Lionel Trains D-131 from 1954. Running Toy Trains on Original Dealer Layout

[@ssrrocks22]

I had the same setup back in the late 60s. My mother found it at the local Goodwill. The manager put a price on it, and no one was even interested in it. She put a bid of $ 25.00, and two weeks later was Christmas. This lionel with trains and control was my the best Christmas. I will never forget it...

[@BriansTrainRoom]

That is awesome. Love the trains from the mid 50's. great quality and very dependable. Keep running those trains!. Brian

[@RoyRolling]

You, my man, are envied by boys of the 1960s like today’s generation can’t even imagine. Major props to your mother.❤

[@ssrrocks22]

@RoyRolling : Thank you. It was one of the best Christmas. With all of that came boxes full of track. I set it up in my grandparents' house from the living room to the dining room and around all the furniture and dining table she had. Sadly, my grandfather moved it to the old garage. In 1969, the worst rain in over 100 years came and washed it all away. I've never been able to find anything like it since...

[@johnscherf1228]

That's awesome!!! Love it!

[@Cruel_Shoes]

I used to have a few model trains growing up in the 60s. After watching this, I remember I had the watchmen and the gate that went down on my train set. I always wanted one of the landscape train sets like this one. But it never happened. But these kind of toys are so much better than what you find today. All you find today is something electronic. Takes me back to a much better and simpler time.

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Yeah, the dealer displays really do capture that feeling. The accessories are what make it pop. Glad you enjoyed it. Brian

[@Ed-ICE-Berg]

Lionel made some wonderful display layouts and that one is in great condition! Loved watching it in action!

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Amazing that a 70 year old display is still operational. Love the old Lionel trains. Brian

[@AERODYNEELECTRICllc.-zy4ze]

More power feeder lines Scotty. Nice layout. The early 1950's Lionel built many quality items and they still work beautifully. Amazing just amazing. U.S.A. MADE!

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Most of the slow down was me fiddling with the power, the original layout has buss bar power that does a pretty good job keeping power up on all tracks. Well built layout for sure and love the feel of original Lionel quality!. B

[@liamwilson1058]

Hi Brian I’m seriously considering building this layout. Could you possibly tell me the height of the small center platform and the height of the girder bridge so I know how high to make the ramp. Thanks, Liam Wilson.

[@BriansTrainRoom]

@@liamwilson1058 Well, good question, but I do not have that information handy!. So look at one of the low shots and see where the girder bridge is in relation to the 497 coal loader. I think it's no more than 5-6 inches. If you really start digging into this layout, I can ask the owner for more details. Brian,

[@dankamikubo7002]

What were the materials used to construct the mountains? I had hoped that you’d demonstrate the coal loader and the cattle and milk ramps. Still, a fun layout! They really knew how to build them back then! Thanks!

[@BriansTrainRoom]

@@dankamikubo7002 Well, I believe the mountains were a cloth soaked in a plaster slurry and then painted. Similar to what was available in the 920 landscape set. The cattle car was not working well and I totally missed on shooting the other two accessories in operation. Sorry about that! Brian.

[@wayneantoniazzi2706]

Wow! Oh wow-wow-wow! What a thrill watching that D-131 Dealer Display in action and doing what it was meant to do. Thanks Brian for sharing it with us! And imagine, 70 years old and still going strong! They sure built 'em good, didn't they?

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Yes, so well built, and such a good looking layout. Simple and efficient, Best part, I get to run and play with each of the ones I film! So fun!. Brian

[@user-spacrazie]

Awesome layout! If I had been around in 1954, I would have been in Train Heaven!! $175 back in 1954….a lot of money, considering my parents mortgage payments on their brand new home in SoCal in 1955 was $66 a month. $1 down, VA loan.

[@BriansTrainRoom]

So very true, while some might say that 175.00 is cheap, that was equivalent to 2500.00 back in 1954. Not cheap, but came with tons of accessories and was fully landscaped. Great layout. Brian

[@jrmeindl]

Thanks for posting another one of the Dealer Displays. I have found them really interesting. Lionel had some very creative people designing and building them. Perfect items for selling product.

