# 2016 Christmas Photo Album



## Guest (Nov 25, 2016)

During this Christmas season, the 2016 Christmas Photo Album will replace the weekly Fantastic Fan Foto threads.

So let's get started with this one.

View attachment 251097


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## Lee Willis (Jan 1, 2014)

Well, it isn't a Christmas picture exactly, but there are snow-covered mountains in the background, and trust me, this Hudson is hauling lots of Santa's goodies toward city department stores, even as we watch!


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## empire builder (Apr 12, 2014)

Passenger Train Collector.... have you done a video of your polar express layout? if you have can you point me to a link to it either here or to youtube.

thanks I really like what you both have created.


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## Guest (Nov 26, 2016)

Lee, that covers it nicely. 

No video, but there will be with the next PE layout and it will be bigger and better.


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## Yellowstone Special (Jun 23, 2015)

New pine trees have been planted in the town square and the decorated Christmas tree is also a new addition. Or, should it be the town triangle?


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## Kmac (Sep 19, 2015)

I have been looking forward to Christmas/Train season for months and this photo album is always great. My Christmas layout is still under construction but should be done in a few days. However my fiancé and I got our tree upon Thanksgiving and today I got the train around it. It is a Lionel Corporate Tinplate standard gauge Lionel celebration series passenger set I bought for the Christmas season a few months back. My dog and I were sitting on the floor watching the train go around the tree. My dog (Hudson is his name) is 6 months old and not sure what to think of the tree or the train around it. I hope to continue to add pictures as the season progress. Merry Christmas. 

Keaton.


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## Mark Boyce (Jul 22, 2015)

Keaton,
I wish our dog would just sit and watch the train. Under the tree, she has to knock it over when it runs. Up on the table she barks. Oh well!

Here is my wife's addition to the Temporary Railroad for Thanksgiving. It has now been taken down and the metamorphosis into a Christmas layout has begun!! Please stay tuned!!


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## Guest (Nov 28, 2016)

Vern, super photo.

Keaton, wonderful photo of your pup watching the train under the Christmas Tree. Our pups turned 16 weeks today and we had to build a barricade around our tree.


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## Todd Lopes (Nov 11, 2015)

Keaton, Great photo! And Brian, I think you must have the premier Polar Express layout with all of those elves! Congratulations everyone.


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## Guest (Nov 28, 2016)

Thanks for your comments, Todd.


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## Yellowstone Special (Jun 23, 2015)

Thank you, Brian.


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## Guest (Nov 28, 2016)

Keaton,
The photo of your dog by the Christmas Tree is fantastic! It could easily be a Christmas Card or Commercial Catalog like Orvis or Tin Plate Aficionado Magazine. He just seems to be mesmerized by the passing train. Apparently, He is very well "TRAINED".

Emile


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## santafe158 (Jul 14, 2010)

Since we have pictures of dogs looking at trains, here's one of my girlfriend's 9 week old kitten watching the On30 set I bought her for the Christmas tree in her new apartment. I have the feeling he's going to be much more of a menace with the train in the future as he starts to figure out what he can do to it. For now though, he watches nicely from the top of her DVD collection. 









Also some video footage taken last week during the first public run of my layout at the Redford Theatre. Still have some stuff in the lighting and accessory wiring department to finish, but it's operable.


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## suzukovich (Sep 24, 2015)

Also some video footage taken last week during the first public run of my layout at the Redford Theatre. Still have some stuff in the lighting and accessory wiring department to finish, but it's operable.





[/QUOTE]


That's real nice. I am real sure the kids are enjoying it. :appl:


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## Guest (Dec 2, 2016)

This week's contribution.


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## Guest (Dec 2, 2016)

This week's contribution.

View attachment 253193


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## Spence (Oct 15, 2015)

What a great shot Brian. :thumbsup:


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## empire builder (Apr 12, 2014)

PTC... a really nice picture of your polar express layout. do you by chance have a picture full view with the arches lit up?

you both have really captured the polar express scene. thank you for sharing it with us all


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## Yellowstone Special (Jun 23, 2015)

A beautiful layout Brian (and Elizabeth)!

Now let's see, isn't that the real location where The Polar Express movie was shot? It sure looks like it.


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## Guest (Dec 2, 2016)

The lights on the arches failed. Very poor company to deal with. They refused to return my calls. It is El-Wire.

The new PE layout, we are using LED's by Evans Design. Should work and look much better.


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## Craignor (Jan 9, 2016)

Here is my 2016 Thanksgiving train.


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## c.midland (Sep 22, 2015)

Last summer I sold my postwar style layout, which doubled as my Christmas layout. Nothing this year, just too much going on.

