Z-gauge is the one thing my dad never messed with. We always had trains around our tree too, but pre-WWII Standard and O-gauge. Took up the whole living room instead of just a suitcase. Merry Christmas to the Archbold family!
My family used to have a HO scale train set which never got completed before we moved. Then my parents got an N scale which never got completed either though most of the track as been laid. When they passed on, my brother talked me into taking it. I love trains (real and model) but feel I am in way over my head. I'm a female and don't know much about such things. I have all the trains and packages of grass and I bought some trees several months ago but that's as far as I've gotten. This video helps me believe my larger project is actually doable. Think I'll keep mine very simple though there is a hole where a lake is supposed to go - yikes! Thanks for the information and inspiration.
I'd suggest taking a little time and dividing the inherited project into "doable" sections. Do one end to completion, or one section, or type of area. That can make an overwhelming model train much more achievable. This is a good time to get into model trains. There is a font of RUclipsrs talking about tips and techniques which is easier to learn from that model train magazines and trails and error. Best wishes with your project. I hope you and your brother enjoy.
Love this, Alex!! Now I want a Victorian version.... Imagine a Christmas version, with lights and decorations.... you could just keep going and going and going and going.....
Thank you for entertaining us all. You provide 22 minutes of content that takes you days to make. This was so fun to watch. Thank you again for all you do 😊
Alex love that you still have so much of a child and excitement in you. That is a rare trait in a grown man. Train system turned out great. You could probably sell these in the future. Merry Christmas to you and the family.
a great tip I can give anyone Germany made suitcase trains just like this all the way up until the 1990s now some of them are extremely rare if you find them they're worth a lot of money fleischman's made one in their catalog in 1996 it was their last one they sold for $1,350 today that same one is worth $10,000 if you can find them as they are limited edition I think they only made 1,000 of them they were top secret about this whole suitcase train as the suitcase was the first one in carbon fiber I've only seen two photos of them they came complete with trains and passenger trains the sides opened up to store all the trains and the suitcase had an inbuilt controller there were several made in the 1980s they are also worth a lot of money
This is my favorite RUclips video of December 2023. What a great Christmas holiday project. Fantastic model train in a suitcase. Love it Alex, you're so talented.
What a fun relaxing Christmas project…not! I have actually glued my fingers together and to miniatures so many times on projects I have peeled skin off. I gotta leave those teeny tiny miniatures to true artists. What a great job. It is magical!
That's an awesome idea, I have a vintage suitcase. I'm going to pinch your idea and make my granddaughters one for Christmas next year. I think they will love it 😍 Hope you and your family have a great holiday time together and a safe healthy 2024 🎉🎉🎉🎉 Best wishes from Nottinghamshire England ❤
Very cool. You'll have to show us what it looks like once the water is all set. Love that you have a sunken boat in there. It looks like Chewy approves too.
What a wonderful video! I love that “inner child” that makes you, you! Very creative and something that will live under your Christmas tree to fascinate your Grandchildren someday! Thanks Alexander and wishing you, Melissa and the family a Merry Christmas and a very Blessed New Year! 😊❤
Years ago my dad built an N-gage train village and covered it in acrylic box as a coffee table. Its a cute idea year round to change the decorations/ foilage with seasons & holidays. Love the suitcase idea! Merry Christmas! 🎄
This may be my favorite video I've seen from you. I had no idea you had such skills. The finished project is a charming, whimsical, one of a kind piece. I would love to see more content like this. Merry Christmas to you and your family.
❤ What a wonderful project Alex. It’s like you were reliving your childhood as a little boy, setting up a train track. Nothing like a good craft project when you have the time. It’s great for the soul. Have the most fun holiday with your lovely family and a very Blessed New Year. Much love to you Melissa and the kids.
What a cool project. I had never seen Z gauge trains before and after watching this video I spent 3 hours researching them and now I have a plan to make my own little setup! I don’t have the space for a large train so this is perfect.
