New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-09-20


eouf odor which follows in the trail Of loco
motive burning soft coal has the same effect
t.at the smoke ~ battle has upon the Jradi-
uo.sl Narhorse. They are the boys and men
Nhn would rather sit near the rear end of the
train. whore they can watch the action q the
RODS on the engine going round and round 50
swiftly as the train swings curve, than occupy
aiy other part Of the train.
N.arly every boy finds something attractive
e. The machinery OF a railroad, and at some
time wants a miniature line Of his own Boys
with a passion for railroading often find Nay
O. satisfying il even il the purse viii not allow
o. tho purchase OF the complete outfits, or Of
The PARTS for the construction Of engines, cars
ana tracks OF substantial character. This is
illustrated by the experiences Of TWO NeW-Eng-
land boys Who. when mot more than SIX years
old. lived iu an old house. Jhe floors II which
had varied So badly that there were cracks
a. least a third of an uyh in width running
from wall 20 Wall. These cracks became TO them
railroad tracks. on which trains OF sToois took
tr..r way from point t. point Later their
n..-.-a MAS I'm "A house which contained an uh-
usually lrn- room. This room WIS caTFeltu
WIKI an old fashioned rag ,arTer which ""r
c-1rsra II intervals Toy tUo parallel lines 81
ra-s q q different color from The rest al 'Ie
carpet. Down from eaFayIoCs a-sh'' il '-N
attic Uore brought by tl, boys a dozen az more
fatert medicine bottles To serve as cars lot d.
r.--o.s which u.s 10 De operated "n lheSt
,---.rral limos. between which the bojlIts H'''1
Uio,ly. ..,.-
This MAS followed ly wooden locomotive
,,..- ~.a. mission rods. which ~histi.d AS ll Was
rrlr backward and forward on long BOARD
A. they grew older they demanded '-l''''7
mare realistic and like The areients Id WEAVING
tfal- tales they began to eH'ellish tari ii"--
gr- A long hoard Was set az Ga res'les "Il-
doors con this was placed sand III T'.'s ~ JILL
,.-.rr h.fuhts t. represent hills and valleys.
Through This miniature landscape were -a'i 'ie
smooth round rails Of toy log cabin "h'h
fas lue.r given them the preceding christmas.
,-a. ends Joined nicely together. and permitted
Of spool trains being run on them. The si'ol
Trains ,,er, not like the old ones, however
Each spool was fitted with a strip q cardboard
raste9 across each end below the hole in the
centre The ends Of these projected enough be
,ord the edges 10 prevent the spool from roll
i-.. or the track The spoOls intended for loco
motives were fitted with past'Hoard caos'
f-aaI.estacks and pilots. ali pasted together and
,.I,,as % The suoeis SmaI spoo-s served as
lenders and linen spoo,s cut I'm halves proved
tar,lreabIo as natCars and as bases for card
board structures representing box AID paSsen-
ger cars These trains were rUU ~ and Gown
the sandy countryside with a great deal 81
satisfaction. thu boys giving an imitation ar
the exhaust as they pushed the trains up and
Gown.
A few wears later they became the owners Of
q combination scroll saw and turning lathe
With this they CONSTRUCTED wooden trains which
had movable trucks The locomotives with all
ia. fittings were turned. and the cars I:-sseil-
re~ baggage and frs ight-wore cut out IN Sec
t.ons. with doorways and windows, and fast
eueG together Lutte wooden links attached tn
cars TO each other. The tracks were laid upon