Don’t Miss the Train! 

2011 Sponsorship Opportunities

Engine Co. 41’s  Train Garden, a new Highlandtown Tradition, Year 3!

Thanks to the generous support from local businesses, organizations, the Baltimore City’s Fire Department and many dedicated volunteers working with the SECDC, Highlandtown will again have its own train garden on Conkling Street in December of 2011.

We’re On Track!   Work is underway and ‘on track’ for a grand opening on December 3rd.. Volunteers are already busy assembling the layout. Last year’s garden was a huge success, attracting 2,276 visitors.  25 local sponsors were featured with billboards and storefronts right in the garden. Visitors to last year’s garden were delighted to find their favorite Highlandtown businesses featured on buildings, billboards, and tunnel entrances.

With your help, we hope to add two new sections to this year’s layout, featuring replicas of southeast Baltimore landmarks, The Patterson Park Pagoda and Boat Lake, the Natty Boh Building and more.

           

Get On Board!  For a $100 donation of cash or in-kind supplies, we are offering Highlandtown businesses:

•      Your name on a storefront for every visitor to see when they visit the train garden. 

•      An invitation for you and your family to our ‘sponsor only’ preview event

•      A link to your business on our website’s sponsor page.

•      A sign for your storefront announcing your sponsorship

•      Space on our sponsor table for your flyers, menus, or coupons about your business. 

Ready to help?   Please phone Joe Manfre at: 410-342-5395

And The Winner Is....

  

Danielle Craven-Slaski

The Amtrak Raffle winner is Danielle Craven-Slaski  shown above with her prize.  Danielle who lives in South Baltimore and works in Highlandtown was thrilled to win 2 round trip tickets to New York on the Amtrak.  

If You Missed Getting Aboard, You Can Catch It Next Year

There is no question that the second year of the Highlandtown Train Garden was again a huge success!

· 4 dedicated community volunteers built the garden over hundreds of hours

· 31 local sponsors gave money and in-kind contributions

· 20 additional volunteers decorated the firehouse and greeted visitors

· The garden opened to the public for 93 hours (in all types of weather)

·8 engines ran on over 110 feet of track past more than 150 tiny people in the recreated streets of Highlandtown

. About 300 school children enjoyed coming to the train garden from three Baltimore City Public Schools - # 47 (Hampstead Hill Academy), # 215 (Highlandtown Elementary/Middle School - Clinton Street) and # 237 (Highlandtown Elementary/Middle School - Eaton Street)

  · 2107 visitors of all ages with smiles on their faces witnessed it all.

Here are some of their comments from our guest book...

I felt like a kid again! Spectacular! Fantastic! One of the best! Terrific! Very detailed! The kids loved it! Outstanding! Very nice! Brings back memories! Thank you! Great fun! Fabulous! Made my day! Keeping a tradition alive! Wonderful to have it in Highlandtown! Fun! Very beautiful! Great! Lots of hard work! Wow! Nice setup! Excellent! Even better than last year! Loved it! Great job! Super! Epic! Festive! Awesome! Kool! Wonderful!

And the comment written more than any other (with a varying number of exclamation points following it) was.. THANK YOU! THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!!!

Thanks to CSX, AMTRAK, The Southeast Community Development Corporation, all of our community sponsors, our gracious hosts at Engine Co. 41, the volunteer engineers, greeters and decorators and to all the visitors. See you next year!

The Highlandtown Train Garden Committee

Highlandtown Train Garden YouTube Videos

Visitors to the Highlandtown Train Garden have also posted videos on YouTube. Below is an example. If you are interested in seeing more videos go to YouTube and type in "Highlandtown Train Garden" to see them. 

Extra: Here is a link to information about Natty Boh.
http://ogaugerr.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/57660482/m/8151048674/r/9602947107

The Trains Will Be Leaving Soon

The Train Garden will be open only three more days - Thursday, December 30, 2010 from 5 pm to 8 pm, Friday, December 31, 2010 from 11 am to 3 pm, and the last day, Saturday, January 1, 2011 from 11 am to 5 pm. And don't forget you also have only three more days for the raffle - $1.00 a chance, 6 for $5.00. You will win two round trip train tickets to New York and the tickets are good until November 30, 2011. The drawing will take place at the Train Garden on Saturday, January 1, 2011 at around 4 pm. You do not have to be present to win but would it not be much more exciting if you were there to claim your prize.

A First For The Highlandtown Train Garden

On Sunday, December 26, 2010 despite the snow, wind and the Ravens football game something special occurred at the Train Garden. Here‘s what happened.  Dean and Denise visited the Train Garden in the afternoon. Dean told Bernie Deasel, one of the train engineers, that he wanted to propose to his girlfriend Denise. Bernie put the ring box on one of the train cars and as it went by Denise Dean proposed to her. It was a happy moment for both and we wish them much happiness.

Over 300 School Children Visited The Train Garden

Over 300 school children visited the Highlandtown Train Garden this past week. They ranged from pre K children to 4th Graders. They came from Hampstead Hill Academy (#47), Highlandtown Elementary/Middle (#215), and Highlandtown Elementary/Middle (# 237). The children and the accompanying adults all had a good time. Thanks to all three schools for participating!

