Episode 77 - Building A Simple Marx / Lionel Train Layout For The Kids

My family and I are enjoying a Spring Break vacation this week. To keep the channel active, I am publishing short videos from The Archives this week. Regular programming will resume soon.

Meanwhile...

My 7-year-old twins were showing more and more interest in "Daddy's Trains" so, in an effort to maintain the peace, I decided to build the boys their own layout. I started with a 4' x 4' frame of 1 x 3s and added a sheet of pink insulation foam board. I painted the surface with green craft paints and laid down some O27 tracks.

A Marx manual turnout, crane, and girder bridge added some operating interest. and a surplus K-Line power pack provided the voltage.

I bought a Marx 4-wheel plastic set led by a #400 steamer ($25 on eBay for the set as I recall), but the lack of a reverse unit on the Marx loco led to frustration with switching the siding, so a Lionel 4-4-0 along with some common Lionel postwar and MPC cars. (I had not yet developed my Lionel-to-Marx coupler adapter seen in this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiSlyMhn_Ls).

Before long, Hot Wheels and Imaginext items shared the right of way with the trains.

18 months later, the boys had become adept enough with operating E units and switching that I redesigned "my layout" to be more kid-friendly and the previous version of the FUN LINES was born.

Enjoy!