A popular saying in model railroading is "It is never too late to have a happy childhood." I have been able to buy equipment I could not have dreamed of having when I was a kid.
I'm slowly working on restoring my late grandfather's woodworking tools, sharpening some of them for the first time in probably fifteen years if not much longer, and trying to set up a tiny wood shop in my 55m³ apartment. Work is very stressful, as is so much of the rest of the world, but the simple pleasure of taking a chisel that looks like it's been used to pry up paving stones and get it back to taking thin end-grain shavings, gives me a lot of pride and sense of peace. I like to think my grandfather would be pleased that his tools are slowly getting back to a usable condition. I was probably going to spend most of the coming weekend and the two days off for Christmas just vegging out in front of RU-vid, but this inspired me to work more on that restoration project. So thank you very much for this video.
That was a really nice Christmas surprise. Your content is so different from other EE youtubers. So refreshing, inspiring and encouraging. Thank you very much for this treat.
Your girlfriend’s mom and dad will be looking down at you both and will have the biggest smile on there faces knowing you have saved some very precious items from their past. Happy Christmas to you all. 🎄🎄
Back in around 1960 I lived in Rotterdam and had friends who had Marklin train sets. They also made their own version of Meccano if I remember correctly. I also had a friend whose Dad had built his son a train set from scratch that ran from a car battery. You would have loved it!
Christmas was my favorite holiday growing up because it was the only time my family felt like a real, loving family. I spent a lot of my life as a runaway avoiding my family. Now Christmas is still my favorite holiday but because I’m married now, and my wife and her mother are wonderful people, and I’m grateful to have a family that cares for each other.
Thank you for this and all your other work. It is always reassuring to know that others are not taken in by excessive consumerism. I wish you, your family and all your viewers a happy and peaceful season. ❤
That train set represents someone's hobby, safe space and probably unrealized dream, when all of it was packed way and kept safe all these years. I have a few of those dreams/hobbies, packed away in storage, most likely never to see the light of day again, unless luck intervenes and someone like you comes along to revive them, even after I am gone.
Great show! Because I worked as an overseas airline pilot, most Christmases were spent in a lonely hotel room somewhere in Europe or in Asia. As a crew, we always made the attempt to find a restaurant to get together for a Christmas dinner. The solution for my kids, was to pick a day as close to Christmas as possible, and have the family celebration on that day. The effort was all for them, and because we didn't have family close by, it was only on the rare occasion when we could all get together. I still enjoyed that time of year, by remembering it was for the family, and by making the best of it. At age 80, we don't do much for the season, but I still take time to be thankful for what I have. It is ironic, that my 3 children all have jobs that require them to be at, or near, their workplace around Christmas, so the pattern has repeated, and we see them all at sometime during the holiday season. I enjoyed your taking the time for yourself. It is an important part of life, and sometimes we forget exactly how important that is. Have a wonderful Christmas.
I always look forward to watching your videos; not only are you really talented at fixing & building almost anything, your philosophy for life is infectious.
When I was a weeeee boy about 4 or 5 years old, my grandparents built a large new house on a lake where I would grow up. That first Christmas was a bombwhilliker! I got one of those full Marklin layouts that I *THINK* was exclusive to FAO Schwartz. It was huge, with two(!) independent lines, real electrically operated switches that were push button controlled by a row of buttons by the pair of transformers. As I got older, the streets of the town were host to battles of Americans and Russians versus Germans, complete with their armor and later as a teenager, Russians versus the world. My grandparents even had a special, low table built that just fit the layout that was maybe 300mm tall. God, I never knew how I had it made as a wee boy. I hadn't thought about the literal 100's if not more hours I spent playing with set and the fun I had in maybe 30 years..... Thank you.
Perfection is the enemy of good enough. I think your message of just trying stuff without stressing over the outcome is especially welcome during what can be not the easiest time for many of us. Thank you.
My Dad used to build RC boats. One was Jacques Cousteaus, Calypso. It had a tiny helicopter which was a static prop. These days that little heli could be an RC too.😁
My brother-in-law had a HO train set he let me use when he was dating my sister, years before they were married of course. You brought back many exciting memories I had as he entertained his girlfriends little brother for hours. What fun we had. Thank you! And you did your girlfriends father justice by setting the Poseidon in water and finally letting her set sail. Definitely not a failure by any means! Thank you for posting great videos!
Those Marklin catalogs are valuable to collectors. I know someone that is a toy auctioneer and I couldn't believe the amounts some toy trains sell for to collectors. Thank you for sharing this!
I chuckled to myself when I saw how the boat handled the water. You’re so right about doing the things we did as children when things start to get difficult. Revisiting those happy times for a little lift in mood, I liked fixing things and still do. My step dad has some of the same Marklin track, locomotives and rolling stock, I’d love to get it working once more. Christmas is bitter sweet, especially this year for me as my brother took his own life back in November so it’s been a day of mixed emotions, and thinking back to our childhood more than usual.
