For the first time in my life, and the first time in their lives, my parents and I didn’t spend Christmas in Pennsylvania. Instead, I invited them to New York for a holiday vacation in the city. The weekend was packed with food, fun, and familial dysfunction, but we survived to have a great time.
One of the sites we saw was an amazing model railroad display in the lobby of the Citigroup Center Atrium, 53 St. and Lexington Ave.
The display features trains of five different guages, getting progressively smaller as they are set away from the viewing rail. This creates a sense of perspective in a small space.
Athough there was a decent crowd, there was no line. We immediately took our place on the viewing rail and shuffled around the display slowly, looking for all the hidden moving models.
To make it more magical, the whole platform turns to night every minute or so. Many of the building are lit and have some motion. This drive-in would show “High Noon” in the evenings. You can see the townspeople selling out Gary Cooper in front of rows of fifties cars.
Along with evening, the show goes through the seasons as you progress around, ending with winter and Christmas in a sleepy mountain village. Sleepy, except for the continous train traffic.
The display is free and open until December 30th. I highly recommend stopping by if you are off work and in the city this week.
Related Links:
– Dunham Studios Citicorp Building Train Display
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Site of the Day: A wierd Zen-sort-of game.