We started running trains on Christmas Eve the first year the Engineer and I were dating. We have an “open yard” for anyone who cared to drop by. It started when we lived in a small community that had a combination hayride/caroling ride. The Engineer drove the tractor that pulled the hay wagon with the carolers. Meanwhile, the Conductor set out cookies and hot chocolate in the train room (I do NOT carol).
Twelve years later and having moved to North Carolina we still continue the tradition. Now though, as it is open to anyone who shows up and we don’t know who all that is, it has become a strictly outside in the yard event. And hence more contingent on the weather. We have been fortunate though that we’ve only been unable to do the Christmas Eve Open Train Yard twice. One year it started out as a light drizzle. We explain to those who ask that we run Garden Trains, they can handle a little rain. What they can’t deal with though is when the drizzle starts freezing on the tracks and traction goes away. The trains became a static display at that point.
Another weather factor that comes into play is the cold. The trains need lubrication, especially steam models with a lot of running gear. Low temperatures are the enemy of lubrication. The Engineer and Conductor are getting older, and we don’t handle the cold as well either. So, on the Christmas Eve when it was 20 degrees F outside, we decided to not run trains.
We always put out a spread of Christmasy munchies to help spread a little holiday cheer. This year it was hot mulled cider and hot chocolate, fruitcake plus an assortment of cookies. The fruitcake is an old family recipe that was passed down from my great Aunt. My Mother used to make it before she passed away, my Aunt still does and so do I. My version is aged for a couple months wrapped in a brandy soaked cloth (I warn the parents of any kids who come by). In a first for me this year I made some gingerbread men from a recipe used by Colonial Williamsburg. I thought they turned out well and they were popular.
We have a dedicated Christmas train that runs once or twice a year (there are five more cars), and we operated our other train that actually features lighted cars. Getting everything ready was pretty hectic this year. We aim to be all set up (with trains running, drinks and goodies on a table, heat source going, etc.) by around 5:00. It drizzled intermittently all day until four, and then we rushed to prep the track and get the trains on it. One track gave us fits all evening and we took some notes on places where the track had been damaged. Items for a spring to-do list in the train garden.
Eventually though trains were on the tracks, cider and cocoa was being drunk and cookies munched upon. Every year our hope is just that someone/anyone will show up and every year people have come by. (Except for the year it was 20 degrees. This is North Carolina, not Maine, no one down here is going to go out in that sort of weather just for some cider and cookies.)
This year we enjoyed the company of current neighbors, old neighbors, new friends and a surprise visit from old friends who drove down from the Richmond, VA area. We try to keep it low key and not too much effort on our part as we know that many families have their own Christmas Eve traditions. And every year we wonder if this will be the year when we threw a “party” and no one showed up and decide it is not worth the effort. This was not that year. We had a wonderful time and it was great to visit with friends old and new.
Dismal Creek Railroad 