The First Lionel!

Silflay Hraka is filling up with 'alternative' versions of Christmas carols at the moment. While some of them are rather rude (don't read "The First Noelle" if easily offended), "The First Lionel" is a gem.

The First Lionel Train that Santa brought me, Was the Stainless-steel model number Eight Sixty-Three Pulling seventeen cars, filled with miniature folk. And best was the engine which blew clouds of real smoke

Lionel, Lionel, your memory lives in my heart,
While my son is playing Super Mario Kart

It's interesting how railway modelling has almost completely changed from a childrens's toy to an adult hobby over the past 25 years. Companies like Hornby are enjoying a lot of commercial success at the moment and seeing increased sales, but most of those sales are to grown-ups. The biggest growth market seems to be to the retired, who finally have the time and money to build the layout they dreamed of when they were children. The models produced bear this out; superbly detailed and accurate reproductions of the real thing, with fine detail that's unlikely to survive rough handling from small children.

Update: Cold Spring Shops has a nice illustration for this.