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Yes, these are so cool and I just love running these. trains on the original displays! I feel like a kid on Christmas every time! Brian

[@lucaswalker2538]

This is the perfect toy. It has everything in a small space. Ideal for having it in a room. When I was a child I had a model train, but it was a lot of work to assemble and disassemble it every day. I would have really liked to have a Lionel Train Display D-131. Thanks for sharing.

[@BriansTrainRoom]

True, if you wanted a great layout with limited space and didn't want to build one from scratch, these are a perfect choice!. If I had the space, I would for sure!!! B

[@jerlewis4291]

Before my time but my uncle owned a hardware store in Queens and always had these. He sold every one of them on Christmas Eve, most dealers did the same thing. He always ordered New York Central passenger and freight trains to use for the layout. He had a small Lionel area in the store for parents to buy kids stuff and for local enthusiasts to come in.

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Wow, that is so cool. Wish he had kept one of them huh!. Any pictures????? Thanks, Brian

[@michaelbrown6325]

Very cool to see something amazing like this from the past in full action!! LOVE IT!!!!

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Such a great layout. Original display layouts are just so special. Image this in the window of your local hardware store getting you come in side and buy Lionel trains! So Cool!. Brian

[@AERODYNEELECTRICllc.-zy4ze]

The night running was great. Thank You.

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Yeah,, seeing those trains in low light is a treat, especially the 494 whirling away!. B

[@donaldlamendola8294]

One of my favorite of the "Dealer Display" layouts. Great post and Thank you!

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Thanks, have so many great dealer layouts to go. Keep an eye out!. B

[@DeMan59]

Had a nice Lionel train set my uncle gave us before he got married. Then later he had kids of his own and asked for the train set back. Had to do the right thing and give it to him. But damn I loved that train. Lol

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Well, time to start looking for a set of your own. I have a passion for Postwar Lionel trains made between 1945 and 1969. But find the era that fits you best. Go to a train show and ask questions and make it happen. Good luck. Brian

[@hartmutlorentzen9659]

Great video, thanks for presentation , from Germany

[@BriansTrainRoom]

My pleasure, like some of the other dealer display layouts I have done on this channel, it was so much fun to film and share with everyone!. Thank you. Brian

[@RickGrossmanAttorney]

My mother was a Lionel dealer and I had this board in our home when I was 4-5 years old. I still have most of the rolling stock in the original boxes.

[@BriansTrainRoom]

That is amazing, I am sure you got to play with all kind of great trains!. If you have any pictures of the layouts or the store, I would love to see them!. Feel free to reach out at [e-mail] to share her Storie and history!. Brian

[@John-t5s]

The sound was awesome

[@BriansTrainRoom]

There is calming roar of postwar Lionel trains that cannot be duplicated!. Enjoy!. Brian

[@taofledermaus]

That cost about $2000 in today's money (in case no one else posted that) Very cool setup!

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Yeah, the cost of the display has been mentioned and it wasn't cheap. But loaded with accessories and was fully landscaped. A beautiful 70 year old dealer display still working!. B

[@taofledermaus]

@@BriansTrainRoom It's really amazing that survived 70 years and it still in great condition. thanks for the cool video post

[@FreeBird-111]

I checked that too. Sorry, didn't read your post first. A chunk of change for sure. Nice layout though. Happy holidays.

[@DavidLevine]

Thanks for 1 year of great content and your sharing of knowledge!

[@BriansTrainRoom]

My pleasure, it has been so much fun doing these!. Way more to come!! Brian

[@tomshannon7513]

Great stuff!, beautiful display, everything still looks brand new.

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Fortunately, it was saved from being parted and destroyed as most were after the season. So, it was really nice to get to operate the layout and I could not have had more fun doing so!. Thanks, Brian

[@Berkshire736]

An absolutely incredible layout and an incredible piece of history!

