Are you a Model Railroader?

Become a Member!

Holiday Model Railroad Show

Our Holiday Model Railroad Show is in full bloom at MacArthur Center and will be continued until December 31. We have been averaging over 100 visitors a day! It's wonderful to see the excitement on the children's faces. Their parents are undeniably happy as well. This is what A.C.Gilbert and Lionel knew many years ago. Everyone loves trains - especially at Christmas! 

We have at least eight layouts running trains almost all the time including one that kids can run. All the main scales are included - G, O, S, HO, N and even Z scale.

After the Holidays, we will close for 60 days and then re-open as the Model Railroad Museum of Hampton Roads in the same space. Don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter for updates.

Train Songs

One of our members. Frank Reed, is a collector of train songs - old and new.

Many of them are quite fascinating and contribute to the illustrious history of railroads in our country.

Here is a link to the "Train Song of the Month:"

Panama Limited, by Tom Rush

The “Panama Limited" song was popularized by folk singer Tom Rush on his self-titled debut album in 1965.  He combines Bukka White’s version of “Panama Limited Blues” with Bukka’s “Special Steamline Blues” from 1930.

The Panama Limited was a passenger train operated from 1911 to 1971 between Chicago and New Orleans as the  flagship train of the Illinois Central Railroad. It took its name from the Panama Canal which in 1911 was three years from completion.

Tom Rush, a guitarist, singer, and songwriter, was a key figure in the early sixties folk and blues revival scene in the Boston and Cambridge area.  His 1968 album “Circle Game” helped launch the careers of Joni Mitchell, James Taylor and Jackson Browne.

For more “train songs” check out the “Commander’s Train Songs” YouTube playlist at

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL07n2-n5FoRHYzhKfA--soywuLOFvEv1l&si=IODFaTIeOe7OBQ7G

Holiday Trains

By Dave Pecota

For many of us, the image of a toy train circling the Christmas tree is as much a part of the holidays as Santa and his reindeer.  But in this age of automobile and airline travel, how is this still the case?  Why don’t we imagine electric cars, miniature jumbo-jets or spacecraft zooming around the tree?

From a cynic’s viewpoint, you may conclude that “clever marketing” made toy trains … particularly electric trains … the iconic holiday toys they have become.  Clearly, in the first half of the 20th Century, Lionel’s founder Joshua Cowen was the point-person for the toy train industry’s on-going Christmas marketing blitz.  Lionel’s artfully drawn train catalogs and print ads … plus nearly every department store window display having a holiday-themed train layout … all helped to make toy trains a must-have item under every Christmas tree.

In much the same way, the 1930’s saw the Coca Cola Company firmly establish its marketing vision of Santa Claus as THE image of that jolly fellow that we all immediately think of today.  Undoubtedly, effective product marketing plays a larger role in our holiday thoughts and decision-making than we care to admit.  However, is that the entire story for toy trains … nothing but clever marketing? Or is there something else afoot?

Toy trains were already popular gifts for children in the 1800’s … before the Lionel company existed … before automobiles and airplanes were invented.  In a world of travel by horseback or carriage, travel by train for the average American was as exciting then as the idea of space travel is today. We must also remind ourselves that prior to World War 2, travelling significant distances by auto or airplane were mostly noisy and uncomfortable experiences.  Construction of the interstate highway system was not underway until after 1956.  Rapid aircraft design advances resulting from World War 2 imperatives eventually made airline flying faster and safer in the postwar period, as aircraft began to fly “above the weather”. 

However, back in the 1930’s you could travel all over the country in total comfort via sleek passenger trains pulled by powerful steam locomotives. Futuristic diesel-electric trains like the Burlington Zephyr and Flying Yankee were also capturing the public’s attention and wonder. If you became hungry or thirsty enroute, you strolled down the aisle to a well-appointed dining car as your train sped down the tracks. Cozy sleeper cars were also an option on longer trips. For many families, travelling by train to spend the holidays with relatives was a special and memorable experience.

Fast-forward many decades, in a recent issue of “Travel + Leisure” magazine, the cover photo and article about a train excursion were chosen to highlight the issue’s focus on “it’s all about the journey”, with nary an airplane or automobile to be seen.

We certainly shouldn’t underestimate the “Hollywood effect” on the public’s connection to the holidays and train travel from the many memorable movies that are watched and re-watched during holiday periods to this day.  Movies such as “Polar Express”, “White Christmas”, “Christmas Story” and “The Homecoming” leave us with indelible images of holiday joy. Other forms of holiday travel have not resonated with film-makers and the public in quite the same manner.  Even though long-distance train travel was almost completely supplanted by air travel long before the start of this new millennium, the magic of travelling by train somehow remains. 

It is true that we cannot forget the rather brief but glorious days of immediate postwar air travel.  Families wore their “Sunday-best” attire to travel on airlines like Pan Am, TWA and Braniff.  Inflight service was impeccable.  Flight crews were idolized by boys and girls, who dreamed of flying to amazing, far-away places. 

But the excitement and glamour of air travel rapidly declined after the adoption of the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978, which allowed relatively unbridled airline competition in routes and fares.  Quality of service became secondary to ticket price.  Airplanes got larger, but seats and legroom got smaller.  Security issues further eroded the public’s enthusiasm for flying.  Interminable line-waiting, intrusive personal searches, sloppily dressed passengers in packed cabins and wailing infants have all become integral parts of the air travel experience.  Unless you own a private jet, air travel is now something to be endured, not savored.