A picture from Christmas past:


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## Pebo (Sep 27, 2015)

The River City 3 Railer layouts at the annual Science Museum of Virginia Thanksgiving train show:

















The large layout is about 19x36 and takes about 4 hours to set up when 10 of our members converge on it.

The small layout is 6x11 and can fit in SUV. It can be manged by 2-3 people, and can set up and go down in 30 minutes.....perfect for small venues like nursing homes.

For this show, it has a Christmas motif.

Peter


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## Pebo (Sep 27, 2015)

Fast forward to last Monday, the day after the Science Museum of VA show....we started setting up at the Great Big GreenHouse in Midlothian/BonAir for our 8 weekend run which started this past Friday night.

Here we are setting up......









































Peter


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

That looks a lot like our shows, we're all standing around scratching our heads at some point during setup!


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## Mark Boyce (Jul 22, 2015)




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## Guest (Dec 9, 2016)

View attachment 255337


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## DennyM (Jan 3, 2016)

TheBigCrabCake said:


> Keaton,
> The photo of your dog by the Christmas Tree is fantastic! It could easily be a Christmas Card or Commercial Catalog like Orvis or Tin Plate Aficionado Magazine. He just seems to be mesmerized by the passing train. Apparently, He is very well "TRAINED".
> 
> Emile


I agree. That would be a great Christmas card.


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## Craignor (Jan 9, 2016)

Here is my Christmas Train:






Here is the Holiday Train:






Here is my Polar Express:


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## Guest (Dec 11, 2016)

Having a Christmas Train is very special. Very much an individual thing with engines and rolling stock collected over the years. Very nice job, Craig, and Merry Christmas to you and your family.


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## Craignor (Jan 9, 2016)

Thanks Brian, you too, hope to see you in 2017.

I bought my first Christmas car in 1997, the year my first child was born, the year when I asked my Dad if I could get the Lionel trains out of his attic and built a 4'x4' layout under the tree. Been buying one a year, whichever I think looks the best, ever since. They live under the layout from January through November, it's fun to get them out and see them again on Thanksgiving day.

I arrange the consist, from newest to oldest, as I watch them go by memories from each year pop into my head.

I bought the Lionel Happy Holidays GP7 in 99', it came with Signal Sounds (horn and bell), and had slots where you could buy upgrade chips from Lionel, a Railsounds chip, and a TMCC Chip. After a few years I bought the Railsounds chip first and was blown away by the sound, then a few years later I bought the TMCC chip and a TMCC set and was blown away by command control. The GP7 had a single motor and as my consist got longer I started chewing through drive gears, replaced it twice. Last year I decided to buy the MTH Imperial Christmas ES44 (it has two motors and great sound, smoke, chase lights, couplers etc) to pull the fleet. It was a good move, that is a great engine, the GP7 was reassigned to lighter duty of the upper loop short line.

Its all good!!!


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## DennyM (Jan 3, 2016)

Very nice Craig :thumbsup:, you have inspired me for next year.


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## Craignor (Jan 9, 2016)

Denny,

Good, thanks, Merry Christmas to you!

Best,


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## DennyM (Jan 3, 2016)

Craig,
Merry Christmas to you and yours as well.


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## morland (Sep 25, 2012)

Here is a few pictures of my static Christmas village with a Marx train pulling into the train station.


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## suzukovich (Sep 24, 2015)

Brian

Always love seeing the Polar Express layout.. Although not Christmas Themed. This is my latest video showing of my 3rd rail CB&Q/C&S SD9s.


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## DennyM (Jan 3, 2016)

It looks good morland. Suzukovich. your videos are great as always. BTY, is Suzukovich a Serbian name?


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## Pebo (Sep 27, 2015)

Running trains at the Great Big GreenHouse, a nursery, really puts me in the Christmas mode!









































Peter


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## Pebo (Sep 27, 2015)

Here are a few more.....leading to the layout.....









































Peter


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## seayakbill (Jan 16, 2016)

Yep, if that nursery doesn't put ya in the Christmas spirit probably nothing will.

Bill


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## Guest (Dec 14, 2016)

Thanks for all of the photos, Peter.

How is Max doing?


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## Pebo (Sep 27, 2015)

Max is doing well.....he is a 1st year at UVA Law School.....When my son came home after 5 years away, well, I'm just the grandfather....Max lives in Charlottesville now. I have had him home siince Thanksgiving, while my son is studying for finals.

Thanks for asking. It was tough to see Max leave after the 5 years we had together while my son was at college and then worked in NYC for a year.


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## highvoltage (Apr 6, 2014)

Pebo said:


> Here are a few more...
> View attachment 257105
> ...


