L.H. Stowell & Sons

___________

ABOUT US

LOCATION

___________

ELECTRIC TRAIN DISPLAY

OUR ELECTRIC TRAIN DISPLAY

In the early 1950s, Lew received an electric train set for Christmas. Both he and his parents got sick of him setting it up and playing with it in the living room. His father built a table for it in the basement of their home in Chester, Vermont.

When Lew's parents moved from Chester to Brookfield it was packed up and stored. A few years ago, Lew unpacked it and set up in the Christmas Barn. The initial set that Lew played with as a boy was a Louis Marx brand. In recent years he has purchased used Lionel equipment to augment the display. Now, after several seasons of numerous technical problems with the main layout, Lew has made some significant changes.

The toy trains of his youth have been put on display above the layout. What made those trains so much fun to play with as a boy, the need for constant care and attention, made them unsatisfactory as an operating feature of the Christmas Barn.
	A Louis Marx 2-4.2 "999" locomotive pulling a short consist over a bridge.

At the urging of, and generous assistance of his neighbor, Bob Deforge, he installed a large scale (G gage) train on the existing platform. This train layout has provided more reliability and required far fewer trips up the step ladder to coax it into reluctant operation. He has kept the bumper car display because that generally worked better and fascinated children of all ages.

New Train Layout

The train, which includes a replica of a late 19th century wood burning engine, has morfed into four trains. They have predominently Christmas cars. There are four sidings and one main line. Three of the engines have sound systems to thrill the kid in many of us.

The 2-8-0 Consolidation pulls a small consist on the main line.

To keep the rails clean and conductive, Lew runs a maintenance car around the layout on daily track cleaning sessions.

0-4-0 Switcher waits in the South siding to pull the track maintenance car.

This display is open during the Christmas tree season (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) November 27, 2009 through December 20, 2009, free of charge to customers and non-customers alike.

There is one caveat. Attention to the needs of our Christmas tree customers must come first! The number of trained and approved engineers is very limited by necessity. We hope you understand.

If your group would like a special tour, give us a call or send us an e-mail.

Revised December 5, 2009

This page updated December 17, 2009