Village 2009; Beginnings

We started decorating for Christmas this weekend and it began with an early present for me. I received the Lionel O-gauge Polar Express train set. This is something I had wanted for a little while. I had some model trains as a child, but haven't had one for ages, I have always thought they are very cool and they play into a vein of hobbies I have had over the years.

As a boy I built some plastic models, nothing fancy. As I grew up I became a nerd and started painting miniatures. As I matured I moved into wargames, which were an outlet for my figures. The scenery was always cool. Then I started collecting a Christmas village. We had a small cardboard one as a child, but the new porcelain ones are were it is at.

So once a year I put up the village if I am able. I cobble together a table with a white cloth. I use some books for hills and away we go. With the introduction of the O gauge things needed to change a little. First the basic track is 3 feet by 5 feet and will not fit on a regular table. I set out to build.

The table I decided needed to be 6' x 4' This would allow ample room for the train and the village. I wanted to be able to access the table from below without drilling a million holes in it; so I can run electricty. I needed a lower area for a bay area as I picked up a few water pieces over the years.

I will do a whole post with the village set-up. But right now I have a table built. I have a bay area roughed out and to make it more interesting and gain back some real estate for houses I have the beginnings of a train tunnel in the back.