The Train Crew
Jim & Pat Harvey and
Ian &
Myra Nelson
By
'clicking'
on
the
'photo
link'
above
you
will
be
directed
to
the
Photo
Album
of
The
Train's
development
|
The Christmas sleighs were getting old and battered, and the decision was made to retire them. But what would replace them? Myra Nelson suggested a train, and in the ensuing brainstorming among the Nelsons and the Harveys, the concept of a Christmas train carrying Santa through a tunnel was born. Marlenna chose Blue. This was in February of 2008. After a round of artist sketches, Jim and Ian got into the engineering. It had to be able to go through doorways, it must be light, and how do we hang it? Ian, knowing that solid foam board came in 4’x 8’ sheets drew up sizes that minimized wastage. And then construction began. |
|
Have you
ever
followed
an SUV
at 15
mph with
foam
sheets
tied to
the roof
and two
guys
holding
on
through
the
window
in
panic?
Ian's
garage
was soon
covered
in a
veritable
snowstorm
of
polyurethane
bubbles
as we
sawed
with
table,
band and
jig
saws.
White
eyebrows,
nostrils
became
an
occupational
hazard.
As the
months
wore on,
Ian and
Jim had
plenty
of time
to
reflect
on how
easy it
was to
come up
with the
idea,
and how
hard it
was to
implement
it ..
one of
life’s
lessons
indeed.
As
assembly
progressed,
curious
neighbors
and
passers
by would
just
have to
ask.
Storage
became
an
issue,
but
fortunately
the
Likelys
were out
of town
for the
summer,
so as
each
unit was
finished,
we
“walked”
it down
the
street
to store
in their
garage.
We had
to
choose
calm
days to
paint.
Attempts
to spray
gave way
to the
good old
rollers
and
brushes.
Then
diluted
Elmer’s
glue and
sprinkles
gave it
a
sparkle.
Gold
stencils
and
wheels
were a
final
touch.
Meanwhile,
we
needed
“critters”
to
populate
the
train.
We
searched
the
thrift
stores
on a
regular
basis,
and with
the help
of Pat
and
Jim’s
daughter
Sarah,
we
purchased
a
veritable
menagerie
at very
modest
cost.
Weight
continued
to be a
priority,
so we
had many
friends
collecting
plastic
shopping
bags to
stuff
Santa
and the
snowman.
(Foam
peanuts
are too
expensive!)
A minor
crisis
occurred
when the
Likelys
decided
to come
back
early,
and they
needed
their
garage.
The word
went out
for an
alternate
storage,
and Gene
Greco
came
through
by
offering
his old
house.
So
Charlie
Guveiyian
rented a
huge
truck
and we
moved it
all to
Gene’s
place
until
the
final
move to
the
Club.
Another
great
truck,
this
time
driven
by VC
Chuck
Williamson,
took it
to the
Club,
and on
the
Sunday
after
Thanksgiving
a whole
host of
helpers
(
Guveiyians,
Blackfords,
Williamsons
spent
several
cautious
hours up
multiple
ladders
helping
Jim and
Ian with
the
final
installation.
It
should
also be
noted
that the
final
installation
might
not have
been
successful
had it
not been
for the
significant
effort
of Wade
who
braved
most of
the
highest
spots on
the
ladder.
We hope
that the
Royal
Palm
Express
will
serve
the Club
in the
years to
come. |
