Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
>> up next, trains and
rains.
>>
welcome to another episode of
the --
this time we are focusing on
holiday happenings in montgomery
county.
Things to do that are not too
costly, acceptable for all,
corny but cool, no matter if you
are 3 or 83 you will find
something to like.
Especially if you like
trolleys.
Just ask these guys.
Members of the washington
virginia garden railway society.
Their back again at brookside
gardens.
And from
there, get a ticket to
the hottest show in town.
The garden of life.
>> this stirred a lot of great
things about it.
We wanted to check it out for
ourselves.
>> then we will drop into the
national trolley museum located
in colesville,
maryland.
Few years ago there were
recovering from a devastating
fire.
Today the new and improved place
has never looked better.
>> their only two of them in
united states.
We are so glad to have this one
now.
>> after that, but as a visit
the seneca creek lights
festival.
Celebrating their 70
anniversary.
Is that a flying fish?
Add to end the show we will
slide over to our public ice
rinks.
A new patch of ice with your
name on it.
So to
begin, let us drop and to
the garden railway society as a
set up a exhibitsn.
>> I am kathy stevens.
And I am the conservatory
manager here.
We did not know what we were
doing.
And that was not our thing.
The
at is how we
got in touch with
the garden railway society.
>> our you doing?
>> or the garden railway
society.
We were formed and the 1980'
s
originally.
And a number
of us enjoyed
running our trains on the
garden.
What we are doing is we are
preparing ourselves
for the 2011
garden of delights show.
When we get here we will get
many into this display here.
Sometimes we are a little rough.
>> I am just checking the
timing.
When it goes 0.2 points, tell me
when it stops.
>> we know that the kids enjoy
it and their parents enjoy it.
>> our members are everybody.
They are very ordinary people.
The common thread they all have
is trains.
While the guys are still at
work, we cannot hear to the
conservatory or service area
where we just unloaded all of
these plans will be using in the
train display.
This is one of the features that
differentiates a garden railway
from any miniature lights out --
we are using living garden
plants.
seeing that right brain is very
pleasing.
When the outside
landscape is
turning kind of a brown.
We are
going to have a small
town set up.
On the other side we will have a
more natural area.
We will have an automated ice
rank modeled after the old one.
It brings back a lot of
memories for you will come to
visit.
I came when I was a child.
It is great fun for anyone to be
able to bring the same joy to
others.
>> is a fun time of year and a
very fine display to work with.
>> this exhibit changes each
year and a 2012 exhibit
promises even more trains.
This is part of the garden of
delights show.
This is suzanne kennedy to take
us on a tour.
>> this light extravaganza is
more than a 0.5 miles long and
contains more than 1 million
colorful lights.
It takes many weeks to put this
together.
>>
their checking to make sure
they work correctly.
Starting around November, the
show starts.
It runs for the beginning of
January.
>> for your personally, is it --
is it neat to see all of these
families come out?
>> I enjoy it.
I am really impressed.
I never really thought how much
time it might take to do
something like this.
I have never been here at night.
and I cannot believe it.
I cannot believe they did this.
It shows how much they put into
this place.
>> how old are you
a?
>> four.
>> and what is your favorite
part?
>> I like the
cloud.
>> what is your name?
>> [Indiscernible]
>> that is my name.
>> I like the rainbow.
And the dragonflies.
>> I heard a lot
of great things
about this.
>> trends of it is held any
south conservatory.
And also visit the trend exhibit
for free during the day from
10:00 A.M. Until 5:00 P.M., for
directions entrance fees and a
list of performances, go to
peroxide bargains.
Let us go to our birthday
>> this is a local gem.
The national trolley museum.
Real a leopard streetcars remind
us of how things used to be.
Come on and get your ticket.
>> hello.
I am eric.
Director of marketing.
We are the washington area
street car and transportation
agency.
When you come to see is you can
see our strike collection of
over 20 streetcars.
Can it take a ride on a real
street car.
And you can see the exhibits.
>> have as the trolley work?
It runs off of electricity.
There is copper wire that runs
along the track.
>> and then the current without
any voltage goes back and that
complete the circuit.
This is our newborn.
It is built to look like the old
trolley car barn.
It is a lot like
the one still
standing on east capitol street
near rfk let'
s take a look.
>> great.
How'
d you find these?
>> that is a trolley museum
secret.
