Big Little Lies shelled out $30,000 for Gordon’s fancy train set

Big Little Lies shelled out $30,000 for Gordon’s fancy train set
Photo: Jennifer Clasen

Even in the opulent setting of Big Little LiesMonterey, Gordon’s man cave stands out, especially for sports/whisky/train enthusiasts. What better way to await federal inside-trading charges than to wallow in super-expensive brown liquor and toy with a museum-worthy train set?

Vulture revealed today that, according to Big Little Lies’ production designer, John Paino, the train was added by creator David E. Kelley. “When I was researching man caves, it made sense that he had a train and enjoyed collecting memorabilia,” Paino said. “We wanted to have a really expensive train set in there to show his wealth.” The team hired a Burbank company called the Train Shack, which specializes in building train sets for rich people. (Isn’t part of the fun is supposed to involve collecting the train sets themselves with other train fanatics?) Paino sketched out a 12' x 18' tabletop, and the Train Shack delivered a set that cost an astounding $30,000.

Depending on how into train sets you are, you may or may not have noted that Gordon’s set resembles the Buffalo skyline, the character’s hometown. Also, Vulture notes, the set includes a Santa Fe Express line, which is apparently “one of the most coveted lines for collectors.” Anyways, mission accomplished: Gordon spent his bored opulence this season in a train-anchored toy room most of us could only dream of. And yet, he still wanted a Gulfstream.

 
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7 Comments

  • thefabuloushumanstain-av says:

    Appropriately enough, federal courts have considered confinement to Buffalo as a punishment for securities fraud.

  • yesidrivea240-av says:

    I grew up fascinated by anything with an engine, but trains were always near the top of that list. My mom is from Minnesota, and my grandparents live just a few minutes outside of Duluth. If you’ve ever been, you know they have a massive train museum with an awesome model train set.So of course, I started building model train sets (mostly HO scale). I miss it honestly. If I had the space to do it now I would, but 30k isn’t all that surprising when you start to realize a nice locomotive can cost 500-1000 dollars. 

  • treatmentbound-av says:

    It certainly was the best way for him to unwind after a “Nanny Session”…

  • yaksplat-av says:

    That’s definitely the central terminal in buffalo.

  • shronkey-av says:

    There’s something inherently funny about a grown man who is into model trains be it Gomez Addams, Bobby Baccala from The Sopranos, and of course Reverend Lovejoy from The Simpsons. I’m sure it’s a rewarding hobby and those sets can look really impressive but it’s a funny trope none the less.

  • thisisntmyusername-av says:

    hbo didn’t have bobby bacala’s trainset in storage? 

  • danthropomorphism-av says:

    Opuhleeeeence

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