# National Christmas Tree Garden Railroad



## astrayelmgod (Jan 2, 2008)

Does anybody know anything about the National Christmas Tree Garden Railroad? I know that it is located on the Ellpse in Washington DC, but that's about all. There is a sort-of-tell-all article that doesn't say all that much on the AristoCraft web site. Various web sties credit three diifferent clubs with doing the work, but none of the club web sites says a word about it. There are pictures, but no details on the National Park Service web site.

I am curious about the track plan(s), how they control the trains, and who is really behind it.


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## altterrain (Jan 2, 2008)

Are they still doing that? Bill Frank (I believe) used to be behind the set up there but I don't think there have been trains there for a few years now. There were also issues of not allowing sponsors to put up even a small sign. I checked nps.gov and could not find any info except this - http://www.nps.gov/whho/national_ch...rogram.htm 
No clue to who sets it up but I wouldn't expect much. 
There are still trains at the conservatories at the National Botanical Garden (at the foot of the Capitol). The WVMGRS used to do that display until they saw the Busse display at the NYBG and decided to give him a trunk full of money to do their display too. The club now does a display at a botanical garden (http://www.montgomeryparks.org/cale...9&month=11) in Wheaton, Md just north of DC. 

-Brian 

added - found this site - http://nctrr.com/ still no idea who these folks are.


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

If I recall Aristo use to participate but I do think the project no longer exists. Later RJD


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## Chris France (Jan 3, 2008)

I don't know about this year, but I can assure you they were set up last year. I'm not sure who is doing it. Pretty much the same stuff every year, although fun to check out. There's usually a loop directly around the wall at the base of the tree, a large double loop around the perimeter of the fencing, an over and under figure 8, and two or three "villages" with a loop around them. I go down there every year as part of my holiday tradition, I usually head over there either before or after seeing the Polar Express in Imax 3d at Natural History. Its a great holiday night treat, hot cocoa, the state trees and the Big one.


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## Dr Rivet (Jan 5, 2008)

ALL 

The National Christmas Tree layout is alive and well. It has never gone away. The core group that sets up and operates the layout come from The National Capital Trackers [O Gauge modular club], and a couple of the local garden railway clubs. NONE of the clubs sponsor the event. The current "leader of the band" is John Zampino, a member of the Trackers. Bill Frank still assists, but is not coordinating the efforts; one can only do that job for so long. I saw last year's layout on one of my trips from Reston [VA] downtown for a meeting. Given the constraints imposed by the National Park Service and the Park Police in the are across from the White House, I think they do an excellent job. The exhibit runs all day every day, for an extended period. The number of individuals permitted access to maintain the exhibit and service equipment is strictly limited by the security folks. 

I can not speak specifically to the level of support provided by manufacturers, but I am sure it has bee scaled back over the years. 

I know it is going up again, since I just provided a bunch of clamps for new power feeds to the track. If you have an opportunity to see the exhibit, I would make time to do so. 

Regards


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## Dr Rivet (Jan 5, 2008)

Brian 

I looked at the link you provided for the "National Christmas Tree Railroad". The History page pretty much details how this started and why "no one knows who they are". It isn't club sponsored, and they are just a handfull of dedicated souls who put it up because they think kids like to see trains at Christmas. I looked at the photos from the first year [1994]; The center picture of the three shows the guys who started it all: 
Back [L to R] 
Jim Grummons - Washington Virginia Maryland Garden Railway Society officer -Pres or VP at the time [I think] 
Willard Scott - TV weatherman in DC and then NYC morning show TV host by 1994 
Bill Buschmier - National Capital Trackers - President 
Font [L2R] 
Bill Frank - Washington Virginia Maryland Garden Railway Society, worked for Aristo and USA Trains over the years - an early Mister 1:29 
Carl Condon - National Capital Trackers 


Regards


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

Hat's off to those guys.


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## altterrain (Jan 2, 2008)

Well, I heard from John Z. so I will head down and help set up a couple of days. We start Friday. It should be fun. 

-Brian


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