I like using a smaller scale train as an amusement park ride, cool idea.


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## Guest (Dec 15, 2016)

Peter, you need to get a Max, Jr.  Nothing like having a dog as your companion. I can easily understand why you miss him after 5 years.

Baliee & Cooper are getting big, really big.


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## snikr (Dec 8, 2016)

Here is my Christmas train layout. Nothing fancy but our cat seems to like it.


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## Guest (Dec 15, 2016)

Love the photo. Snikr. What would we do without our pets. Our's are laying right next to us now in our office.


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## Bill Webb (Sep 14, 2015)

U r gonna find out what, "Big, really BIG" means. Those feet look almost as big as the bear we tracked last week. But absolutely perfect for Maine.


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## Guest (Dec 16, 2016)

Cooper has really big feet. He is gonna be a big one alright.


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## Pebo (Sep 27, 2015)

Well......January 14-15 is Classic Train Weekend at the modular display....I spent yesterday taking pics for the Great Big GreenHouse's website.









































PostWar trains and the Holidays.....nothing could be better!

Peter


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## chipset35 (Sep 4, 2015)

Pebo said:


> Here are a few more.....leading to the layout.....


Peter,

Was that train show/layout in the Richmond VA area?
Is it still up.
I would like to come by and see it.


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## PatKn (Jul 14, 2015)

I don't have a Christmas layout but my club did have our 32nd Annual Holiday Open House. It was a great day and the opening of the Christmas Season for me. I estimate about 2,000 young and old kids showed up and we had a constant line of people waiting to come in. It was too busy to take pictures but here are some pictures of some of the trains that were running. We normally have about 15 trains there that all run. We have 10 trains running at once and cycle through the other trains.


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## Spence (Oct 15, 2015)

Glad you had a good turn out & a good time.


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## Pebo (Sep 27, 2015)

Chipset.......the display lasts until January 21 at 2PM.
On the Saturdays and Sunday's the Great Big GreenHouse is open, we running trains.
Check the hours on the GreatBigGreenHouse Richmond website.
Peter


Here's the website www.greatbiggreenhouse.com


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## highvoltage (Apr 6, 2014)

PatKn said:


> ...
> View attachment 258225
> ...


Pat, what happened to the Ralston Purina car?


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## PatKn (Jul 14, 2015)

That was the result of a track cleaning incident. Some well meaning but not thinking members decided to clean track. They took the Lionel (later version not pw) track cleaning car and pushed it instead of pulling it. To make matters worse, they left the valve open so the alcohol was dripping on the track. The engine was a pw trainmaster that liked to spark. It made some interesting display pieces. Another casualty was a propane tank car. Luckily a couple of rolling stock was the only casualties. We put the fire on the track out without any further damage.


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## highvoltage (Apr 6, 2014)

PatKn said:


> That was the result of a track cleaning incident. Some well meaning but not thinking members decided to clean track. They took the Lionel (later version not pw) track cleaning car and pushed it instead of pulling it. To make matters worse, they left the valve open so the alcohol was dripping on the track. The engine was a pw trainmaster that liked to spark. It made some interesting display pieces. Another casualty was a propane tank car. Luckily a couple of rolling stock was the only casualties. We put the fire on the track out without any further damage.


That's right, now I remember. Thanks.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Lee Willis also had an interesting track cleaning issue with the attendant flames I recall.


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## kstrains (Sep 19, 2015)

*Merry Christmas!!*​


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## walter (Jan 31, 2014)

kstrains said:


> *Merry Christmas!!*​


Great video and the work put into presenting it. Enjoyed it, and had to replay for the wife when she looked to see what I was watching. Thanks for sharing and Merry Christmas.


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## Guest (Dec 23, 2016)

Just loved your Christmas video, Ken. You are a very talented guy. I would have to sat 8 minutes plus of pure Christmas joy. 

Hope you are feeling much better this Christmas season.


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## Mark Boyce (Jul 22, 2015)

They are all excellent!! Here's mine.










Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## jprampolla (Oct 16, 2011)

A modest Christmas layout, in a very small place!






Merry Christmas!!!

Thanks, Everyone, for sharing your wonderful displays!

Take care, Joe


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## TGP (Sep 6, 2015)

*Christmas thread- d56 Scene*

Here 's my contribution. Everyone have a joyful, and BLESSED
Christmas Season, for the reason that we celebrate is the birthday of a King, Merry Christmas to all .!!!!


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## kstrains (Sep 19, 2015)

Passenger Train Collector said:


> Just loved your Christmas video, Ken. You are a very talented guy. I would have to sat 8 minutes plus of pure Christmas joy.
> 
> Hope you are feeling much better this Christmas season.


