When I was a kid, my dad set up a 4'x8' sheet of plywood on a pair of sawhorses in the basement for me, and I had an HO layout set up there. I started with a small steam locomotive-I don't know other details about the particular train, but it was made by Tyco. A couple years later, at the Bicentennial, I got the "Spirit of '76" diesel engine set. I added a few Plasticville houses, and even a loading dock with a gantry crane. But I never got to the point of adding groundwork.
As I got more into building models, I laid out a small airstrip in the midde of the layout, for my 1/72 scale airplanes.
Eventually, I packed in the model railroad, and turned the table into a combination workbench and HO & 1/72 wargame layout, of the Battle of Waterloo, and a little bit of the Roman invasion of Britain. All Airfix figures.
Today, I set up a similar display, once a year, under the tree at Christmas. Instead a wargame, though, I set up my collection of "The Kaiser's Army/Berlin 1910". It's a parade display of the Alexander Grenadiers (by Guard Corps), and various military and civilian spectators, from various makers, that I've painted over the years. Here are some pics from a couple of years ago; I've added more civilians in the meantime, in the area in front of the manger:
These figures in the next couple of photos were made by a friend of mine, a fellow MFCA member, Fred Klotz, who sold his figures under the brand "Present Arms!". The series was "Off to the Front, August 1914" but they fit in the theme of the display:
and he had a nice collection of civilians in his line, too:
That's the story of my model railroad setup.