Likewise, car owners seem to be increasingly willing to turn over the “joy of driving” to bundles of silicon chips.  Family members securely belted in their seats pay more attention to their electronic devices than the passing countryside or their fellow passengers.  The happiness of experiencing new places or enjoying the holidays with distant relatives now begins at the destination, not during the journey. 

According to government data, more than 819 million passengers flew within the US in 2023, compared to only 28 million passengers who travelled on Amtrak.  In today’s fast-paced world, long distance train travel remains a relatively rare family experience.  Recently however, public interest in train travel appears to be gaining momentum, epitomized by the success of the Brightline train network in Florida and continuation of the costly CalTrain electrification project in California.    

On a personal note, one of the most memorable holiday experiences for my children included travelling on Amtrak in the early 1990’s to attend a family Christmas gathering at my parent’s home in Sacramento CA.  We went a day early to visit the city’s spectacular railroad museum.  By happenstance, a toy store adjacent to the museum was one of the first locations where wooden track Thomas the Tank Engine sets made their global debut. 

My daughter delighted in the ability to be served a freshly prepared meal in the Amtrak dining car, as the scenery flashed by.  My son became totally enamored with the operation of the museum’s standard gauge train layout.  In an agreement with Santa as an early present, both kids received a new wooden Thomas locomotive and an additional railcar of their choice.  This also turned out to be one of the last holiday gatherings where my entire extended family was together at one time.  These are holiday memories my children and I will keep for a lifetime.  (We still have our souvenir Amtrak blanket.)   

Historical information indicates that at least 40% of annual toy sales occur within the months associated with the Christmas holiday season.  As you might expect, many train-related items are specifically made or themed for the holidays, as makers vie for the attention of parents (and Santa).  Lionel and other electric train manufacturers have a tradition of producing new and exciting train sets for each holiday season.  The wooden toy company Maxim Enterprise has been particularly adept at producing memorable holiday trains for our youngest folks.  Maxim sets shown here include an unusual alpine gondola set made for Tesco stores in the UK (2003) and a Coca Cola Christmas train set (with Santa) in a metal carrying case, made exclusively for the US market (2006). 

A quick internet search for “holiday toy trains” will yield page after page of results.  To start listing and describing them all, past and present, would be an overwhelming task.  (Far beyond the capabilities of your humble author.)  Suffice it to say, by the time this article was completed, many stores nationwide have already been stocked with a wide variety of holiday-inspired train sets of all types and sizes … from simple wooden trains to impressively large (and Christmas tree-ready) Lionel sets.

Therefore, my “expert” conclusion is … toy trains will continue to be a meaningful part of the family Christmas holiday experience for many years to come.  The final chapter of holiday toy train history has yet to be written.  

Happy Holidays to all!   

Volunteer

(Endorsed advertisement)

Welcome to

New Tracks Modeling!

New Tracks Modeling is an exciting digital opportunity to obtain mentoring to help you improve your modeling.  You will meet talented modelers and manufacturers from all over the world who will share their model building expertise and artistic advice.  New Tracks Modeling is open to all modelers of all skill levels in any scale or gauge.

Our Shows are live every Wednesday evening at 7pm Eastern/4pm Western on Zoom and YouTube. By subscribing to our website newtracksmodeling.com you’ll receive email notices containing links to both the Zoom and YouTube presentations.

New Tracks Modeling Mentoring Scholarship

Your donation will help to providescholarships for model railroaders who are HSgraduates  and continuing their educationinaSTEAMfield.Your generosity is greatly appreciated!

To donate click on this link.

https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/038439bf-a552-44e2-9b46-ef54aaa0e274

Donate

The Model Railroad Museum of Hampton Roads will be a fantastic community center based on running, operating and even building your own model railroads! There's something for every age here.

Learn about the real history of this area and how important it was in the building of America. Watch how railroads were built, the people involved, where America's roots were formed. 

As they build their own railroads, students will be learning about science, electronics,  architecture, technology, engineering, mathematics, and the art of 3 dimensional model landscaping. They can earn rewards for completing projects and winning contests.

Try to solve yardmaster problems on a switching layout like getting the lumber from the forest to the furniture store, by way of the saw mill and the lumber yard.

Run your train around blockades and other trains to get to the station on time without speeding or crashing.

Play railroad monopoly using model railroads. Winner is the one who can collect the most cars into his yard within an hour.

There will be programs for autistic and special needs kids, disabled adults and veterans.

School tours. Holiday Shows. Library and video rooms. Scouts are welcome. Even youngsters will have their own wooden models to enjoy. Classrooms and hands-on clinics for adults. Learn how to get started in the hobby. Or just enjoy the fun.

Everybody loves trains and this will prove it!  Just click on the either the blue or the yellow DONATE button below to make it happen... 

PayPal Giving Fund:

No Credit Card Fees

DONATE

OR...

Charitable Donations through PayPal,  Credit or Debit cards:

(Opt in or out of paying credit card fees)

Get Updates and Special Offers in 
the MRMHR Newsletter:
Making Tracks 
Sign Up Here...

The official newsletter for the Model Railroad Museum of Hampton Roads