Wow! In my childhood, I had a large amount of Berliner TT Bahnen locomotives, buidings, railroad tracks and lots of other items. It was very interesting to play with them, but my dad did not let me to play it very often. So I sold it all five years ago - some bad memories made me to do it.
When I was a boy, I had a model steam engine for Christmas. It was, I believe, German or Swiss. It burned solid fuel pellets to heat the boiler. I had so much fun with it. Thanks for the video.
Is there a ridiculously long German word for "nostalgia for a Christmas I never actually experienced"? I think I have that. Great video, thanks! Dave J (I did get a good laugh from the capsizing, thanks!)
I recently found the HO Santa Fe engine at a thrift store along with some track and cars. No power supply yet . The Ship is Amazing thank you for taking the time to have some fun with us with it a Christmas gift at its best. Peace be with you all in the new year.
The model trains and building the stations from a construction kit give me a good feeling. That was something my grandfather and I loved to do when I was still a child. I have many good memories of that.
"...you don't hear about them because you don't see them because they're all alone inside and not proud of it ... but I want us to all have a *good* time here..." This is hilarious to me for some reason. Maybe because I was one of those millions myself 😅
Your parents should be very proud. They may have been heavy handed in how they taught it, but you really did come to see what is important in life! A very kind and wonderful video. I greatly appreciate and must continually remind myself to keep going in spite of failure, to try in spite of my fear of that failure, and mostly look for the fun in everything I'm doing.
Thanks Gerolf. I love to play with my old toys. Still collecting vintage Action man (seventies version) , still having my old Lego, my toy knights, Smurfs, and still building modell kits... It really makes me happy in this dark times...
Wonderful stuff! Something different, but no less valuable. And it's great to see you laughing at Christmastime - despite mixed feelings. Wishing you and yours a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Wish you also a very happy holiday with your loved ones and friends. BTW, like your dad's attitude about consumerism and what has become of this time of the year. Personally, I feel exactly the same. We don't give presents at this time but choose to do that many times during the year, which is way better. Anyways, take care. Grüsse aus der Schweiz -Robert
Stress from social obligations… thank you for putting into words how I feel this time of year. I find it hard to express into words how I feel. Great video all the best from the uk Kind regards Carl
Brother - we really are on the same page. I've just made the discovery in my 53rd year that it's better to just do something than constantly aim for perfectionism and never do anything or at least very little! The process and the fun doing it is often more important than the end result!
When I was a teen loved railway models. Had H0 scale from Piko, but as a young lad there were four things that stopped me from collecting and building dioramas. It was space, money, tools and believe it or not - patience. Also those metal toys you had to put together with screws and bolts. Thats a blast from the past.
Vor ein paar Tagen hab ich das kleine Rennboot von meinem Sohn repariert. Dein Kanal hat mich immer wieder ermutigt mich mit Dingen auseinander zu setzen von denen ich bisher keine Ahnung hatte.
Thank you for sharing. Model-making was a huge part of my childhood growing up in the 1960's and '70s. We had a train but never enough track -- mostly we made model airplanes and boats; some of them large and from scratch - one magnificent but short lived plane was a purple and yellow motorized RC plane of our own design with about 1.5m wingspan made from redwood ribs and spars we cut on the band-saw. Its first and only flight was a magnificent loop just prior to it exploding on the asphalt -- it seems we had not set the elevator trim correctly. There was always the thrill of "will it fly?". We had two lovely RC controlled sailboats - my dad (an engineer) designed the hull sections and we manufactured fiberglass molds from which to cast the hulls and deck. Building and modeling (and making) was an essential part of my childhood. My holiday wish is for every child to have that opportunity to use their hands to create and wonder and learn. Happy holidays. Peace and happiness to you in the coming year.
Awwww, man, this had me choked up because it brought back so many old memories from my childhood. I loved it all, the two train sets and the boat... splendid stuff - and when it capsized, yes, I laughed out loud because... well, both you and I were having fun and why not! Thank you for a great video and an inspiring Christmas message!
My father and I loved electric trains. My first set was from Germany as he was stationed there in the USAF. It was a Marklin HO diesel from the 1960s. We wore that thing out. When he was 60 I made a diorama of an N scale train in the mountains. I miss those times with my father.
Very nice video. Your kind words and sentiments are much appreciated. The train setup brought back a lot of fond memories. I would say that the ship revival was a smashing success! Merry Christmas, Gerolf! -mike from the US
You can always find room in the attic. My old boss used to have a huge train set in the attic. He would pop up the attic hatch, pull himself up, and sit on the frame of the hatch. He used to have a whistle, and railway cap 😀
Thank you for your hard work and care making all of your videos. I truly appreciate your point of view, which shows in all of your work. Peaceful Holidays to all.