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Yeah, love the old displays and amazing how well they are made to survive 70+ years. B

[@tzor]

That's a wonderful display. I have several features on the layout (but my father never did collect the signal devices). The milk and the cattle cars were my favorites, along with the platforms that used vibration to move the cattle into the car. He only had a simple controller that could operate one train, but that was enough for me.

[@BriansTrainRoom]

That is awesome. The milk and cattle cars are very popular and fun to incorporate into a layout. Love it. Brian

[@petergulotta8183]

Thanks for taking us down another trip to memory lane Brian! Have a great holiday season.

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Same to you. Getting to run this display is like being a Kid back in 1954 and the dealer letting me run the controls! Wow. B

[@SteamCrane]

Thanks for bringing back my past!

[@BriansTrainRoom]

My pleasure, getting to run the layout was just a treat. Love operating these old layouts, they are so well built and have a great look. Thanks,Brian

[@RantzBizGroup]

Absolutely gorgeous!!!

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Thanks, such a great layout and still working after 70 years!! Thanks, Brian

[@cak813]

This brought back so many memories for me. My older brother had Lionel trains. My parents started his collection in 1945. The trains and track were hard to even get back then because of the war so I’m not sure how they did it. They would add to the train set every year. I saw so many pieces in your set that I recognized…. The gate, the signalman, the rotating beacon (although the one we had was a different color), the milk stand, the semaphore… My brother had a different transformer though. He had the big Type Z 250 watt Trainmaster transformer. One of my fondest memories was the smell of the undercarriage of one of the cars after the trains had been running for a while. Oh, how I’d love to smell that again. I loved seeing your trains running, too, with the room lights off. Our train set looped around the Christmas tree and there was nothing more wonderful than to see the trains running around the lit Christmas tree with the living-room lights off. We had a little putz village with lights in the back of the houses which just added to the ambience. Sorry to have rambled on so long!! Thanks for all the lovely memories.

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Wonderful memories of the trains from your childhood. Aways time to run those train around those Christmas tree again. That smell is the Ozone created by the sparking of the electric motors. Love it too!. Sounds like you guys had a fantastic set of trains as kids. Thank you for the comment!. Brian

[@cak813]

@ I always wondered about that smell. Now I know!! Do you have a lot of women watching your channel? I should have mentioned that I’m a woman but I always loved electric trains and still do. I remember there was a set of pink Lionel trains back in the day that was aimed at girls but guess what… the girls didn’t like them!! The girls wanted the real deal trains!! I remember the pink trains made an appearance in a TV show in the 90s called “Chicago Hope”. One of the characters in the show (a male doctor) had a thing for trains and he had the pink Lionel set. By then it had become a hot collectors item. My brother and I had quite the discussion about that!! Have you ever seen the pink trains in the wild? Thanks so much for your reply. I’ve subscribed to your channel.

[@PopPopsTrainRoom]

wow, great dealer display table seeing it run wow

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Love the original dealer displays, wish I had the money and space for a few! Thanks to all my fellow collectors for helping me share these with you guys!. Brian

[@hikingmansteve]

Brian, great video as always. I love when you show these old dealer layouts. In a lot of ways a work of art. Thanks for sharing it with us. Steve R.

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Thanks, such a fun display. They look and run so well. Wish I had space and money for a few of them myself!. B

[@tpobrienjr]

Amazing! I remember the train display at Lichtenstein's department store in Corpus Christi, TX in the 50s. I was dazzled by all the trains - and other toys.

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Wow, the store display for the department stores were usually custom made and very large with lots of activity,. Especially from the perspective of a child!. That is awesome. Any pictures by chance???

[@the.porter.productions]

O-H-I-O Porters🇺🇸My 1st layout was on a 4x6 board secured to an old crate frame. It had 1 track & a turnout on each end for 2 sidings. I had a blast with it. I still have the main board & just added it to a 4x8 layout. Makes a big difference now & especially with an HO layout. WOW! Love the old Lionels! Never knew they had those dealer items back then. I didn’t have the luxury of visiting a Lionel shop back in my day. Thanks for sharing! 🥰🤩✌️

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Love the toy train story!. Keep playing with those trains, and maybe check out a train show when one comes near you. Lots of great stuff out there. I am partial to the postwar Lionel for sure!. These dealer layouts are so nice!. Thanks, Brian,.

