post

Georgie!
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