Brian, thank you for your kind words. I enjoyed putting this layout together in the past few months, but probably enjoyed more having several of the guys over to see it this past week. I am doing much better than last year at this time which allowed me to get my layout up! Look forward to seeing your future layout. I wish you and Elizabeth Merry and Blessed Christmas.


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## Mark Boyce (Jul 22, 2015)

Amen, TGP!


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## PatKn (Jul 14, 2015)

I really enjoyed looking at all the great Christmas layouts. Thanks all an have a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year to you and your families.


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## Ace24 (Nov 10, 2015)

Here's our simple, under the tree layout.

_Merry Christmas!_


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## walter (Jan 31, 2014)

Ace24 said:


> Here's our simple, under the tree layout.
> 
> _Merry Christmas!_
> 
> https://youtu.be/Xun9r-hHpvc


Simple? No way, I love it.


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## Ace24 (Nov 10, 2015)

Thank you. It's fun to lie on the floor and watch it!


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## Yellowstone Special (Jun 23, 2015)

Beautiful Christmas layouts, everyone. 

Merry Christmas to all!


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## suzukovich (Sep 24, 2015)

Merry Christmas everyone. Wow some great stuff. Here is mine contribution and its actually Christmas themed,


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## Pebo (Sep 27, 2015)

Beautiful Christmas video!
Peter


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## Pebo (Sep 27, 2015)

Bevel's Hardware layout in Blackstone VA, a small rural Virginia town about an hour southwest of Richmond....











































Peter


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## Pebo (Sep 27, 2015)

More Christmas Eve fun at the Modular Layout.....









































Have a great holiday week, everyone!
Peter


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## Guest (Dec 26, 2016)

Wonderful video, Suszukovich, I enjoyed every bit of it. Merry Christmas to you and the family.


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## Guest (Dec 26, 2016)

Thanks Peter for the photos. This hardware store knows how to do it.


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## kstrains (Sep 19, 2015)

I don't know who this video belongs to but I thought it was unique and fun to have that many passenger trains running at one time around the Tree!


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## nicksim86 (Dec 14, 2015)

I'm a few weeks too late, but finally snapped a few pictures of my Christmas in the City village before I took it down. I inherited it from my Grandma and it probably hasn't been set up in 10 years. I added a Bachmann On30 train to it and is running on some HO EZ track I already had. I also ended up purchasing a few new buildings and accessories off Ebay. Next year I'll use a smaller table or different shape table for a more ambitious layout.


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## highvoltage (Apr 6, 2014)

That's an impressive array of buildings. Very nice.


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## Tom_C (Jan 8, 2016)

highvoltage said:


> That's an impressive array of buildings. Very nice.


Was just going to say the same thing. The buildings are gorgeous, very nicely detailed. I assume they are old. Would love to get my hands on some like that.


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## Guest (Jan 17, 2017)

Your Grandma has terrific taste in buildings, Nick. They are from the Department 56 Christmas in the City collection (my favorite). Thanks for the photos.


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## nicksim86 (Dec 14, 2015)

Passenger Train Collector said:


> Your Grandma has terrific taste in buildings, Nick. They are from the Department 56 Christmas in the City collection (my favorite). Thanks for the photos.


I like them too and I'm already excited to set it all up again next year.


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## nicksim86 (Dec 14, 2015)

Tom_C said:


> Was just going to say the same thing. The buildings are gorgeous, very nicely detailed. I assume they are old. Would love to get my hands on some like that.


they're not that old. mostly late 80's and 90's. they still make new ones today. Ebay is filled with lots of pieces if you want to start a collection, although shipping costs can be high. you could also check craigslist for local sellers. fortunately I had a good start with my grandma's 18 buildings

http://www.ebay.com/sch/Department-56-Christmas-in-the-City-Collectibles/4033/bn_3126054/i.html


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## Guest (Jan 18, 2017)

The Christmas in the City collection was introduced in 1987. There were a glut of buildings and accessories offered over the next 15 years.Lots of good choices in various architectural styles.


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## Pebo (Sep 27, 2015)

Getting ready for Christmas 2017.....I know....I'm very early.....
However, my wife brought these Christmas ducks home. My wife's practice (she's a pediatrician) gives these out as trinkets in December.....and they had some left over. I had 2 from 2015 that I turned into a Christmas car.....I have some work to do before December 2017!

The new ducks:









My car from 2016:









Peter


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## Spence (Oct 15, 2015)

Peter; that quacks me up.


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## Mark Boyce (Jul 22, 2015)

Peter, we have some of those little guys too. I should get a flatcar ready for next Christmas too!


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## Guest (Jan 21, 2017)

Peter, that's the way to use surplus.


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