[@dwaynebublitz786]

Thank you Brian! I enjoy your channel and learning about Lionel postwar trains. Looking forward to more content!

[@BriansTrainRoom]

My pleasure, love doing these videos and getting to run and play with these fantastic displays a trains. More on the way! Brian

[@TomzTrainzandAccessories]

Thank you for sharing ANOTHER fantastic video Brian! WOW!! So incredible to see something like this built 70 years ago that’s still around and operating. It just blows my mind that this display has survived all of these years. Awesome! I did notice a typo in the catalog though believe it or not. It mentions the ZW transformer at 190 watts instead of 275 watts. The KW had the 190 watts. Somebody back in 1954 didn’t proofread it too well. LOL

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Great catch, they were human back in 1954 as well!. I misspoke and said there was a 194 water tower rather than saying a 193. My bad. But, they were making great displays!!!

[@janemarkham4133]

BEAUTIFUL JOB ! LAYOUT IS GREAT ! WE LOVE THIS !!🥰🙃😇🤠❤🤍💙👌👍👍👍👍

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Such a nice one and crazy to think it's 70 years old!!! B

[@fredlawson9394]

Nice 👍

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Thanks, had so much fun filming this one! Thanks, Brian

[@FreeBird-111]

$175 in '54, about $2,000 today, nice layout.

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Yeah, and would still be a deal today! B

[@crankyyankee7290]

That looks like layouts I remember as a kid-I was born in 1950, at about 5 I got a set with the Mil. Road GP7,and crane car set-memories !

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Love that. Yes, this layout is still in working order after 70 years. Keep playing with those trains. Brian

[@bobisyouruncle1]

Lovely

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Thank you. It is a wonderful display and was fun to film and operate. Brian

[@raysrails2164]

Thats a great piece , thanks for sharing !

[@BriansTrainRoom]

It was so much fun filming this layout, it's got lots of action. Felt like a kid back in 1954 taking the controls and giving it a whirl! Thanks. Brian

[@billfrisbie6596]

Enjoyed this. I have a 1952 Santa Fe i got when i was 12 years 0ld. Still runs great.

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Love it, Nothing like the vintage equipment. Hope you get to run that thing around the tree this year!. B

[@billfrisbie6596]

I'm planning on it. THANK YOU!

[@gusshadleythelunaticfromar7125]

Thanks for sharing this, goes with the season, this is a time capsule.

[@gusshadleythelunaticfromar7125]

Wow, I have seen original dealer displays but never one as nice as yours.

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Yeah, these original dealer layouts just make you feel like you are back in 1954 on Christmas. Thanks, Brian

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Wish this one was mine, just don't have the space. Very great full for my fellow collectors who share stuff with me to put on the channel. It was so much fun to operate and film! B

[@lawerencestimpson2280]

Very nice layout!!

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Yeah, really cool running a 70 year old layout! wow.

[@johnfroio4910]

Such a wonderful display too bad Lionel didn’t make something similar available to the general consumer. It greatly enhances the whole experience if there’s a beautiful layout to operate the trains on, rather than a so so homemade layout. Great videos this year, Brian! Looking forward to many more!

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Yeah, they did instruct the dealers to sell the layout or at least the parts off every year!. But that is why so few survived! Most displays were made in limited numbers as it is, so finding a nice one is really tough!. B

[@ronalddevine9587]

Those Trainmasters just want to run full throttle. I have had the grey roof version since Christmas 1956. Still runs like a thoroughbred.

[@BriansTrainRoom]

They do, such great engines and can pull for days!. Enjoy! B

[@davidcroushore36]

Loved it.😃

[@BriansTrainRoom]

My pleasure, it was also really fun playing with each of these layouts. Such awesome displays. Brian

[@ronaldclemons1206]

Brian, another great video! 👍👍🫶🫶🚂🚂

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Thanks, it's easy with these awesome displays! Brian

[@Guytrains]

Wow very nice👍👍👍👍

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Yeah, these original displays are so cool and so well built. Fun to run as well!. B

[@g1markla]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Outstanding

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Thanks such a great display!. Brian

[@jwwt2000421]

Keep up the good work!