N scale is the next size up to Z. And is easier to model. And much more stuff available for it too. Such as buildings, locomotives, rolling stock etc. Though Z scale can fit in a suitcase where N needs just a bit more space
Alexander, you are the toast of the Lilliputian society. This is the sort of treasure which will be a family heirloom. Generations of Archbolds will pull this out at Christmas time and tell the youngsters how Grampa Alexander built it for them long ago. 😅. Superb. MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!🎅🎄
Wow you did a fantastic job creating this very unique train display in a suitcase! Based on the comment you made about storing it until next Christmas, the only thing I would have done differently is to make the scene inside a Christmas scene. You could add some snow, tiny decorated trees, some little people riding in sleighs and other tiny Christmas details to make it fit the season. It is easy to see where Stephen gets his artistic talent. Thanks for sharing and I hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas!
🎄🎅A very Merry Christmas and happy Festive Season to you and the now even bigger family, Alex and Melissa.💞 May health, peace, joy, laughter and abundance always surround your household. 🙏❤
I love Chewy checking out the train, too cute. Please post a pic, or share in the next live stream, when the water is dried. I'm anxious to see the sunken ship.
Just Said to my son in law Yesterday, he loves building stuff like things like this… But we need a giant board, elevated Down from the sealing🤣 We are both sure that my daughter Will not accept that🤷🏼♂️ But in time, that might happen. My grandsons Will Love running trains! Merklin mini could be a “cheap” buy for next Christmas! He is just as creative as me! Yes i Love me son in law Thomas💯 We Will figure it out🤣🥰 I do have Knowledge that grown ups Love the build more than the running, But we have the kids to play with this… Can grandpa order a sandwich and a beer??? Yes we might have to scale Them trains up🤣💯 Love it Alex! ❤️
Fantastic project! Being able to close the lid is a nice bonus to keep dust out. I've always liked the idea of N scale in a coffee table. Z in a suitcase is something else for sure. Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas to Alex, Melissa, Stephen, Jason, and Abigail. Wish you a very Happy New Year to a very loving family. Great job, Alex, on the suitcase train layout!!As always, God bless and take care from your very long-time California subscriber.
Hi Alex, sorry to be a few days late on watching this video. This was so much fun watching you, not only build your own little suitcase train set, but showing us all how easily it can be done. I pray that you, Melissa & the kids all had a wonderful Christmas? I wish all of you a happy, healthy, & prosperous New Year. God bless and take care.🙏🎆🥂🎇🤗
It's nice seeing you have fun doing stuff like this, I love trains and that is perfect for in front of the Christmas tree! Great job and Happy Holidays to you and your family Alex
Your talents are endless! We have N scale trains and layout but since we're older, we've decided HO scale will be our next choice. Thoroughly enjoyed watching you put all that together for Christmas! Someday we'll have to approach an auctioneer as we phase out of our small scale sets and background materials! Sweet project!
We got one of those for my late father! I believe it was Z scale breath on it the cars would de-rail! Very cool ! His was pre- built! Not sure what ever happened to it! Like putting toothpaste back in the tube! How neat Alex! 🎄🎁🎄🫠🇺🇸
That's really cute. Alex you did a great job. Years ago I got a very small train and still have it I had a big one that went around my tree and sold it also. But in the end I kept the very small one. ❤😊 Very nice indeed.
Another suggestion. Find old ads from magazines. Scan them onto your computer. Then use an editing program to resize them down to fit on the side of a building or a billboard for whatever scale of trains you model (Z, N, HO, O, G). And then you have instant mural & billboard ads
That was really awesome. I love what you did that is really cool. I hope you and your family have a very merry christmas I enjoy your videos❤😊
Thanks Frankie!
I am constantly amazed by your abilities to repair, restore and create. This is why I love your videos.
Ok, I'm doing this! Very cool
Alex the big kid. So cool. Love it.
Z scale Rio grande. Merry Christmas 😊
What fun! Thanks for sharing.
Excellent job ❤❤❤❤
That suitcase Zed scale train is a nice holiday edition. You can also take it to model train shows and display it which might make a nice family day.
Love the "look how cute that is!" (high voice) with tiny yellow building!! That's me over & over!! I LOVE tiny replicas in detail !! 😅
Z-gauge is the one thing my dad never messed with. We always had trains around our tree too, but pre-WWII Standard and O-gauge. Took up the whole living room instead of just a suitcase. Merry Christmas to the Archbold family!
