(Appeared on
Fairfield.Patch.com 12/4)
By Mike Lauterborn
© 2010. All Rights Reserved.
12/3/10
Fairfield, CT – Giant wreaths, garland snaking around ceiling joists, twinkling lights and, of course, miniature trains chugging along loops of track through detailed town settings. It was a feast for the eyes and a delight for young and old, signaling the start to the holiday season.
The site was the Jacky Durrell Meeting Hall at Fairfield Museum and History Center on Beach Road and the occasion was the Dec. 3 opening night of the Holiday Express Train Show. This was the fourth consecutive year of the event and the two teams of model train hobbyists that had participated in the past – the Connecticut G-Scalers Model Train Club and the Housatonic Model Railroad Club – were on hand once again.
The two groups had spent the past week building their respective set-ups from the ground up, starting with platforms and tabletops upon which they placed industrial carpet, track, trains, cottony snow and all the intricate town elements to complete the scene.
The more expansive of the two sets occupying the room belonged to the G-Scalers. In all, there were four working trains, including one pulled by Thomas the Tank Engine and a second by Percival. The trains skirted 17 individual buildings, some as tall as two feet. Two dozen mini pine trees dotted the landscape. Over 50 mini human figures interacted in and around the structures. A dozen mini-scale autos were parked on town streets. Mini figures of bear, dogs, cats, cows, sheep and pigs appeared here and there. Standing at the head of it all, there was a fully decorated Christmas tree with presents beneath it and a Menorah with blue glowing lights.
Anchoring the opposite site of the room, the Housatonic group’s set-up included two working HO trains circling a double loop through two fully populated town settings with a similar collection of elements to that of the G-Scalers’.
A third set – a Lionel O-Scale train – traveled a simple loop on a high platform in the center of the museum’s lobby.
“This brings back memories of Christmas morning, 1958,” said Fairfielder Charlie Lambert, visiting with his wife Cathy. “I had an American Flyer Frontiersman… an S-gauge train on a two-rail track. I collect trains now, much to my wife’s dismay sometimes. It’s a wonderful hobby.”
As Lambert looked on, a G-scale train whizzed past. It was operated by Bill Dressler, President of the G-Scalers, who operated controls hidden beneath a Christmas box. The Wizard of Oz of mini railroads looked as delighted as those marveling at the trains, like Fairfielders Doug Hoffman and daughter Whitney.
“We’re inspired to go home and set up our trains and build some trestles. We used to set up the trains around the Christmas tree, which we’ll have to do again now,” said Hoffman, who mentioned having a G-scale set at home.
Matt DiGiovanna was another adult reliving Christmases past. The Monroe resident was on hand with grandsons Kolby, 15 months, and Kaden, 4. The grandfather owns an O-gauge HO train set, which had been his father’s.
“This is fabulous!” DiGiovanna said, swinging Kolby around for a better look at an approaching train.
“There goes Percy! And Thomas! There he goes in the tunnel!” squealed Kaden, teetering on a step stool.
Redding resident Tara Williams, with husband Patrick and son Connor, 6, was another enthusiast. “We’re big train buffs. This is the quintessential Christmas thing to do. These sets have the right spirit and size for children. We look forward to this each year. Merry Christmas!”
Streaming in from the tree lighting on the Town Green, ruddy-cheeked Riley Guarino, 7, and Della Jackson, 5, peered over a low glass partition at the HO set-up. Said Della’s mom Kathleen of the girls, “It’s amazing for them to see the trains and for me to see the excitement in their eyes, to start off the season.”
Carolers and brothers Kevin and Sean Zentner, 11 and 9 respectively, filed in behind them. “Cool! Really big!” they whooped, spotting the G-Scale trains.
Looking over the crowd of people who were clearly in merry spirits, museum program coordinator Walter Matis summed up, “This is what the season is all about.”
The Holiday Express Train Show will be on display through January 2. For more information, call 203-259-1598 or visit www.fairfieldhs.org
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