# late 1950s or early 60s prebuilt layouts?



## ThingMaker (Feb 22, 2014)

When I was a kid my father had an HO train set that was layout you bought in the store, on a big (seemed to be 4X4) square fiber board with vacuu-formed plastic scenery. I imagine it was from the later 1950s or early 1960s. I've looked online but can't find any resources for this type of pre-built set. I'd love to find who made this particular layout. Can anyone point me to the right direction?


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## nautilusnut (Jul 9, 2008)

I had one of these, got it for Christmas in 1963 or 64. It was 4x4ft with a mountain and tunnel in the back. I sold it years ago. No idea who made it.


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## Y3a (Jan 18, 2001)

I think they were European, like Flieschmann, Roco etc.. I think American Flyer had some too.


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## ThingMaker (Feb 22, 2014)

Thanks guys. Is there a term for these sets that I'm missing? Were they called something specific? Again, I've googled but haven't had much luck. Maybe I'm missing something but it seems these were fairly common back in the early 60s yet they seem absent from most train or hobby boards. I'd think there would be some mention or photos somewhere. Maybe the vintage/nostalgic aspect really isn't a factor of today's model train hobby?


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## Y3a (Jan 18, 2001)

I looked up 1950's train layouts. Sets were more common that pre-built model railroads. Back then the fun was the laying of track, turnouts, building the Athearn Blue Box kits and those horrid lichen trees. Train boards (4x8) were also popular. My first was American Flyer S scale in 1958. I've seen folks selling built model layouts on evilbay but none ever sells. Used, even somewhat rare old trains (including tinplate) sell at about 20 percent of original price.

MARX??

http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/1965toys.html

bottom of the page!


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## Y3a (Jan 18, 2001)

OK so I asked about this over at the Modelrailroadforums. I'll post links if anybody knows anything.


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## Y3a (Jan 18, 2001)

Interesting links:

http://www.terrainfortrains.com/hotimrid.html

http://www.eurorailhobbies.com/erh_d...stock=NO-80100

http://www.osterthun.com/13.Oldies/Oldies.htm

http://www.americanflyerdisplays.org...t_in_a_box.htm


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## ThingMaker (Feb 22, 2014)

Cool, thanks for the links. Interesting. Still haven't seen the one my father had though. Will keep looking.


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## BrianM (Dec 3, 1998)

...I remember those.


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## mrstumpy (Oct 5, 2013)

Many of the HO scale layouts were "vacuum formed" plastic mounted on a fiber board base with sectional track stapled on it. Buildings and trees were generally "off the shelf" accessory items packed separately for the customer to place on the layout. Many (but not all) of these layouts came with a short "starter set" train and a power pack. 

I don't recall any that were 4x8, but a friend had a 4x6 foot one with the over and under double loop, and a kid at school had a 4x4 one. Of course as kids then, we were mighty impressed because otherwise it would take us a LONG time to build our own finished layout with scenery! As I recall they were on the costly side, but not too outrageous.

Gilbert's American Flyer had a similar, but more thought out set up in S gauge called "All Aboard." Instead of one unchangeable layout, this was a group of 17x17" separate panels you bought as a "set" but were also sold individually. They were the usual vacu-formed plastic on fiber board and made for Flyer in Italy I believe. 

There were panels with 90 degree curves for the corners of your layout, panels with straight track, and panels with track switches. There were panels that had places to add American Flyer operating accessories too. Each panel came with a Plasticville building and trees to place on it. You could "mix and match" them in many configurations and even build LARGE layouts by buying more panels.

Unfortunately, All Aboard came along right at the end of American Flyer in 1965 and '66, and money was tight. The All Aboard used the cheap 15" radius "Pike Master" track and bottom of the barrel trains for the most part. The bigger sets of panels came with the better locomotives left over from the glory days of the company. American Flyer was bought out by Lionel in 1966 and ceased to be a competitor to them. 

All Aboard panels are quite popular even today, and some of the rarer ones bring good money at train shows and sales. It's too bad that Gilbert came up with this "modular layout" concept ten years earlier when there was more money to use the standard 20" track radius and all the good locos and rolling stock they made then. It would have been "cutting edge" and might have helped the company survive.

Stumpy in Ahia:wave:


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