Zed scale is somewhat newer than other scales.
These trains are sooooo awesomely!!!
Beautiful! Your grandkids when they are born will really have a ball watching this train. Awesome job, Alexander!!!
Wow that is awesome you did a fantastic job I really do like it I love the tiny little train thank you for sharing.
My family used to have a HO scale train set which never got completed before we moved. Then my parents got an N scale which never got completed either though most of the track as been laid. When they passed on, my brother talked me into taking it. I love trains (real and model) but feel I am in way over my head. I'm a female and don't know much about such things. I have all the trains and packages of grass and I bought some trees several months ago but that's as far as I've gotten. This video helps me believe my larger project is actually doable. Think I'll keep mine very simple though there is a hole where a lake is supposed to go - yikes! Thanks for the information and inspiration.
I'd suggest taking a little time and dividing the inherited project into "doable" sections. Do one end to completion, or one section, or type of area. That can make an overwhelming model train much more achievable. This is a good time to get into model trains. There is a font of RUclipsrs talking about tips and techniques which is easier to learn from that model train magazines and trails and error. Best wishes with your project. I hope you and your brother enjoy.
Thank you so much for the tips. That's just what I'll do!@@johnm.withersiv4352
Very nice little layout! Great job Alexander ❤from Texas
That’s genius
Love this, Alex!! Now I want a Victorian version.... Imagine a Christmas version, with lights and decorations.... you could just keep going and going and going and going.....
Really loved the new intro.
Thank you for entertaining us all. You provide 22 minutes of content that takes you days to make. This was so fun to watch. Thank you again for all you do 😊
Alex love that you still have so much of a child and excitement in you. That is a rare trait in a grown man. Train system turned out great. You could probably sell these in the future. Merry Christmas to you and the family.
Totally Cool !! I am going on 72 yrs old and still love the old toys ! MERRY CHRISTMAS and GOD'S BLESSINGS be upon you and your family.
I love when vintage comes back to life. Keep inspiring.
a great tip I can give anyone Germany made suitcase trains just like this all the way up until the 1990s now some of them are extremely rare if you find them they're worth a lot of money fleischman's made one in their catalog in 1996 it was their last one they sold for $1,350 today that same one is worth $10,000 if you can find them as they are limited edition I think they only made 1,000 of them they were top secret about this whole suitcase train as the suitcase was the first one in carbon fiber I've only seen two photos of them they came complete with trains and passenger trains the sides opened up to store all the trains and the suitcase had an inbuilt controller there were several made in the 1980s they are also worth a lot of money
For sure
The Renaissance Man of Edmonton, Alberta Canada strikes again. Nice work! 🙂
This is my favorite RUclips video of December 2023. What a great Christmas holiday project. Fantastic model train in a suitcase. Love it Alex, you're so talented.
This is so cute!! Never heard of doing this in a suitcase. What a cool idea. Merry Christmas, Alex and family!!!🥰🥰🥰
LOVE the new Intro! Merry Christmas, Alex and Melissa and Family! PS Thanks for this surprise Christamas Day Video! Love trains. Perfect!
Great job!!! Fun to watch ! Merry Christmas
I once saw a Z Gauge train lay-out under glass as a top of a custom built coffee table placed in front of a sofa.
What a fun relaxing Christmas project…not! I have actually glued my fingers together and to miniatures so many times on projects I have peeled skin off. I gotta leave those teeny tiny miniatures to true artists. What a great job. It is magical!
I love it!!! Merry Christmas to the Archbold Family!!
LOVE the suitcase train set but it needs PEOPLE. ❤️👍🏼
I didn't think I would enjoy watching this, but I did it looks like a lot of fun. Merry Christmas
That's an awesome idea, I have a vintage suitcase. I'm going to pinch your idea and make my granddaughters one for Christmas next year. I think they will love it 😍 Hope you and your family have a great holiday time together and a safe healthy 2024 🎉🎉🎉🎉 Best wishes from Nottinghamshire England ❤
This is just beautiful!!
