December 2017
This time of year is full of traditions. Many model railroader’s stories begin with the memory of a train around the Christmas tree. I have a special Christmas train with Santa on it that we set up nearly every year. It doesn’t always run great and my kids are getting older so I wait to bring it upstairs and sometimes the holidays pass without getting it out. My son who used to say he hates trains, more recently said, “It’s not that I don’t like them…” He has been slowly coming around and starting to show a little more interest. I’ve never pushed him into liking them but I am glad he’s warming up to them. When setting up the tree this year he was the one who said to get the train set up. I brought up my Bright Boy too and cleaned the track while we set it up. He didn’t help scrub the rails but he did connect the track sections. There were a few issues at first getting it going but the little extra effort paid off because this year it is running the best it has in awhile!
12 years ago I first set up our Christmas Train. Now it’s a tradition even my son want to continue!
One of the best things that the AP has helped me with is just getting more things done. Yes, it’s easier to sometimes just relax, but how much effort is it to build one more boxcar or tune-up a couple cars that have been giving you troubles? It was more effort to get out the Christmas train than to just do without it again this year. Guess what? For me it is worth it so my kids will have the memory of the train under the Christmas tree and not just in Dad’s Train Room.
What traditions do you have? Are you sharing your love of trains with other friends and family members? How can you get them involved with your hobby? Remember my son who now doesn’t dislike trains? In the picture below you can see a smile on his face as he is driving the train over the installed track he helped build for his Eagle Project! Whatever it is, it doesn’t matter what scale, just have fun and do something train related and if you can involve someone else, even better! If it becomes a tradition, better still. Let’s not only learn more but DO more and by so doing we can enjoy the journey together!
Who can help having fun driving a train!?! Especially over the track you helped to build!
p.s. You can view my video Christmas Card below:
