Christmas Train Spectacular DVD
Steamboy (Revere MA US) on 2019-12-08 08:36:30.
In this 2011 TMBV Christmas Special, The opening & closing credits have a sweet sweet saxophone jazz rendition of Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.
The first layout is Tom Germann of the St. Louis Area. It took 50 years to build and plan this 29 by 32 ft room, where the giant layout is 23 by 29 ft. Many trains that Tom owned are some sets by Lionel in christmas colors, regular every day road names, and has a huge collection of 300 department 56 buildings. He also ran 25 trains running at the same time. There are 4 on the outside track. Each train has its own loop most of the time. There is also a nutcracker version of the gateman. Tom's first train was a lionel lines 2-6-2 number 675 hauling a 3469 automatic dump car, a 3472 operating milk car, a tank car, and a 6457 caboose. Most of the track on the layout is lionel old school tubular track. The second train that Tom got, was a Wabash GP7 number 2337 with mostly flatbeds, a New haven boxcar, and a 6017 caboose. Tom Also has a motorized Budd car, a Disney Epcot Monoral, and the original Polar Express set with a replacement engine doing the honors. There is also a pair of Sky Trams, The original girl's train, Thomas the Tank Engine with Annie & Clarabel, a Maintenance speeder, and some handcars. Plus He made an Upside Down Train around the tree. He also has a Bachmann HO set. In the Living room, a 4-4-2 atlantic hauls a dump car and a caboose around the circle. Tom also has an alco RS3 in christmas colors, plus he has a huge collection of lionel trains and accessories on walls. Besides operating the layout, Tom is also a professional Bowler, and also plays golf, but has a hunt to get a hole in one. Outside the house, there are 40,000 christmas lights. All the trollies that Tom owned, are 100% MTH. Some of the 70's Lionel sets that Tom owned are the Mickey Mouse Express set, and the spirit of '76 Bi-centennial set with a U-boat. For power, he uses 14 Lionel ZW transformers. Tom used to work in the parade float department, so he made a parade on the layout. To prevent the kids from touching the layout, Tom made a really long fence out of Popsicle sticks, as well as a snow shed, & a shanty for the parade, Plus the arch bridge was made out of PVC pipe and drop ceiling hangers. The biggest bridge that Tom made, was made from a 10 foot 2 by 4. On the ceiling, an Amtrak GG1 is crossing over the bridge. Other accessories include the reindeer car which was inspired by the horse loading car, a marx signal tower, and various yard lights.
In the intermission, we wish you a merry christmas is played.
The second layout is Steve Klein. Before building the layout, Steve and his Grandfather worked for the C&O, and his wife Gayle's grandfather, Dad, and 2 brothers worked for the Rio Grande Using still images of F-unit 5771 in Denver which is now on display at the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden, as well as a random mixed train with 6 units, 2 from BNSF on the rear, Union pacific C36-7 number 9057, and led by D&RGW 5401. At christmastime, Steve's family didn't have trains, but their wealthy neighbors did. Steve's layout is all Lionel. which includes a 4-4-0 american type locomotive, some freights led by the Rio Grande, Reading, & Chessie System, and an 0-4-0 hauling freight in the elevated portion of the layout. Some of the 200 buildings are department 56, but over the years, most of the buildings were made by Steve & Gayle. There are also more Lionel Locomotives and cars on the display walls. Steve has a huge collection of Postwar lionel steamers, but he is missing the N&W 746, and the prized possession of postwar lionel: the 773 hudson. For power, Steve has a ZW transformer, a KW transformer, and a 1033 transformer. He always believes that all mainline freights made a big mistake on removing cabooses. There are some Non-Lionel O gauge engines on the layout such as a Williams Rio Grande GP50, a K-Line CSX GP-39, and a K-line chessie system Gp38. Plus he has a 1970s to early '80s MPC era Hudson number 8600 hauling Postwar coaches. Note the wheels slipping during the departure.
The third layout in this program, is the Polar Express layout of John Smith of the Chicago area. He has a Standard O scale version Led by a Legacy Controlled model of Pere Marquette 1225 which of course the real engine is at the Steam Railroading Institute of Owosso Michigan, that is nearly 2.5 to 3 hours apart from the I love toy trains store. Who Knows what would happen one day when the TMBV Crew did film the real Polar express Locomotive? Besides the noteworthy Lima built Berkshire itself, John also has a Metra Commuter train, A Chicago & Northwestern Commuter Train, an elevated subway, A modern Grain train with Canadian National Power, and a Union Pacific Mixed train. Plus an interview with Roger Farkash of TW Design. The elf handcar from the movie is on the curvy mountainside. Plus there are Pliable Silicone icicles to prevent the 1225 and the coaches from being scratched. At Union Station, there are passenger trains on the Northern Pacific, C&NW, & the Texas Special. There are polar express themed accessories by TW design on the upper Layout, while the lower portion of the layout has random buildings by K-Line, & TW Design. Some lionel accessories on the layout include the Santa Fe Scrap yard, a Billboard, some signals, and all the trains are on present century Fastrack. This segment also has the Jazz version of Have yourself a merry little Christmas which was used in the opening and closing credits of this program. John also has a collection of Lionel Boxes on the wall shelves. Under the layout, John's children has a collection of Thomas items. He wished that Lionel made Chuggington, But they Didn't. A few years after this program was made, Williams Trains Did make their O Gauge Version of the Disney Junior themed show.
The fourth layout is Bob Wilke of Tom's River New Jersey. Bob's first Lionel set, was the military and space set. Bob's dream layout measures 25 by 30 feet, has a collection of 200 Department 56 buildings, uses 3 levels of track, 6 mainlines, 3 trolley lines, & 2 subway lines. For power, he uses 5 ZW transformers, a KW for Accessories, Uses old school tubular track, and uses O72, O54, & O42 curves. The trains on Bob's layout includes, a lionel 1996 Commodore Vanderbilt, a New York Central Dreyfuss hudson hauling freight, A Santa Fe F-3, A Pennsylvania GG1, a 2006 Milwaukee Road Hiawatha, the Legacy version of the Texas Special, A Pennsylvania Boxcab, A red subway set, A doubleheader with an Empire State express hudson, and a Niagra, Multiple trollies, and uses the Manhattan portion of the layout. The Carnival was designed by Ed jones. There are multiple operating bridges on the layout.
The 5th and final layout of this program is Gordon Hough. On days when he's not operating the layout, he's one of the music managers for Princess Cruise ships. Before Lionel, Gordon's first train set, was a Tyco Santa Fe Freight. It came with a Union Pacific Gondola, a Swift Boxcar, and a Caboose. Gordon also has the MTH Blue Comet, Several Department 56 Buildings, a 4-6-0 hauling passengers, a Lionel North Pole central hudson Hauling Freight, and even a mikado hauling freight as well. Plus there is an MTH Big Boy number 4003 hauling boxcars, A Santa Fe Warbonet B32-8W hauling freight, and many trees that he gathered. He also mentions getting a Lionel Christmas on VHS, as well as mentioning the People of the TMBV Crew. You won't believe the scenery this layout has. Gordon Also has more engines and cars on the display walls. Plus he has the K-line Super Street system. This is also perfect to create some street running layouts. For power, Gordon uses the MTH Z-1000 transformer, and uses the DCS. Besides the trains, Gordon also collected Hot Wheels and Matchbox. Gordon is a fan of the Ohio State University Buckeyes. Which too has a layout dedicated to his state team. He also talks about being a manager on his first Christmas at sea back in 1997. The segment concludes with a jazz rendition of Frosty the Snowman.
Overall, it's a really good Christmas video to enjoy with many other TMBV Christmas shows. Plus its also available to watch on the Go with Amazon instant prime video.
Additional remarks by Steamboy:
Narration: Just enough.
Would kids enjoy this? Yes.
Image quality: Excellent!
DVD Value: Good Value
Recommend to others? Definitely.
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