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In the winter of 1999, 3 men met at a local train show and this meeting started turning wheels that are still turning today. These 3 men are runners of 3-rail O gauge toy trains; trains of their 1950's childhood and trains of today.
As the day of the train show passed, the idea for a 3-rail layout to be displayed at the local train shows was discussed, a 3-rail train layout that would allow the youngsters of today to run and play with trains. Their mission statement, "Let's introduce the youngster of East Texas to 3-rail toy trains!"
In February 2000, these 3 East Texas men came together to build a display for the Junction & East Texas Trains Society's Annual Train Show in Longview, Texas. With a plan for 2 loops of track, some operating trackside accessories, the opportunity for the youngsters to operate the trains, these 3 men introduced toy 3-rail trains to the community.
Their first display was 8 x 16 feet. 2 loops of track and some operating accessories with push buttons located around the perimeter of the display. Wire was run across the top of the display and taped down with masking or duck tape. This layout was simple and crude, but was a big hit of the show.
These 3 men gave the youngsters the opportunity to load and unload coal, unload logs at the sawmill, unload and load cattle and unload milk cans from a railroad car. This display was so popular that youngsters of all ages were lined up around the display to play trains all day Saturday and Sunday.
As these East Texas men worked with the youngsters, demonstrating how the accessories worked and how the trains ran, it didn't take long before the youngsters were in complete control of this 3-rail empire.
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