This year I thought I would dig out a different train.

In the past I've had H0 & G1 under the tree, this year it's a vintage FALLER "Hit Train", 0 gauge. Very 70's retro styling.

The colourful Hit Train is from the early 1970's and was in the program for several years before being replaced with "Play Train", same track, different rolling stock, and was then followed by "E-train" in the mid-80's which was also Gauge 0 but powered through the metal rails.

Hit Train and Playtrain are both battery powered. It's rare to find them undamaged, the upper housing on this particular loco is not easy to remove, you have to squeeze the upper body to release two clips and lift it off - perhaps when new it was easier but it's quite difficult and I can imagine many children would not be able to manage it or would have broken the clips or housing trying.

But all that aside, it's still a delightful set, the range of plastic tracks is good and includes turnouts, uncoupling tracks, the engine can be stopped and reversed automatically anywhere on the layout with clip-in triggers which operate on a small switch underneath the loco. The tracks are quite easy to join but can also be broken at the join if not separated properly.

There were other accessories including as shown here a station, this is in the style of the short-lived H0 "Combi-Kits" where the base and some parts are plastic, but the walls and roof are cardboard. I also have an engine shed of the same style.

I'll add a video clip of it running in a while. Would love to see pictures of other members trains under the Xmas Tree.

Cookee

Hello,

I started with a Thomas inspired, dual oval, O-Gauge layout around our living room tree, during the Thanksgiving holiday. Due to safety concerns (i.e. Thomas's, James', Percy's and Diesel's safety), the layout was quickly moved under my Mom's old piano. This reduced track repair down to a weekly, rather than hourly task.

The following weekend, I began work on this Märklin layout, in the corner of my home office:



I still need to hide a few wires and add decorations to the little tree my wife gave me. The layout has been in this state for a couple of weeks now, as I can't stop playing with my trains long enough to complete the work.

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season!