Train Set: Track Two

Announcement: Model Trains in Gift Shop

Neil Young is best known for his music, also has a lesser-known passion: model train sets. He got his first one at age 5, and throughout his years touring as a world-famous musician, he built up a collection of vintage Lionel sets. Neil’s two sons Zeke and Ben were both born with cerebral palsy; in Ben’s case, it rendered him quadriplegic and non-verbal. Neil’s then-wife Pegi, struggling to find good schools for children with disabilities, founded The Bridge School in 1986.

Neil, meanwhile, found a unique way to engage with Ben: through trains. He holds seven patents for his train innovations, including remote control and more realistic sounds. He worked closely with Lionel in the early 90s and they incorporated his designs into the Trainmaster Command Control. Around the same time, Lionel faced bankruptcy, and Neil led a group of investors to bail them out. Lionel, in turn, put out a train set based on one of his albums.

Recently, Neil has started to sell his collection, for a good cause — proceeds are being directed to the aforementioned Bridge School.