For The Love Of Locomotives…
Trains…they stir up visions of progress, travel, and even Christmas. Everyone has seen one in their lifetime, and people worldwide hold a reverent and sentimental place for what is probably one of the most iconic creations of the 18th century.
It was 1765 when James Watts invented the steam engine, and nearly a half century later, in 1804, Richard Trevithick took Watts’ idea, and applied it to mass transport, developing the first steam powered locomotive. However it wasn’t for almost another century (60+ years) that the idea to scale down and make “models” of trains was developed.
Since then model trains have become a niche attraction point for people of all ages. For some, “backyard” train sets, large enough to seat people, but small enough to not be considered a commercial operation are a lifetime work in progress, with pieces of track, and scaled down monuments added whenever the “conductor’s” budget allows. Fortunately for these hobbyists, there are companies that specialize in this, and whose sole purpose is to help keep the dream of owning one’s own train alive and chugging along (Come on…one train pun is okay, right?). (Read On…) (more…)