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Will do and thank you for the comment and support!. Brian

[@martinleicht5911]

Vell done !! ✌

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Thank you. Love the old displays, have a few others on the channel, hope you like them too. Enjoy!. Brian

[@ivoryjohnson4662]

That’s a piece of history

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Yes, 70 year old Lionel Dealer display. And it still works great!. B

[@chiconian49]

I love it.

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Such a great display, thanks, B

[@teslaelectro9657]

That train Size was wonderful. No more available But you needed a full room for a complete set up

[@christopherguss199]

WHAT DO YOU MEAN NO MORE AVAILABLE??? LIONEL IS STILL BEING MADE!!!

[@teslaelectro9657]

@christopherguss199 the train gauge of '50 is no more available. Now they are much smaller, as long as I know, SIR

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Yeah, these are not small and you needs space to properly display these fantastic layouts. Great action with this one!. Brian

[@BriansTrainRoom]

But the displays are tough to find these days. Lionel is still in business and the postwar trains can be found and trains shows and online. B

[@user-uv4mg4ve9p]

Since we lived in Germany when I was a kid my parents purchased a Marklin train set. Not sure how that compares but the tracks looked more realistic than what I'm seeing here.

[@BriansTrainRoom]

The Marklin trains are wonderful trains and very high quality. Lionel was a little bigger and also possessed good quality. Both were expensive and sought after today!. B

[@williamcooper2368]

So COOL. Total OG ORIGINAL GANSTER

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Thanks, Original is right!. 70 years old and still working.

[@lithiumlounge6731]

Epic.

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Thanks, such a great display. 70 years old and still working!. B

[@e.t.p.3710]

Lionel: the original bullet trains.😉

[@BriansTrainRoom]

They did make streamlined trains, especially in the prewar years. Such great stuff. Thanks, Brian

[@OgaugeTrainsplusslotCars]

That’s a awesome old school layout.Would love to run them on my 40 foot 027 Track Fastrack Model Train layout

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Yes, some of those engines are run to highball on a larger layout. These vintage dealer displays are so fun and so well made. Thanks. B

[@sietzejanmeijer1239]

Amazing that, contrary to today, the advertisement looked like nothing compared to the real thing.

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Yeah, they got pretty close, remember we live in an age where we have photoshop and computer generated images. Back in the day, they had to have a real image to sell something they had not produced yet. So, fun to see how they handled that challenge. Thanks,Brian

[@joeystrains.9316]

What an impressive layout! Postwar rules!

[@BriansTrainRoom]

It sure does, nothing like running period correct Lionel trains on an original dealer layout!. So Cool! B

[@gregleuze6657]

I could watch that maroon top Lackawanna Trainmaster all day.

[@BriansTrainRoom]

True, such a great engine from 1954! B

[@GlennFresch]

Nice gg1 poster!

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Yes, one of my favorites and very well displayed!

[@janemarkham4133]

HOPE YA MAKE MORE VIDEOS LIKE THIS ONE BROTHERMAN !!!! SHE'S BEAUTIFUL, GOOD JOB !! LOVE IT !! THANKS! Howard M.👍👍👍👍❤🤍💙🥰😍😄🤩😇

[@BriansTrainRoom]

My pleasure, love the original Layouts and running postwar Lionel trains. Had fun at the controls at well!!! Brian

[@Jimmy_Jam_99]

Very nice....Have you ever seen the movie Holiday Affair with Robert Mitchum?..opening and closing credits have an amazing Lionel Layout in the movie. Always wondered who built it and what happened to it if it wasnt owned by the studio.