Jacques Kelly - A Thank You

We thank Jacques Kelly for coming to see our train garden and for writing such nice words about it. The power of his words was evident when the day after it was published we had our busiest day to date.
Thanks so much.

To view the article click here: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bs-md-kelly-column-christmas-trains-20101217,0,3084843.column

It Has Been Five Days

We have been opened for five days as of Sunday, December 12, 2010. As of that date 571 visitors have been to the Train Garden. The children have been fascinated by all the animations in the Train Garden and have enjoyed receiving the Highlandtown Train Garden pins and the Amtrak Junior Conductor hats. Raffle sales have been brisk.

Opening Day - A Huge Success

Today was opening day and what a huge success it was. There were 244 visitors including Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and First District Councilman Jim Kraft. The Mayor officially opened the Train Garden by pushing the button to let the trains travel throughout the garden. Thanks to all the engineers and volunteers who helped to make today a successful opening day.

Getting Ready for Opening Day

 We are putting the final touches on the Train Garden.

The Train Garden Has Moved To The Fire House.

On Sunday, November 21, 2010 the Train Garden was transported from the Old Library to the Fire House.

Creating A Beautiful Winter Wonderland

The decorators are making a visually exciting winter scene at the Train Garden.



Susan Allenback, Mary Chaney,
and Nancy Supik working hard



A beaultiful scene has been created



Creating A Winter Wonderland

After

The Fire House after the decorators hung the snowflakes as they begin their decorating of the Train Garden.

Creating A Winter Wonderland



Before

 This is how the Fire House looked before the decorators got to work.

SCARY MONEY

Susan Allenback

At the Halloween Lantern Parade Festival in Patterson Park on Saturday, October 30, 2010 several volunteers, Susan Allenback, Nancy Supik, and Joe Manfre, sold raffle tickets in support of the 2010 Train Garden. The raffle tickets will also be sold at the Train Garden itself beginning on December 4, 2010. You can win two (2) round-trip Amtrak Regional Coach tickets between Baltimore, MD and New York, NY. Tickets are $ 1.00 each and 6 for $5.00. The drawing will be held on Saturday, January 1, 2011 at Engine Company # 41, 520 S. Conkling St. You do not need to be present to win.

A MORE ENTERTAINING TRAIN GARDEN FOR 2010

A More Entertaining Train Garden - 2010

This December 4th, the 2010 the Highlandtown Train Garden will be back, bigger and better! There will be more trains, more buildings, and more surprises to look forward to. Even though train season is still months away, our dedicated "Engineers" Ted, David, and Bernie have already begun construction on the new train platforms. Check out the photos below (click pictures to enlarge) for a sneak peak and keep an eye on this blog for more news from the Train Garden crew.

The guys construct a platform

Bernie helps David attach a wooden leg

David prepares for the 2010 Train Garden

For more information send us an email at: info@highlandtowntraingarden.com

2010 Train Garden Underway

The Highlandtown Train Garden Committee has started to meet to make plans for the 2010 garden. For more information about this year's garden, send us an e-mail at info@highlandtowntraingarden.com.

If you missed the train, you can catch it next year

The numbers are in and there is no question that the first year of the Highlandtown Train Garden was a success!

• 4 dedicated community volunteers built the garden over hundreds of hours
• 22 local sponsors gave money and in-kind contributions
• 25 additional volunteers decorated the firehouse and greeted visitors
• 9 families donated photos of their family train gardens for our slide show
• The garden opened to the public for 62 hours (in all types of weather)
• 4 engines ran on 110 feet of track past more than 100 tiny people in the recreated streets of Highlandtown
• 1,371 visitors of all ages with smiles on their faces witnessed it all.

Here are some of their comments from our guest book...

Wonderful! Fantastic! Spectacular! Great job! So much fun! Very cool! Fabulous! Terrific! About time! Keep it going! Magical! Loved the decorations! Neat train garden! Loved the local stuff! Awesome! Great fun for kids and adults! Wow! One of the best we've seen! Dynamite! We love it! Great for the neighborhood, please keep it going! Can't wait till next year! Love seeing this in the neighborhood! It's nice to bring something great to Highlandtown! Breathtaking!

And the comment writeen more than any other (with a varying number of exclamation points following it) was.. THANK YOU! THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!!!

Thanks to CSX. The Southeast Community Development Corporation, all of our community sponsors, our gracious hosts at Engine Co. 41, the volunteer engineers, greeters and decorators and to all the visitors. See you next year!

The Highlandtown Train Garden Committee

Train Garden Hours Extended!

The train garden will remain open through next weekend, so if you haven't made it by yet, you still have time.

We'll open on Thursday, December 31st from 3 pm to 6 pm and again on Saturday, January 2nd and Sunday January 3rd, noon to 5.

Hundreds of visitors have enjoyed this year's train garden. A great chance to see, not only a train display constructed completely by volunteers, but also a chance to visit your local firehouse. With some luck, you can even get to sit in the firetruck!