Very cool. You'll have to show us what it looks like once the water is all set. Love that you have a sunken boat in there.
It looks like Chewy approves too.
When i have room i usually create a village under my tree. I love this idea.
What a wonderful video! I love that “inner child” that makes you, you! Very creative and something that will live under your Christmas tree to fascinate your Grandchildren someday! Thanks Alexander and wishing you, Melissa and the family a Merry Christmas and a very Blessed New Year! 😊❤
Years ago my dad built an N-gage train village and covered it in acrylic box as a coffee table. Its a cute idea year round to change the decorations/ foilage with seasons & holidays. Love the suitcase idea! Merry Christmas! 🎄
Such a cute project. Alex is just a great little kid hid under great big kid❤❤❤
Love my Z scale train. I inherited every train size there is from my Dad.
Merry Christmas, Mike from Montreal.
I love trains, and that is such a cool idea.
This may be my favorite video I've seen from you. I had no idea you had such skills. The finished project is a charming, whimsical, one of a kind piece. I would love to see more content like this. Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Love this post and I so agree !
For sure
Oh wow that is so cool Alex
Wow. You have a lot of patience. It looks wonderful.You’re a man of many talents Alex.
I think the plaid shirt your wearing at the end has colors that really compliment your skin tone. Cute train set-up too.
Wow! So impressive! Merry Christmas to you, Melissa, Stephen, Jason, Abagail and Chewy!
Great new intro. You did a great job with the train set. Cheers
well done! Merry Christmas!!!
❤ What a wonderful project Alex. It’s like you were reliving your childhood as a little boy, setting up a train track. Nothing like a good craft project when you have the time. It’s great for the soul. Have the most fun holiday with your lovely family and a very Blessed New Year. Much love to you Melissa and the kids.
what a great project Alex! only thing missing is the Prellbock (end of track bumper)
A lovely project that kept me company while I got the turkey in the oven. Merry Christmas Archbold family.
What a cool project. I had never seen Z gauge trains before and after watching this video I spent 3 hours researching them and now I have a plan to make my own little setup! I don’t have the space for a large train so this is perfect.
N scale is the next size up to Z. And is easier to model. And much more stuff available for it too. Such as buildings, locomotives, rolling stock etc.
Though Z scale can fit in a suitcase where N needs just a bit more space
I love, love, love this train set!! Thanks for sharing 😊
Thank you Alexander, this was a very entertaining video. Just love watching your adventures. Merry Christmas!
Alexander, you are the toast of the Lilliputian society. This is the sort of treasure which will be a family heirloom. Generations of Archbolds will pull this out at Christmas time and tell the youngsters how Grampa Alexander built it for them long ago. 😅. Superb.
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!🎅🎄
Love, love, love the child-like enthusiasm/excitement that you brought to the project! Brilliant! Thank you and Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Alex, you really outdid yourself this time. This suitcase train track is amazing.
Merry Christmas to the Archbold Family. That little village and train set makes us all become dreamers. Great job Alex. ✌🏻🤍🎄✨
Wow you did a fantastic job creating this very unique train display in a suitcase! Based on the comment you made about storing it until next Christmas, the only thing I would have done differently is to make the scene inside a Christmas scene. You could add some snow, tiny decorated trees, some little people riding in sleighs and other tiny Christmas details to make it fit the season. It is easy to see where Stephen gets his artistic talent. Thanks for sharing and I hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas!
Beautiful ❤
Merry Christmas Archbolds!
Great video!
🎄🎅A very Merry Christmas and happy Festive Season to you and the now even bigger family, Alex and Melissa.💞 May health, peace, joy, laughter and abundance always surround your household. 🙏❤
So adorable! What a fantastic solution to keep the family's tradition yet adapt to this phase of lifestyle.
Great job, merry Christmas. Jayman...
You did an awesome job. Love the train set. Merry Christmas
Absolutely amazing..I run vintage trains and that is awesome..Great Job
I love Chewy checking out the train, too cute. Please post a pic, or share in the next live stream, when the water is dried. I'm anxious to see the sunken ship.
