Well, this Canadian learned something about Christmas and model trains this year. In doing research for my annual Christmas and Model Trains post on my blog, I came across the eastern U.S. firehouse train garden tradition. I posted about it, including photos, at http://cprailmmsub.blogspot.ca/2015/12/christmas-and-model-trains-5-eastern-us.html
John Longhurst, Winnipeg
John,
I grew up in central Maryland and still live here - yes, it is a long standing tradition here in the Mid Atlantic region of the US.
I live only minutes from the Jarrettsville Fire Department and their display listed in th artical. My son, now a professional EMT/Fire Fighter, was once a volunteer at the Wise Ave Volunteer Fire Co, also mentioned in the article. I rasied my children in that neighborhood - we still take the grand children to many of these every year. And I am familar with all ones mentioned.
This area is a hot bed for model trains, and railroad history, combined with the traditions mentioned in the article. My family is of German desent, and my father set up a large and elaborate, model railroad quality “Christmas Garden” every year when I was a child - the “garden” was 5’ x 18’ long.
As soon as we moved into a house with a basement, he set it up for Christmas and left to up to introduce me to this hobby - I was 10. By age 14 I was working in the local hobby shop and belonged to a local club. I am now 58.
“Christmas” gardens, public and private, are still popular around here. And a number of permanent commercial displays have stayed in business in this region for many decades.
I grew up in the Baltimore, Maryland area (Perry Hall) during the 1950’s & '60s and remember the fire house layouts well. They were always so spectacular to visit every year. We always made the tour and enjoyed every one. I think the houses had a competition among themselves but don’t remember for sure. On a visit back home in the early 1980’s we took our daughter to the house in Towson and she went crazy.
I only remember them having Lionel at that time but I’m sure there was one in the downtown area on Harford Road that had a loop of American Flyer.
A secondary thrill to seeing the layouts was usually a tour of the firehouse and a chance to climb up on a real fire truck and meet all the super firemen!
Great tradition and a wonderful Christmas experience for a young train freak! I looked forward to the fire house layouts almost as much as having Santa visit. His visits were always the best as he’d drop off something very cool from the current AF catalog. Pretty hard to beat that!
Roger Huber
Deer Creek Locomotive Works