An Update on Just in Time for Christmas

A sharp-eyed friend of mine was looking at a printed copy of the slides today. He notice that two of the slides show the same place in different seasons. J

Move Out Changed to SATURDAY, JAN 2ND AT 9AM

The Move out at the Mall has been changed to Saturday, January 2nd at 9 am

The final day of operations will be Friday, January 1, from 10 am to 3 pm

Mall Move Out at 9am on Sunday, January 3rd and a thank you - MOVE OUT CHANGED TO SATURDAY, JAN 2ND AT 9AM

Please come to the Mall on Sunday at 9 am to help with the move out.

The display will be running on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

A visitor left a card with this note:

"In my book you're all heroes. Can't thank you enough for your trains, time, energy. The kids love you."

Whitney

Trains in a Mall - 2015 video

Here is the 2015 video of the Holiday Train Display, thanks again to Jim Alberty of the Apple Store.

Trains in a Mall 2015 on Youtube

Just in Time for Christmas

Thanks to Douglas Johnson for sending this along.

Take the train along with me

In the belief that it will be a glorious year

And that every bend can be taken with beauty

That every chasm will have a supporting side

And good luck will color each day as a beautiful flower

That the atmosphere of home will warm our hearts

The grey days are also  beautiful

That beauty will abound to break the ice

And your house remains a castle of security

That to let off a little steam will show you the glory of life

And that receiving friendship respect of love will never be bridge too far

That raging rivers will be kept on their course

And however deep and impenetrable the water sometimes appears

Life will never be a lonely path

Just presented with deep affection

That simple beauty will be pleased to cross your path

And darkest times will be driven out with color

And the days are colored with natural grandeur

Just steaming happily through life

And leaving all cares behind

And here you have it fro me, this simple beginning

White Pass engine with Bon Ton and Maine Central Freight Cars

The White Pass locomotive has come down from the high bridge and is pulling freight.

Rolling by North Conway

Across the Bridge to the Circus

 Tu

Bon Ton and Maine Central

European Freight with 1970s LGB equipment and Circus Train

LGB Freight and Circus Train

LGB Caterpillar Engine passing the Circus

Pennsylvania Passenger Train and Rio Grande Freight

Here are two trains from Ben Braithwaite, a new member of the club

Rio Grande Freight passing the Village

PRR Passenger Train Crossing Rio Grande Freight

Scarborough Veterans Home visits the Holiday Train Display

Veterans from the Scarborough Veterans Home came to visit the Holiday Train Display on Wednesday, December 9th. Their note says "Thank you for your kindness to the veterans at MVH-S. The train display and all the happy faces were good to see."

Groton and North Charleston Train comes to Portland

Terry and Hunk brought the Groton and North Charleston Railroad to Portland on Tuesday. Here are the videos

BAR and Amtrak

BAR and Circus 1

BAR and Circus 2

BAR and Paradise Diner

And some special features

Two O-Scale Trains

Two businesses that the Mall is hoping to attract

Hubie Screimin Dental Clinic

Maple Donuts

MALL Changes

NOTE: we will be running trains at the mall until 12/31. On 12/31 it is a half day 10-3. Need some more volunteers for after Christmas.
Saturday 1/02/16 we start to take down. (usually done in one day.)
Sam: can you update the volunteer schedule?

Candy Cane Train 2015 Run

The Candy Cane Train took over 2,000 passengers from Bath to Wiscasset and back on December 12 and 13. Sponsored by Tri-County Literacy, the train ride includes reading books to groups of children, a visit from Santa Claus, and Elves in  every car. There is also an operating model railroad display in Bath Station.

WMTW Channel 8 did a story on the future of the Candy Cane Train that can be seen at

http://www.wmtw.com/news/future-of-candy-cane-train-up-in-the-air/36948214

Maine Eastern Engines 764 and 488

Boarding by the Bridges

Remembrance during the holiday season

R&B Railroad Visits from Massachusetts

On Friday December 11 the R&B railroad from southeastern Massachusetts was in operation at the Holiday Train Display. Thanks to Robin and Bill Goodrich, we saw a modern military train, an DRG&W passenger train with a steam locomotive, and two Disney handcars. One had Mickey and Minnie Mouse, and the other Goofy and Donald Duck.

Here are a few videos.

Military Train

DRGandW Passenger Train and Handcar

Circus Military Freight and DRGandW Passenger Trains roll by

Outdoor Activities at the Mall

Here are some new outdoor activities at the Mall

Outdoor fireplace near the Village

Ice Fishing near the Circus Tunnel

Skidder moving logs in the Lumber Yard

More Bridges....

The Mall asked MGRS to have more bridges at this year's holiday train display. Here is quick rundown on them

1. Percy the Small Engine crosses a river on a wooden bridge with steel reinforcements made by Scott. Its is 39" long and made of mahogany.

 2. Just behind it you can see an LGB girder bridge.

3. At the back of the Thomas area is an 8' long pylon bridge build by Ernie for this year's display with a small LGB engine and passenger car running back and forth

4-5. Two, three-foot black steel bridges from Tiny cross the Control Area on one side

6. The dual-track drawbridge built by John Jackson is at the other end of the Control Area. It handles the Main Lines running up to loop around North Conway Station. When the drawbridge is raised for someone to enter or leave the  Control Area, any Main Line train within about 5' of the bridge stops. The cables running from the bridge deck into the tower hold up the counterweight. They a plastic bottles filled with BBs.

7. The 8' long red wooden bridge is across the tops of the risers and has a White Pass locomotive and tender running back and forth. The maker is unknown.

8-9. There are two, dual track  10' aluminum bridges running above the platform and below the 8' long red wooden bridge. They have run Linica Railroad trains and a combination of DRG&W and Bon-Ton freight trains. On Friday 12/11 they had a pair of yellow LGB trollies on one line and both the Mickey/Minnie Mouse and Goofy/Donald Duck handcars on the other. These bridges came from Rich Young's back yard.

10-11. There is a 3' wide gap between the platform with the risers and the Circus area. This gap is crossed by a pair of triple track bridges that Barry built for this year's layout. One is bridge is "brown" steel with American flags and the other is a black girder bridge with the letters "M G R S". If you take a good look, the letters have narrow red and green Christmas stripes.

12. There is also a 12' pylon bridge that Ernie built for this years' display along the "plastic" water feature that runs below the the two, triple-track bridges. Here there is an LGB Trolley car running back and forth

Covered Wagon in Snow Railfan Trip from North Conway to Notchland on January 2, 2016

"Covered Wagon in the Snow",  s Photographer's Special on the Conway Scenic Railroad, sponsored by the Mass. Bay Railway Enthusiasts. The trip runs from North Conway to Notchland & Return featuring ex-Boston & Maine F7A 4266. This trip offers coach seating, premium seating and other options including round trip bus service from South Station in Boston and Anderson RTC in Woburn to North Conway and return for this trip. For details, prices and to order tickets please visit Covered Wagon in the Snow on MassBayRRE Web Site or call 978-470-2066