Out Arizona Way, Christmastime

[ezdays]

As some of you might know, I write an article every month titled, "Out Arizona Way" for the Valley Courier in Cincinnati. This year my Christmas article is about trains and memories. It appeared in the Dec. 3rd edition. Here it is in its entirety:

OUT ARIZONA WAY: By Don Day

Trains and the holidays

Railroading and the holidays seem to go together regardless of where you are. Some of you may not know this, but I’m somewhat of a railroad buff having admired anything railroad since I was a kid. I didn’t get into model railroading until after I “retired,” there was just not enough time to allow myself a hobby before then. I remember when train stations were brimming with holiday travelers. Some were heading home to be with family, some just barreling out of town for a respite from the hustle and bustle of the season. Surely though, this was also the time for anyone with a train set to pull it out and set it up under the Christmas tree. I grew up in New Jersey and I remember getting the price of bus fare to head downtown to see the trains running in the department store windows. Gone were the mannequins wearing the latest fall or winter fashions, now they were decorated with animated figures, usually it was Santa surrounded by snow-clad scenery, sleds, bikes, gift packages under trees and a train in just about every window. We’d head upstairs to the huge, almost full-story toy department and sure enough, there was another Lionel train running with just about every accessory possible. Miniature people and things that did something, like the conductor that would pop out of the little house with a lit lantern every time the train passed by. We’d strain our necks to see the logs that would load when a freight train stopped to pick them up, what a delight for a young boy. I imagine there were many an adult mesmerized by the trains as they circled around billowing smoke out their stack and blowing their whistles. Yeah, I remember having to squeeze between these looming figures on my tiptoes, just to get a glimpse of all that action.

All that was great to help create the holiday spirit, but the practical matter is, that it’s all there to sell stuff, toys for sure, including train sets. Usually these sets were presents, sitting unused for the rest of the year, until the Christmas tree was put up once again and then the tracks were placed around it. Sometimes kids, with their parent’s help, had a train layout in the basement or attic; these too would wind up around the tree just because that’s what you do at Christmastime. I model the very small N scale; in recent years though, I’ve been putting my one and only much larger G scale train under the tree. It’s easier to get things back on the tracks when our grown boys or our grandchildren cause a derailment.
Well, here in Arizona, we don’t have those huge department stores with all those windows facing busy streets, what we have are the malls. If we’re lucky, some model railroad club will be granted some precious space around the mall or inside a store to set up their display. Usually though, it isn’t one specifically for Christmas, or at best, anything like what I was used to when I was growing up. No, if it were even close, you’d find me hanging around the malls jumping up and down to look over shoulders, just to renew those old memories.

There’s much more to do train-wise around the holiday here other than setting up you trains, or ogling someone else’s. How about a full-size adventure? Head up north where the Grand Canyon Railroad normally takes riders between Williams and the Canyon. However, they change routes in December and some of their trains head right to the North Pole. Yep, you can enjoy and evening ride on their “Polar Express” which includes a stop to be greeted by Santa, along with sleighs, elves and snow. There’s plenty of hot chocolate and cookies on the way as someone reads the Polar Express story. Each child receives a silver bell as they board the train, and trying to be true to the story, they are encouraged to wear their pajamas.
Christmas is all about creating memories; we all have them. Some of the kids of today will remember riding the Polar Express to the North Pole; those of the future may have an entirely different memory to share. My memories go back to those Christmas window displays, the trains and all that attention to those fascinating details. Whatever you fondest Christmas memories are, they need to be cherished and shared, for the new ones may not always bring the same satisfaction.

[eightyeightfan1]

When I saw "Out Arizona Way, Christmastime", I expected to see a picture of a Saguaro with Christmas lights on it.
Real nice , Don.

[Sumpter250]

Christmas, when I was little, appeared magically on Christmas morning, and lasted for twelve days. While my fondest memories aren't of trains, other than hearing the train whistle the crossing at Great Neck Road in Copiague, N.Y., there was another tradition, that got me started in modelbuilding, which then lead to model railroading.
As said in the opening, Christmas, didn't "exist" in the house, until Christmas morning.
My parents would spend the better part of the night setting up the tree, and putting up all the other decorations. The result was, getting up early Christmas morning, and there it was!!! Tree, and lights, and presents,......and my parents sleeping late?!?
What torture!!! all those presents and we had to wait for our parents to wake up !!!
There was a small "plus" though, the stockings had also been hung, and they were full of goodies, AND, we could take that loot to our rooms and open it, and play with it.
My brother and I usually got some kind of model kit. A small plastic sailing ship, or airplane kit, or a Strombecker wood kit, with the powdered glue that had to be mixed with water to use. My beginning building skills were developed in those early Christmas morning hours, and because of the variety of models, I gained an appreciation of building all kinds of things that has lasted all these years. Model railroading became my hobby, because it allowed the variety of things to build, trains, buildings, trees, vehicles, etc. that I had come to enjoy building.
Christmas no longer appears magically, but that hasn't lessened the joy of the season, and, there are still model kits to build.
Merry Christmas!