There is a list of all the
trolley cars everywhere in north
america that we know of.
We keep an eye on all of them.
We talk to the owner and make an
offer for and sometimes an
entire collection becomes
available at once.
This is our new baby.
This is our newest street car
which has just arrived.
It is the wac is thing on
wheels -- it is the wacky as the
on wheels.
It is from blackpool, london.
They had a trolley up and down
the boardwalk.
They came up with
this bizarre,
ship test looking thing.
There is nothing like this and
the world and are armed only two
of them in united states.
Washington is an international
city so we want to have an
international collection of
trocars.
Have cars from all over europe.
This is one -- this one is from
dusseldorf in germany and their
cars are much smaller.
Their bill to go around a tight
curves of cities in europe so
many of them right on two
wheels.
streetcars ran and washington
for about 100 years from the
civil war through the kennedy
administration in 1962.
After the last street car ran in
D.C. In 1962, there were people
who did not want the memory of
writing the cars to die.
They came together to form our
museum.
We moved to this park in
1967
and our volunteers began
building our first railway which
was all built by hand.
The rails came from st.
Elizabeth'
s hospital which used
to have a railroad.
We brought -- brought the rail
and put it down here.
One thing that used to happen a
lot of old streetcar systems
were fires in the trolly barnes.
Many of them were made of wood
and there were layers of paint
and varnish.
There was a lot of flammable
material.
That is the part of streetcar
history that unfortunately we
recreated without meaning to.
We had a fire about six years
ago in one of our two trolly
barnes and lost seven trolleys
stored in that bar.
It was really a terrible blow.
It was about 1/4 of her trolley
car collection and included a
few priceless cars from
washington, D.C. That we cannot
replace.
It was also a blessing in
disguise because it kicked off
the planning for moving uphill
into these new facilities.
When the intercounty connector
decided to go through our old
location, that created the
opportunity to realize that
dream of a totally new
building, fireproof car barns
and a better visitors center.
We are back and better than
ever.
>> I will punch your tickets as
you come through.
>> thank you.
>> where is your ticket?
>> there is a fair jumper.
>> trolleys are making a real
resurgence across the nation.
Environmentally, it is very
community-friendly.
There are no emissions from the
trolley cars and the entire
system is as green as the source
of electricity itself.
You seek new light
rail systems
in baltimore, sacramento, los
angeles, dallas, across the
united states.
At a time when our roads are
clogged and we can'
t seem to
build up roads for all of the
cars that want to use them,
people are turning back to
public transportation and
streetcars are a kind of mass
transit back to work its way
into the community and even add
to the community to become a
cherished part of it rather than
an intrusion.
There is something magical
about these kind of trains.
The way it moves and the sound
it makes as it goes over the
rails --
something
just consoling about
it.
Trolleys in particular are so
open to the community around
them with the windows open.
Can see people and waved to
them, it is quiet as it moves
through the streets of it is not
frightening people were making a
roaring noise.
It is a very friendly
technology.
>> like the way it just goes
through the countryside with
trees and birds.
You have to come out and try it.
>> December is a special time of
year for us.
The kids come out and they can
ride the streetcar with santa
and visit and get a candy cane
and he will hear what they want
for christmas and that is
saturday-sunday noon-5 through
christmas.
For the rest of the year, we'
re
open every saturday and sunday
noon-5 and during the school
year, we are also open on
thursday and friday, 10-2.
Our visitors are mostly local
families from montgomery and
prince george'
s county to the
district and northern virginia.
We get a lot of families with
kids looking for a good day'
s
outing.
>> the kids really enjoy the
time.
Learn a little bit about
trolleys.
They really enjoyed it.
>> we also get adult street car
enthusiasts an history
enthusiasts from all over the
country.
>> is some nostalgic to it.
Us old guys, somebody comes
up,
they have no knowledge of this
so you have to teach them.
>> for more info about
the
trolley museum, go to
dctrolley.Org.
you will find trolly history,
educational programs, party
rentals, and volunteering.
Fact, the museum is actively
looking for volunteers.
Whether you are available two
hours or two days a week, they
would love to have you on board.
In the meantime, buckle up for a
phantasmagorical ride for a
senate
through seneca creek
state
park theme when severe weather
hit, go towww. Montgomery
countymd.Gov for the latest
updates.
