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RIP White’s Nursery

“To Our Valued Customers & Friends We gave our best effort to keep White’s Nursery & Garden Center going. It is with heavy hearts that we announce we will not be reopening. Thank you for 68 years of support.” White’s Old Mill Garden Center A sad day for the Tidewater Big Train Operators club andContinue reading “RIP White’s Nursery”

White’s Nursery Spring 2024

As previously mentioned, White’s Nursery is our preferred venue for hosting train shows. Each participant has their own designated space, allowing everyone to pursue their individual creative vision. When the Engineer and I first joined the Tidewater Big Train Operators, we were committed to keeping it simple by designing layouts where all components (trains, scenery,Continue reading “White’s Nursery Spring 2024”

Holiday Show 2023

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 mentionContinue reading “Holiday Show 2023”

White’s Nursery Fall 2023

I am not sure when our train club, Tidewater Big Train Operators, started doing shows at White’s Nursery, but we have had a layout for it every fall and spring since the Fall of 2015. It is fun to run trains there as it is only for two days, the size of the layouts isContinue reading “White’s Nursery Fall 2023”

White’s Nursery Spring 2023

Another Spring, another show at White’s Nursery in Chesapeake, VA. Continuing our micro layouts we went with a farming scene this time. We do not have an actual farm train, so the Hello Kitty cars were asked to participate. We went back to our old standbys this time – birdhouses. They are a good sizeContinue reading “White’s Nursery Spring 2023”

White’s Nursery Fall 2022

Another year, another two shows done at White’s Nursery. This one was our “Christmas” show typically done in early November just as they are clearing out the Halloween decor and gearing up for the holidays. Our fall shows seem to always involve our hodge-podge collection of gingerbread houses, people and candy trees. They do lookContinue reading “White’s Nursery Fall 2022”

Heber Valley Railroad

This fall during a trip out west to visit family we had the opportunity to visit the Heber Valley Railroad in Utah’s Provo Valley. Originally completed in 1899 as a part of the Rio Grande Western the branch line was in service hauling freight until 1966. The 1970’s and 80’s saw the railroad operating asContinue reading “Heber Valley Railroad”

A Potager Garden Train

Potager – A kitchen garden where vegetables, flowers, herbs and fruit intermingle. With trains. A Garden train with a lot of plantings involved is a fair amount of work to keep up with. Any grass you have growing is always trying to take over the whole world, annuals have to be replanted – annually andContinue reading “A Potager Garden Train”

Tweetsie Railroad

Summer vacation this year included a trip to the Tweetsie Railroad theme park near Blowing Rock, North Carolina. It was a return visit for the Conductor and a new experience for our Engineer. I would love to say that it was exactly as I remembered it, but as my first time there was 1958 orContinue reading “Tweetsie Railroad”

White’s Nursery Spring 2022

At last, the season of inactivity for us is over – time for another show at White’s Nursery and Garden Center. Our train club did two shows over the winter but we elected not to participate. We enjoy doing the shows at White’s as they are a little more “free-form” and we can do ourContinue reading “White’s Nursery Spring 2022”