Another Successful Year Of The Highlandtown Train Garden

The 2013-2014 Highlandtown Train Garden was another success. A total of 3,671 visitors toured the Train Garden. This includes 803 students from the nearby schools who were very excited viewing it. The Train Garden committee wishes to thank all the sponsors this year and the volunteers who worked hard to make the 5th year of the Train Garden a successful event. Sixteen volunteers volunteered 1303 hours of their time doing various activities. A special thank you to the "engineers" and their assistants - Bernie Deasel, Terry Maillar, Ted Baccala, David Eaton and George Lambillotte who worked hard to make the Train Garden an outstanding event. The committee also wishes to thank the Southeast Development Corporation especially Chris Ryer and Amanda Smit-Peters, Nancy Supik, and the Baltimore City Fire Department. In a few more months planning will begin for the 6th year of the Highlandtown Train Garden.

The Highlandtown Train Garden Is Resting At Its Storage Area

The Highlandtown Train Garden is resting at its storage area located in a building at Our Lady of Pompei Church. It will come back to life in about 9 months for the 6th year of the Train Garden. Hope you will visit us in November.

The Highlandtown Train Garden Is Moving To Its Storage Area

Today, January 12, 2014 the Highlandtown Train Garden was being moved to its storage area. Each platform of the Train Garden is loaded onto a truck for its short trip.

And The Winners Are.........

Today, January 5, 2014 the winners of the raffles at the Highlandtown Train Garden picked up their prizes. Stacey Dixon and her son Joshua won the Train Set and Shannon Keiser and her daughter Olivia won the Train-themed Basket that was donated by Hoehn's Bakery. All were excited to take home their prizes. Stacey is from the East Side and Shannon is from Highlandtown.

Jim Russ From WBAL Radio 1090 AM Visits the Highlandtown Train Garden and Interviews Terry Maillar

WBAL Radio 1090 AM reporter Jim Russ stopped by the Highlandtown Train Garden to take pictures and interview an engineer. Follow the link below to see his pictures and video of the Train Garden and hear Terry Maillar, one of the engineers, who is pictured below, tell his story about his interest in trains and insight into the Highlandtown Train Garden. Mr. Russ also provides some information about the Union Station Train Garden.

 For information about the Highlandtown Train Garden visit www.highlandtowntraingarden.com.

Terry Maillar

Click on the link below to see Mr. Russ' pictures and hear Terry Maillar's interview.

http://www.wbal.com/article/104514/3/all-aboard-the-christmas-train

You Can Win This Train Set at the Highlandtown Train Garden Raffle

FREIGHTLINE USA


Complete and ready to run HO scale electric train set

Action accessories/cars

- Coal tipple

- Crossing Gates

- Gravel Unloader Car

- Snap-In Bridges and Pier Set

- 2 Switch Tracks

- 3 Shanty Huts

- Cars and Trucks

- Transformers

76” X 49” Oval Track

Great Prize for the Raffle at the Highlandtown Train Garden - A Basket Donated by Rob Hoehn

The Highlandtown Train Garden is having its raffle again this year. One prize is the Basket generously donated by Rob Hoehn from Hoehn’s Bakery. In the basket Rob has placed the following items:

1) 2 adult and 2 child combo tickets to

- B&O Railroad Museum

- Ellicott City Station

- Mount Clare Museum House

2) B&O Logo Hat

3) Book - A Story of Mayor Schaefer

and his Train Garden

4) Ravens Train Christmas Ornament

5) Train Garden Pieces – a train

station, a small bakery, and a baker

figurine



Many thanks to Rob and to Hoehn’s Bakery for their support and donations.

School Visit Days Were A Success

Even though one school visit day (Dec. 10)  was cancelled because schools were closed still 803 pre K to 4^th Graders came from the neighboring schools to visit the Highlandtown Train Garden this year. The students came from Hampstead Hill Academy # 47, Highlandtown Elementary and Middle School # 215, Highlandtown Elementary and Middle School # 237, Patterson Park Public Charter School # 327, John Ruhrah Elementary and Middle School # 228, and St. Casimir Catholic School. Words like “cool” and “awesome” were heard repeatedly during their visits.

The Grand Opening of the Highlandtown Train Garden and Spending Your Holidays in Highlandtown

On December 6, 2013 visitors came to the intersection of Conkling St. and Eastern Avenue to witness  the Kick-Off Celebration of  "Spend Your Holidays in Highlandtown". The cold rain did not damper the enthusiasm of the crowd and particpants. The band Sac Au Lait performed their motivating tunes and the hula "hoopers" and stilt walkers fascinated the crowd and Santa Claus cheerfully announced the beginning of the holiday season.  At 6 pm the Tree Lighting at the corner excited everyone by its beauty, and then everyone walked over to Fire House # 41 across the street to officially open the Highlandtown Train Garden. Santa, A.K.A. Maryland State Delegate Luke Clippinger and Father Lou from Our Lady of Pompei Church pressed the remote button that quickly energized the lights and trains of the Train Garden and it now was officially open to the public. The other events were the Merry Mixer along the Avenue and the Family Movie at the Library beginning at 7 pm. Thanks to Matt Saindon for the pictures.