Just Said to my son in law Yesterday, he loves building stuff like things like this… But we need a giant board, elevated Down from the sealing🤣 We are both sure that my daughter Will not accept that🤷🏼♂️ But in time, that might happen. My grandsons Will Love running trains! Merklin mini could be a “cheap” buy for next Christmas!
He is just as creative as me!
Yes i Love me son in law Thomas💯
We Will figure it out🤣🥰
I do have Knowledge that grown ups Love the build more than the running, But we have the kids to play with this… Can grandpa order a sandwich and a beer??? Yes we might have to scale Them trains up🤣💯
Love it Alex! ❤️
We’ll done, Alex! This was fun to watch. Merry Christmas 🎄 😊-Tami
Fantastic project! Being able to close the lid is a nice bonus to keep dust out. I've always liked the idea of N scale in a coffee table. Z in a suitcase is something else for sure.
Merry Christmas!
I love little train sets with villages. Thanks for letting us go through this with you. So nice.
I really enjoyed this. This is a great fun project. Thanks!
Merry Christmas to Alex, Melissa, Stephen, Jason, and Abigail. Wish you a very Happy New Year to a very loving family. Great job, Alex, on the suitcase train layout!!As always, God bless and take care from your very long-time California subscriber.
Hi Alex, sorry to be a few days late on watching this video. This was so much fun watching you, not only build your own little suitcase train set, but showing us all how easily it can be done. I pray that you, Melissa & the kids all had a wonderful Christmas? I wish all of you a happy, healthy, & prosperous New Year. God bless and take care.🙏🎆🥂🎇🤗
It's nice seeing you have fun doing stuff like this, I love trains and that is perfect for in front of the Christmas tree! Great job and Happy Holidays to you and your family Alex
Your talents are endless! We have N scale trains and layout but since we're older, we've decided HO scale will be our next choice. Thoroughly enjoyed watching you put all that together for Christmas! Someday we'll have to approach an auctioneer as we phase out of our small scale sets and background materials! Sweet project!
Very nice idea. I worked many years for Märklin in Göppingen. Wish you a merry christmas and see you next year 👍👍
So cool! I want to make one of these. Merry Christmas Archbold family!🎅❤
Alaxander, you are so talented! Now do a miniture town with a winter scene!!
I have never seen anything like this. It is awesome.
Good idea
We got one of those for my late father! I believe it was Z scale breath on it the cars would de-rail! Very cool ! His was pre- built! Not sure what ever happened to it! Like putting toothpaste back in the tube! How neat Alex! 🎄🎁🎄🫠🇺🇸
Mad props for modelling in Z scale. I do N scale & find that to be tedious enough. Couldn't imagine trying to do Z scale
What a special project---well done!! Thank you for sharing!
That’s a nice little model railway set and it’s turned out really good, something to look forward too for all Christmas’s to come.❤️💚🙏🏻🇬🇧
Hey Alex! two thumbs up on the new intro!
What a smashing little layout that is Alex. Merry Christmas to you and the family.
I hated to see it end. I aspire to do something like this! Maybe soon.
A very different video but an ingenious project. Love it on Christmas morning ❤
Very impressive Alex.
You are so artsy and craftsy.
Very creative.
Thank you very much.
Nice new intro! And very nice video. Have a Merry Christmas season with your whole family ❤
The train is really awesome! You are so talented! Merry Christmas to you and your family.
That was great to watch, Alex. Knowing how dinky Chewie is really brought home the size in comparison!
That's really cute. Alex you did a great job. Years ago I got a very small train and still have it I had a big one that went around my tree and sold it also. But in the end I kept the very small one. ❤😊 Very nice indeed.
Cool!! 💖❤💘💝💓 I love watching your videos, thank you for sharing and have a great day!!!
Another suggestion. Find old ads from magazines. Scan them onto your computer. Then use an editing program to resize them down to fit on the side of a building or a billboard for whatever scale of trains you model (Z, N, HO, O, G). And then you have instant mural & billboard ads
Thank you for a delightful Christmas morning. I love watching your blogs. I always learn something. Wishing you & your family many blessings💕