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Yes, the train was a Lionel Santa Fe passenger set with the name changed. There is an article in Classic toy trains about it I believe. Brian

[@johnoliver3316]

When I was young a I alot of those items and alot of others set up on a pigpog table. Those were the days

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Love it, glad you had a toy train childhood. Time to break them back out and put them around the tree and enjoy them again. Thanks, Brian

[@FreeBird-111]

They actually left enough room to add to that. I can see many possibilities with that layout. I'm a kid again, oh no!

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Glad you liked it, it is a fantastic layout with tons of action!. B

[@jameslanders4819]

I love that you find these postwar displays and share them with us. The train set on that small tunnel track appears to be the set for the "disappearing layout". I can tel by the four special gondolas. Have you made a video of that display??

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Thanks and good eye. Always cool to see those in action. Hope to film a disappearing layout soon (Have one on my radar!!!). B

[@stevenbrowne116]

I'm 65,I feel like I'm 8 😂 I can smell the ozone coming off the transformer...

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Yes, love that smell!. Love the old Layouts and the train running on the layouts. Check out the other dealer layouts on the channel for more!! Thanks, Brian

[@IMHip-rq3el]

I didn't have THAT setup, but I was sure to have fun with the trains anyway. I ran "experiments" to see how fast they could go around the corner without derailing. And I also had to "test" the effects of putting tinsel on the tracks. [side note: I didn't see the bridge with the dynamite under it in your setup, LOL). These days however, I've graduated to flying a helicopter simulator with the PUMA-x hardware controls connected to X-Plane 12. How things have changed!

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Yeah, I have once or twice seen how fast I could get the trains to run without them flying off the tracks. But the owners of the layouts don't appreciate that strategy. Also, TNT also is too messy for now! Brian

[@lawrenceulrich7839]

Hey Brian, another outstanding video. You are the best! If you are ever in the Indianapolis area, I could show you my Bob Pasztor designed and build 1959 dealer 5’ x 9’ layout modified to include an outside 3rd loop. It has all the accessories and features of the Lionel dealer display. Bob did a wonderful job in the construction and I was his “gofor” in the process. Keep up the great content and Happy Holidays to you and family.

[@BriansTrainRoom]

I know Bob, great guy and has a fantastic collection. Will keep that in mind next time I am that direction. B

[@raywyatt5368]

The Lionel Southern really needs to adjust the timing on the crossing gate.

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Yeah, it works when it wants too and for long as it wants!. Adjustment ordered!!! Thanks, Brian

[@IMHip-rq3el]

CHOO-CHOO Charlie was an engineer, you know.

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Good to know! Thanks, Brian

[@1940limited]

Very nice indeed. I wonder how many of these displays survived?

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Good question, most were broken up and sold off or destroyed after the season, no not many. Glad a few did!. (Just a guess, but there are probably less than 10 of the D-131's left of the 250 or so they made)

[@1940limited]

@@BriansTrainRoom According to the catalog many different displays were available, such as the D130. I've never seen any of them, but they're very neat.

[@jimmyb1559]

Beautiful display. What would it cost in 2024 $$$? Thank you. Great job.

[@BriansTrainRoom]

For sure, you did get alot of value for your 175.00 back in the day with a ton of accessories and a fully landscaped layout. Even today, you would have hard time building it for less than 2,000.00. Brian

[@crazykong1967]

Awesome! Any chance on showing the entire catalog?🧐

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Actually, did the Dealer display catalog for 1954, search my past episodes. Did most of the years of the display catalogs as well. Brian

[@johnsweet8508]

The Set lead by the Seaboard Switcher is the Gandy Dancer Set. All correct rolling stock.

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Great trains from 1954, good eye! Brian

[@johnsweet8508]

@BriansTrainRoom I built the D-105, a 5x9, a number of years back. Took me better part of three years to get it right. Great fun!

[@Damone7653]

She has a nice caboose.

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Love the train humor, and yes she does. B

[@Ettocs124]

$175 in 1954 is equivalent in purchasing power to about $2,053.58 today

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Yeah, it was not cheap, but came loaded with accessories and was fully landscaped. Image how well it would have worked to get people in the store to buy trains with this Layout in the window!. B

[@bertiewooster3326]

Almost as tough as a British Hornby Dublo 3 rail.

