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Merry Christmas everyone!

I was happy to receive word from an OGaugeWatch.com reader that the Figure 8 Plus plan is under his family’s Christmas layout this year.  Here is the email with a link to a video of the layout.

Dave,

I wanted to extend a much deserved thanks. A week ago we bought the O scale Polar Express from our local hobby shop. I set it up around the tree and after a couple days my wife was bored with the standard oval track.

I searched around online, in addition to the other great information on your site, I downloaded the plans for the figure 8 plus which includes a shopping list with part numbers. I traded up to the remote switches, but other than that it’s exactly as is.

I built my train platform, ran all the wires and now we’re up and running. I can’t imagine figuring out all the parts and pieces myself. I’m not a train hobbyist (yet) so I probably wouldn’t have done anything.

Thanks again. Here’s a link to a video (I shot on my phone) of the train set up.
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1306515183017

Merry Christmas,
Sean

In a subsequent email Sean told me it took him about 6.5 hours one night to build his platform and convert the oval to the Figure 8 Plus plan.  He used a green felt fabric to cover the platform because it was faster and easier than painting.

Nice work Sean!  I hope O Gauge trains under the Christmas tree will become a tradition you and your family will enjoy for years to come.  Thanks for sharing your layout.

OGR Magazine’s December 2009 issue is available on-line here.  The December issue is offered for FREE and the digital issue subscription price for 7 issues is only $19.95.  Subscribe here.  You can buy individual issues for $3.95.  OGR will be posting a digital preview of each issue, view the January preview here.

• On December 7th, NBC’s Today show featured a Lionel layout during a spot on model trains.  Click here to view the video.
• MTH posted a video of their new Premier Line SD-35 locomotive here.
• Weaver Models posted information about their new PRR BP-20 A & B units here.
• The New Jersey Hi Railers in conjunction with O Gauge Railroading Magazine are holding an open house on January 16th, 2010.  Get more information here.  Check out the NJ Hi-Railers site for a complete list of all open house dates.
• On December 11th Atlas O announced new paint schemes for several products here.
• Get a video preview of the January 2010 issue of Classic Toy Trains Magazine here.

Check out the new MTH site at www.mthtrains.com.  If you have bookmarks to www.mth-railking.com you won’t see the new site yet.  I guess MTH is still working on pointing all their domain names to the new site.  You can read all about the new website and watch a video about it here.

As part of a new Christmas email campaign, Lionel will be sending an email a day starting on December 1st to help you count down the 25 days ’til Christmas.  The emails will highlight different Lionel products and also contain clips from the new Lionelville DVD and products tips.  You must sign up to receive the emails by visiting Lionel.com.

Also, Lionel has announced a Black Friday sale at it’s Rockefeller Center store location.  All Lionel sets, engines and rolling stock will be 20% off.  Get more details here.