An important law you May not be
aware of is the pedestrian
winter safety act which requires
montgomery county homeowners to
clear sidewalks in front of
their residents.
For additional information on
the block, visit the county'
s
website at www. Montgomery
countymd.Gov.
If you are unable to claim your
side whether or driveway, there
are alternatives available to.
Requests
assistance, you can call 301-
431-4177.
U.S. Special needs and require
further assistance or to
volunteer, call the county'
s
volunteer center at 240-777-2
600.
>> seneca creek state park is
one of two parked in montgomery
county, maryland.
Since 1995, the city of gaita as
part has hosted the driver light
show at seneca creek.
Let'
s see who puts it
altogether.
I >> m. Elizabeth polle
and we
are out at seneca creek park for
winter lies.
I took a class in wheeling, west
virginia.
They have a light show that is
posted on their golf course.
I was amazed all lights and how
many people were enjoying them.
I brought back the idea to the
city of gaithersburg.
They decided it was a great idea
and here we are in each year we
have about 70,000 people who
come through and enjoy the
light.
>>
winter lights
started at the
park.
We had wagon rides through the
park.
All the displays were made
,
hand-painted, some by me, and
spotlighted and people came and
they loved it.
We just grew from there and now
all of our despise are made of
lights -- displays are middle
lights and we have several
designer pieces.
We have three that were designed
by high-school students.
Even have one that was designed
-- I think she was 85 years old
-- she sent me a drawing of
something she thought would look
good and we created that as
well.
>>
it'
s usually about a month
and have to put them up.
>> they set up the lights and
know exactly how to put them
together.
They know exactly where they go
and sometimes they look better
than when I had them.
these guys have been with me the
whole entire time.
They are hardworking, dedicated
city employees and make the show
great.
[Nutcracker music]
The winter lights as a 3.5-mile
drive through light show
featuring 380 displays, 60 of
them are animated which means
they look like they are moving.
We have five areas.
I'
m standing in the victorian
village and you will see a
slight rise, the train city,
carolers down the road.
We also have our winter woods
which features lots of woodland
creatures and my favorite area
are the displays featured on but
lake and that would be fishermen
and there are some ducks and
also a green dragon.
You go north and that is our
north pole and you see penguins
and one of our largest displays
which is a reindeer flight
school which stands at 42 feet
high and it is magnificent.
When you come back
around, you
will go through the teddy bear
loop which is most of the kids'
favorite because it has lots of
teddy bears doing lots of
activities.
The show would not be possible
without all of our partners and
I want to pay tribute to our
favorite partner, seneca creek
state park, who has allowed us
to use this wonderful venue for
the light show.
They are excellent partners and
we really enjoy working with
them.
As you might expect, we have an
occasional problem or two, not
many.
we have had a couple of
situations where deer have
decided they are running for the
displays and a trip on the wires
and pulled down the display.
Usually, the deer and the
display are not harmed but it
can be dangerous.
We have also had some people who
are very sick and want to come
out and we had an ambulance come
out with a woman who had cancer
and she wants to go through the
lights and that really was
moving and beyond belief that
you want to come out with her
family and enjoy the lights.
Planned to come out to the
winter lights and if you come
during the week day, you'
ll
spend about 20-30 minutes on the
drive through the lights.
If you come after the 17th of
December, it May take you quite
a while to get through because
that is the popular time.
It May take you up to one hour.
I was really grateful that the
city of gaithersburg believes my
idea was a good idea and
invested money and resources and
manpower to make it happen.
It gives me great joy each year
seeing that 70,000 people come
through and in joint -- and
enjoy.
>> the seneca creek light show
is open every friday night from
November 30-December 31 with
special events in December.
Check the website for special
times.
To end of the show, we will lace
up and spin out.
We have two indoor rinks.
We have
two public outdoor
rinks.
And a mark, get set,
go have
fun.
>> what delight coming here?
My kids love it.
They really enjoy stating.
It is affordable.
And we, and all of steam for
about an hour and a of a great
time that there is so much joy
in bald and physical motion.
You get exercise.
And it improves self-esteem to
be able to skate.
>> [Inaudible]
[Salsa music]
[Xmas music]
>> that'
s it for this episode.
Thanks to all our guests,
county partners, a production
team members, and you for
watching.
We appreciate the support at
which to a safe and happy 2013.
Park erec and roll on!