LUTHERVILLE, Md. — The Fire Museum of Maryland's Train Garden in Lutherville continues a Baltimore holiday tradition that dates back more than a century, capturing imaginations with its whimsical displays and deep roots in the area's firefighting history.
"Train gardens were brought to America by German immigrants in the mid-1800s and it became a thing in the greater Baltimore area and train gardens became associated with firehouses," said Amy Landsman, media relations director for the Fire Museum of Maryland.
"The firefighters had some free time. They would put together these big train gardens."
The Fire Museum on York Road in Lutherville has continued that tradition since the mid-1980s. What started as one small table has grown into an elaborate display where multiple trains wind through a miniature community featuring familiar landmarks including the Bromo Seltzer Tower, the Palace Theater and Bengie's Drive-In.
"In our digital world, in our virtual world, it's something that makes people put down their screens and look and experience the trains going around the track, the little miniature scenes, the miniature people, the miniature vehicles - something that captures everybody's imaginations," Landsman said.
The display includes plenty of whimsy, from a spinning teacups amusement ride to a car accident scene complete with a WMAR news truck. The museum offers a scavenger hunt for children to spot all the interesting details throughout the train garden.
"We have a scavenger hunt for the kids, and they can pick out all the cool things that they see in the train garden," Landsman said.
This year's new additions include Santa International Airport and the Abominable Snowman, created by volunteer Mark Schield. The retired Baltimore County firefighter leads the all-volunteer team that sets up the display, starting in August.
"It brings me back to their age, to the kids, and I remember going to Kenilworth and the different train stations and even helping my dad with the train garden in our basement," Schield said.
"You know, you get all wide-eyed because it only came out once a year."
The experience resonates across generations, creating lasting memories for visitors of all ages.
"It's great. I mean, people look, they thank you for bringing back a memory that they had when they were young," Schield said. "They are just amazed by it."
The Train Garden is open weekends and the week between Christmas and New Year's. Admission is included with museum entry. For information, go here.
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