Like so many of us, I had a train set as a Christmas gift (American Flyer) as a child... and then life happened, and there seemed to be no time for model trains! I got back into the hobby in my late 40's, and have built four layouts since (two of which have been sold, but I still have the socond and fourth and enjoy them in rotation). Each of these have been small enough to transport to various shows and exhibitions, and each has had a different theme. My interest in the CB&Q and its Zephyrs comes form the fact that I was born in Illinois and rode on some of their trains as a kid and as a young adult, including the fabled California Zephyr.