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Not sure what that is, but you are probably not wrong!. Brian

[@johnandrus3901]

So cool, Brian! Lionel made so many great displays, for sure. It was neat to see that Trainmaster and 6250 NW2 running around. I didn't see which steam engine that was, but it had one of the better post-war tenders. I see that they listed the ZW as 190 watts. Was that a misprint or did they actually produce one for these displays? One way or another, it is a wonderful display. An excellent video, as always.

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Yeah, they didn't get the ZW watts right, its just a regular one. So much fun running this layout, felt like a kid on Christmas doing so!. Brian

[@tiojimmy3425]

Hey Brian... I see that Yuengling beer 🍺 billboard 😮, are you Pennsylvania based?😊 ... Jimmy from beautiful bucolic downtown Schnecksville, PA, sun 🌞 and fun 🎉capital of the world 🌎

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Love visiting Pa, but not from there. Love going to York Pa for the bi-annual train show. Yuengling is found all over these days and I do enjoy one every once in a while. Thanks, Brian

[@davezelzer]

Very, very cool!! You know, in 2024 dollars, that layout would have cost the dealer $2052... yikes! But what a sweet operation. Love the video!

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Certainly not a cheap layout, but came loaded with accessories and was fully landscaped. Probably hard to build for that amount today for sure!. 70 year old display still operating! Thanks Brian

[@davezelzer]

@@BriansTrainRoom Oh, it's an outstanding layout... clearly worth the money. Operates great and I love the accessories... always one of my favorite things on layouts, adds to the magic.

[@kaldudas9651]

That train set was sold by Walter Kiddle in new Jersey I had a set

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Nice, Lionel had a number of fantastic sets back in the day and glad you got one of them. Love the old stuff!. Thanks, Brian

[@andrewschmid5917]

In a lot of ways the train works display is similar to this

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Yeah, buying a layout ready to go is genius ! And made great collectables for today. B

[@user-xv3zp8gl7j]

175.00 in 54' is 2500.00, that table is not level bigtime, the engine literaly stops on the backside.

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Yes, it was expensive, but did come with a ton of accessories. It was level, but I was playing with the power input during filming a lot. Thanks,Brian

[@ernestimken6969]

The EW FM may be wired with high resistance on that curve.

[@HenrikSweden1]

great video ! so why didn't they make it in plastic, maybe as a kit ? they produced other products in plastic , at that time, didn't they ? and that theme could have included a railroad ferry that could pass under the bridge, a small one. anyway nice product indeed. by the way $15 in 1950 = $194.97 in 2024. 3.53% Average Inflation from 1950 to 2024. i would pay that....

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Yeah, that bridge would have been cool and I would have found a ways to make it work on my layout!. I also think Lionel would have had a hard time making such a complicated accessory for just 15.00. B

[@lesterolson5526]

I wonder how many of these were used one season and then simply parted out and junked.

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Great question. Since they were typically only ordered by dealer, the total number produced was between 50 and 250 depending on size and cost. Some displays are easier to find than others and some there is only 1 or 2 that are known. Sadly, most were parted out or sold. I am sure there are a few hidden in a old store attic, but not many!. Thanks Brian

[@Etienne_H]

In 1954 we had 3 rails in Germany too, but nowadays we have tiny knobs instead. Why is Lionel holding onto the old technology.

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Yeah, there have been multiple iterations of the rail systems over the year, At this point the third rail is nostalgic . Thanks. Brian

[@Etienne_H]

@@BriansTrainRoom So Lionel also does DC now? Sorry not well informed about the US market

[@VoltaicVoyager]

Season 2, Episode 11 of the Twilight Zone. The store has almost the same display, minus the mountain with the tunnels. I just happen to watch your video, and then the Twilight Zone a few minutes later. Weird...

[@BriansTrainRoom]

So, it looks like the display in the episode is from 1959 or 60. I will have to compare it to my catalogs. And will certainly include that information when I show that layout on the channel. Thanks for the heads up. Brian

[@musicman8942]

Does the corrall work?