I’m really glad you’re making a special episode for us ( chrismas loners ) - Your channel is definitely in my top 5. Thanks for everything my friend. 🤘🏼
Yep I do remember when was a kid the "metal" train tracks and the "metal" trains lasted much longer that the cheaper versions from the 80's on up. Even though they only ever went in a circle it was still mesmerizing to watch.
You lucky SOB you got a sweet RC Ship with working gear and some awesome Train Sets, I am super jealous right now. I've always loved Train Sets, RC anything and Slot Cars. Great episode as always and Merry Christmas! 👍👍
German culture has given us so much, even Johnny Cash. Merry Christmas from Australia. Enjoy ur beautiful snow, (we get high 30s so snow is not likely). Hoping all get a peaceful and productive New Year. Keep on inventing and repairing man, ur a legend.
Christmas or not we never really outgrow our earlier toys. My roots in electromechanical endeavors came from experimenting with them at a very young age. Merry Christmas and Thank you for all the fantastic content this year. Prost!
Hahahah fun to see a comedic side of you and your endeavors. I thought I was the only one who gets laughed at for fails. Thanks and keep up the great work
Thank you for a real good episode! I know you can build almost anything but fiddle around with toy electronics is so much fun. I bet you can combine the remotes and servos with something else in the future. Have a merry Christmas and a creative new year!
I have got back into model making, and meccano in recent years- your capsizing, probably you needed more ballast, these models would originally have been powered with lead acid batteries that weighed quite a bit in comparison to modern lithium power packs, you could see the waterline was well clear of the water, so a bit more ballast to bring the boat nearer its water line, and try running it on less than full power to get a more scale speed. I have some boxes of track, and would really like to get back into model railways, but I think for space considerations the smaller gauges might be the thing.
Fantastic episode. I too grew up in those long summers of the 70's, and sold my childhood Lego and large train set. This year I decided to recapture some of that childhood by buying the same Lego sets. I also haven't ruled out a train layout when I move house, as working on cars (full sized, of course) is not as easy as it used to be. You are a very intelligent and perceptive person, and you see to know how to find the right partner 😊. Hope you have a great Christmas. 🎄
I knew you were a model train kind of person. It takes one to know one! I feel validated after all these years. Most tinkerers like you and I started with models and model kits!
# Hi! Nice video with an even nicer message! Märklin was also part of my childhood. The model trains as well as the famous "Märklin Metallbaukasten". A pity that the Poseidon capsised. I was a student in Kiel and once had a chance to visit the Poseidon for real. After its dry, give the internal mechanics a good spray of Ballistol before you put it aside for your retirement 😉. For her next launch: as you said, you need to adjust the trimming. The original owner obviously did not do that so far, because it is usually the last step after everything is completed. In my model building days the method of choice was fishing-lead. You can get blocks of different weight and little pearls for the fine tuning. You should do this in the bath-tub. First place the weight dry onto the keel and when the vessel is in balance glue it in. I used to soak it with UHU Alleskleber, but today that stuff is water based so a Kraftkleber like Pattex is a better choice. It is also a good idea, to leave the model in the tub overnight to identify any slow leakages. On older models, the propeller shaft is always a suspect. You should also check the radio-control. There have been some changes in recent years to the frequency bands, that are allowed. Unfortunately I didn't follow the subject then, but I remember a lot of discussion going on. I wish you a merry christmas and that you keep your inner child alive! Andreas
What an absolute beautiful collection of real toys you have, was a real pleasure to watch this episode, Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year, from Yorkshire England !
Very nice christmas video. I really like you way of thinking about the sustainability in all of your project. Reuse of dumped materials and recycle machines, tools and other into a working state where it could get a new life instead of just go out and buy something new. I wish you and your girlfriend a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year. Hope to see more from you soon. You definitely got a new patreon fan now 😁
I have fond memories of playing with HO scale trains with my dad and my grandfather. They made me a pretty large table/track. About 3x1.2m. it's still all there in my grandfather's shed, although I ended up suspending the table in the roof.
Looks like fun! I got started working on stuff by trying to keep my model trains alive. Magazine ambitions on a kid budget meant there was a lot of frustration involved with it all, but I do miss it. Gotta dig that stuff back out one of these days.
I love this! thanks for enjoying this so much, I know that you enjoy the other work you do and that usefulness and inventiveness is a reward in and of itself, but sometimes it's nice to have some not so useful fun. I love your episodes that explore your artistic and playful sides and this was a very fun watch!
I still have my Markling train with all the original box that my dad bought when I was a child…great construction. Playing with it was not some much fun, the best part was assembly….cheers from France
Danke für dieses grandiose Video! Du hast mir echt wundervolle Erinnerungen zurück gebracht wie mein Vater mit mir ein Eisenbahnmaodell baute und ich damit liebend gern gespielt habe
Great video. The boat sequence really did crack me up. There’s something nice about fixing things that serve zero functional purpose other than joy (perhaps that is a functional purpose). It’s good to see them working again rather than going unused or thrown away which would be a bit depressing. Thanks for all your great videos, and wishing you a good Christmas/new year