The Engineers of the Highlandtown Train Garden Are Recognized by Maryland State Senator, Barbara Mikulski

Ms. Amy Seeberger, theOutreach, Grants, and Projects Assistant at the Office of U.S. Maryland Senator Barbara Mikulski presented a certificate to the engineers of the Highlandtown Train Garden at its Grand Opening on Friday, December 6, 2013. It read as follows: "This certificate is presented to the Engineers of the Highlandtown Train Garden in recognition of your hard work and dedication to spreading holiday cheer in Southeast Baltimore on the occasion of the 5^th Annual Highlandtown Train Garden. Congratulations on reaching this milestone! Your work has created countless opportunities to spread joy to the children, families, and communities of Southeast Baltimore throughout the holiday season. Here’s to many more years of this great tradition! Barbara A. Mikulski, United States Senator on this day the sixth of December, two thousand and thirteen."

The Train Garden Closes at 3 pm Due to Poor Weather Conditions

Due to the snowy and icy weather the engineers have decided to close two hours early. The Train Garden closes at 3 pm today and will reopen on Saturday, December 14, 2013 at 11 am at our regularly scheduled time. See you then.

Sponsor Night - Friday, December 6, 2013

About twenty sponsors and their many guests visited the Highlandtown Train Garden for Sponsor Night between 5 pm and 5:45 pm on Friday, December 6, 2013. Despite the chilly and rainy weather, the sponsors enjoyed seeing the Train Garden while drinking hot coffee, donated by HighGounds, and eating homemade, delicious cookies baked by Carol Hartke, one of the volunteers. The Train Garden committee wishes to express its thanks to all the sponsors who came and to High Gounds Coffee Roasters, a sponsor, for their coffee and to Carol Hartke, for her baked goods, and also to all the volunteers who helped to make Sponsor Night a great success.

 

One of our Highlandtown Train Garden Volunteers, Carol Hartke, Post This Video

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The First Visitors Have Arrived To Tour This Year's Train Garden

The first visitors to the 2013 Highlandtown Train Garden are smiling for not only being first but also for enjoying the Train Garden with the whole family. 

The Train Garden Has Been Moved To The Firehouse

The Train Garden is now ready for visitors. All the volunteers hope that this 5th year will be a success like the previous four years.

The Volunteers Are Preparing the Firehouse for the Train Garden

The volunteers are deciding what decorations are needed to make the Highlandtown Train Garden a festive place. After all the decorations were put up, everyone waited in anticpation of the moving of the Train Garden platforms into the Firehouse.

The Train Garden Is Ready To Be Moved To The Firehouse

The "engineers" have completed the Train Garden and it is now ready to be moved to Engine House # 41 at 520 S. Conkling St. The move will probably take place the weekend before Thanksgiving. Once moved, the "engineers" will test everything to see that all parts of the Train Garden are working properly. Everything must be set to go for Opening Day on Friday, December 6, 2013.

The Final Meeting Before This Year's Opening

On September 9, 2013 the Highlandtown Train Garden Committee met for the last time. All issues were discussed and decisions were made. As can be seen in the pictures below all members work very hard to make the Train Garden a great success. At the meeting were the following in no particular order:
Chris Ryer, Amanda Smit-Peters, Ted Baccala, Dave Eaton, Bernie Deasel, Rafi Guroian, Terry Maillar, George Lambilotte, Frank Bratkowski, Carol Hartke, Nancy Supik, and Joe Manfre.

                                          

The Work Continues

The engineers - Bernie, Ted, and Dave - continue to work on the Train Garden. On one of the platforms there will be many carnival rides and Super Streets. Visitors this year will be fascinated by the new interactive additions to the Train Garden.

The Work Has Begun On The 2013 Highlandtown Train Garden

Several of the "engineers" of the Train Garden have begun planning and devloping the new 2013 Train Garden. This is the 5th year of the Train Garden and it is hoped that many visitors and students will once again visit the Train Garden. One main new addition to the Train Garden this year will be platforms devoted to carnival rides resulting in more interaction between the visitor and the Train Garden. And Ted Baccala, one of the engineers, has created a scale model of the Grand Theater that once was situated on Conkling Street where today stands the Southeast Anchor Library.