No guests for Christmas this year, so it didn't seem worth the trouble to get a tree and do the whole Christmas decorating thing - but I wanted to do something, so here it is.
The centerpiece is a Lionel tree with a 400E/State set that runs around the base. Surrounding it is a double loop of Z gauge - basically two starter sets. The outer is a 2-6-0 with some beer cars; the inner is a Porsche Museum special set. The white box to the right of the tree holds a 9v battery to operate the inner loop.
I also put some hooks under the mantel, where I'm hanging Hallmark Lionel ornaments - the Hiawatha and Daylight sets.
I'm thinking of building a permanent, portable Z gauge layout somewhat bigger than this, with whatever scenery sits in the middle on a lift-out platform so I can swap in the tree at Christmas time. We'll see if that happens - I've got more ideas than time to build them.
Merry Christmas! Also Happy Hanukkah, Io Saturnalia, and a raucous Winter Solstice!
