Every year our train club, the Tidewater Big Train Operators, has a large Christmas themed train show that runs for eight days. This was the first time in four years that we had an individual layout in the show. Setting up your own display for the show involves a big time commitment, not to mention expense, that was becoming hard for us to make. Especially after moving to North Carolina the event space is now an hour away from us. This year we thought we would try doing a layout in the center, common area. The trains running here are controlled by the “Trainmaster” so we would not necessarily need to be present every evening of the show.
A running conflict we have with the TBTO Holiday Show is that it overlaps with many other Christmas activities we cherish, and participating in the show can be stressful (for the Conductor – me), as well as costly to assemble everything for a display. On the other hand, our club has been hosting the show for 28 years, attracting a dedicated audience over the years. Many attendees who first joined as children are now bringing their own kids. We will continue to participate in some capacity while striving to balance it with the other happenings of the season.
Dismal Creek Railroad 