A story for Christmas and the restoration of ol' 322

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-GZ-

-GZ-

Member (SA)
I can't wait to hear about your dads reaction. Hopefully it's what we all expect. You should get some video of that.

Nice work, Chris. I can't even find the time to write a post as long as yours let alone do all the work you talked about in your post!
 
N

neanderthal

Member (SA)
I don't know if i'd hand him the box with the train inside, or set up the train somewhere (maybe collude with mum?) and have it ready and running for him when he gets up/ back (send him on an errand!) or something like that. To me that would have more emotional punch. If he boxed it up and gave it to you, he might have "let it go." Giving him a box with it within wouldn't have the same effect as a live demonstration.

But great work.
 
Fatdog

Fatdog

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I just thought of something... do you know if the train was in working condition when your dad wrapped it up and put in storage? It could be that the train was not in working order at that time and that is why he put it away. Seeing it running at 100% might just blow his mind! It will definitely flood his mind with memories.

:-D :w00t: :cool: :santa: :popcorn: :popcorn:
 
Lasonic TRC-920

Lasonic TRC-920

Moderator
Hey Guys,

Here is the update....

My brother, Wife and I drove down to Orange county to my dad's girlfriend's house for Christmas. After we unloaded the car, said all our hellos and settled in for a few, I returned to the trunk and pulled out the box containing the train. My dad was sitting in a reclining chair when I walked up and set it at his feet. Of course he asked "What is this?". He opened the box and it took just 1 second for him to exclaim "My Train, you fixed my train". (I actually don't know if the trains were put away because they didn't work).

I brought a moving pad to put on the floor, because this little machine is a greasy little bugger. My brother and I set up the track, put the train on the rails and she fired right up. We ran the train for hours each day and it ran flawlessly, smoker and all.

I ended up texting my dad's sister and she couldn't believe it. She told me she could still remember exactly what it sounded and smelled like. I sent her the video I posted at the top of this thread and she said it brought back many memories of the two of them playing with the train. All in all, it was a good Christmas :-D

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuqDNF9VTCM&feature=youtu.be
 
Fatdog

Fatdog

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Staff member
Thanks for the update, Chris! Those checkerboards are fresh, by the way. :-D

So, what will be the next project?
 
Lasonic TRC-920

Lasonic TRC-920

Moderator
Fatdog said:
Thanks for the update, Chris! Those checkerboards are fresh, by the way. :-D

So, what will be the next project?
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The next project is getting through this move. We're still in a holding pattern waiting for our Visa's. Wifey thinks will will be kicking into hyper drive here pretty soon. Then the real fun begins!

MyOhMy said:
Many thanks for the update and wonderful ending.........................or is really the end? :hmmm: :thumbsup:
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The train will be going with us to Italy where I plan to run it next Christmas!
 
Ghetteaux Les Fabulous

Ghetteaux Les Fabulous

Member (SA)
Geeze... I haven't set up my holiday train set in years...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y79PLKyvpQU

My 'little kittle' Charlotte enjoying 'her' tree around 2010. Charlotte has since passed but I still have the train set - one of those battery-operated things meant for Christmas villages.
 
Lasonic TRC-920

Lasonic TRC-920

Moderator
-GZ- said:
Soooo did he say anything else? Come on, oh eloquent one...tell us more!
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My dad is pretty low key. One of the only times I have seen him get emotional was when my wife and I surprised him by flying my brother out from Illinois for his birthday and he hadn't seen nim in 10 years.

In this case, it was less of the surprise of him seeing it the first time as it was the flood of memories that followed over the next few days as we ran the clock on ol' 322. He talked about his mom, dad and sister. He reminisced about his old high school and friends he had as a boy. Just like with our radios and the way they bring back the past, his train did the same, as I had hoped.

My dad was a tough SOB when I was a kid. Funny how the old guys soften over the years. You go from the young buck badass, to the protective husband, to the concerned teaching father, to the helpful soft grandfather. The path of a man.

Ghetteaux Les Fabulous said:
Geeze... I haven't set up my holiday train set in years...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y79PLKyvpQU

My 'little kittle' Charlotte enjoying 'her' tree around 2010. Charlotte has since passed but I still have the train set - one of those battery-operated things meant for Christmas villages.
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Maybe next year you will dust her off
 
ford93

ford93

Member (SA)
Yeah the circle of life for man is exactly how you described it Chris from hardcore to Mr. Softie well not exactly soft okay! :lol:

All we have after going through that path are our battle scars.
 
Lasonic TRC-920

Lasonic TRC-920

Moderator
ford93 said:
Yeah the circle of life for man is exactly how you described it Chris from hardcore to Mr. Softie well not exactly soft okay! :lol:

All we have after going through that path are our battle scars.
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Yeah, it's strange how we all walk this path...

ralrein1 said:
Yeah,trains are cool! So are Dads.
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I'm going to build a layout one day when I get settled
 
trippy1313

trippy1313

Member (SA)
Chris I finally read this. Another awesome story. I don't know how you did it while trying to get ready to move, not just to another house, but to another continent!

I think the reminiscing is almost always better than the reactions. Hearing stories from our parents and grandparents is so special, even stories we've heard a million times.

This reminds me of something my Dad did for my Grandpa years ago.
 
Lasonic TRC-920

Lasonic TRC-920

Moderator
trippy1313 said:
Chris I finally read this. Another awesome story. I don't know how you did it while trying to get ready to move, not just to another house, but to another continent!

I think the reminiscing is almost always better than the reactions. Hearing stories from our parents and grandparents is so special, even stories we've heard a million times.

This reminds me of something my Dad did for my Grandpa years ago.
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Thanks Trippy. It seems there is always time in a busy schedule for things like this. For years it's been impossible to "Buy" my dad something for Christmas or his birthday. He has everything, his house if full of clutter and he doesn't need any trinkets or tools. So this made sense. The cool part is, he is still talking about it and he has spoken to his sister on the phone and they both have reminisced about playing with it as a child. So it was a two pronged present.

The train is now packaged up, each car in a ziplock bag, ready for the long trip to Italy.
 
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