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Sort of, it was being finicky like most. I think I lost a cow!!!! B

[@musicman8942]

@@BriansTrainRoom I know that even at the best of times when new that one is sketchy. I guess Lionel had to go to small accessories on a 5x9. My favorite was always the log loader.

[@daveygivens735]

Was the entire thing intact with laid track? How would you get it home?

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Yes, it would have come in a huge crate with track, accessories and landscaping all done. It's what makes them so special and rare. Thanks Brian

[@tomtweed123]

Never noticed this before, but the catalog incorrectly shows the ZW transformer at 190 watts

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Great eye!. Yes, it should have been a 275Watt!. They were human back in 1954, but made great trains!. B

[@SuperKAgility]

How hard is it to clean the track in the tunnels?

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Really tough, so there are some track cleaning cars out there that work really well. The length of the tunnel does make it difficult to clean manually. Doesn't get too dirty with normal usage though!. Thanks, Brian

[@davidsullivan27]

What happened to a demonstration of the milk platform and the stock platform?

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Good point, totally missed gettin some film on those. Will do better with my next display layout. Appreciate the comment,. Brian

[@m.moolhuysen5456]

Was that prototypical for the period, just a single barrier in between of the tracks? Or is it a kind of symbolical indication of a barrier crossing?

[@BriansTrainRoom]

So, back in the day, railroad crossings were varied. The 252 that you see with the white crossing barrier was a simplified version of what was typically used and still mostly today. The earlier version, the 152 had a pedestrian gate as well. Hope that helps. Brian

[@tedsdogwalking]

In today's dollars that $175 layout would cost about $2000.

[@BriansTrainRoom]

True, so the hardware store or small toy store would have to justify the cost. Since the layout came with a ton of accessories and was fully landscaped, it was a good deal. Plus Lionel recommended to sell off the pieces or the layout as a whole to recoup the money at the end of the season. All said, it was pretty good deal. Glad this one survived !! Brian

[@GeorgeRainey-s4v]

What does not seem to be listed in the catalogue is the big tunnels and side landscape so how was that done? they look like more than your standard lionel tunnels from back then. i guess they were seperate and then put together on the layout

[@BriansTrainRoom]

The mountains and tunnels were part of the layout that you when ordered. The listing of what was included specify the accessories included in the 175.00 price. Factory layouts were crafted well and have held up over the years quite well. Thanks Brian

[@GeorgeRainey-s4v]

@@BriansTrainRoom thanks for explaining that also did you have to be a DEALER to get this layout back then or could ANYONE order and buy it?

[@skelelator]

That $175 from 1954 is around %2,050 in December of 2024.

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Yeah, this was not cheap, but did come loaded with accessories and was fully landscaped. Most dealers would part out the display at the end of the season, so few have survived. Would still be a bargain today at 2K. B

[@kylewilson7764]

$175 in 1954 . I wonder how much is that in today's price's with inflation.?

[@BriansTrainRoom]

It works out to be about 2050.00. So it was expensive, but a lot of value since it included accessories and landscaping. Probably could not build it for that today!. Brian

[@DommoPA]

027, 034 or mixed?

[@BriansTrainRoom]

All "O" gauge. B

[@eddydthree]

Why did Lionel have to have 3 tracks? American Flyer looked more like the actual trains

[@BriansTrainRoom]

Age old question asked by collectors of both. Lionel since 1905ish used 3 rail track. With the outer track being the ground and the inner track as the power track. It did simply track layout building and running of the trains. American flyer did have 2 rail track and most flyer nuts will tell you its the best. (Don't be fooled, Lionel is the best). Basically, it is what it is. OF note: Lionel Super O track tried to hide the center rail with its design. So who knows!. Great question! Brian

[@c.c.hiliner1065]

O-27 or O-31 curves?, on the outer turns...

[@BriansTrainRoom]

All O gauge, so 31 inch. Would have to check if needed, but all O gauge track used on the layout. B