The following photos are of our layout for our 2011 Christmas "pop-up" store at Richardson Farms in Baltimore County, Maryland.
A PRR passenger train led by one of the PRR's legendary GG-1 electric locomotives streaks past the small town on Front Street. All of the buildings are custom made by an artist friend of my uncle, the late Tom Edmonds, who was my partner in our model train business. The artist was Richard Starsonek who made these buildings that were from well-known section of Baltimore City and County. They were for sale by us.
Home Depot is receiving new stock by both truck and box car. The real Home Depot store in White Marsh, Maryland, donated ALL of the building materials needed to build our layout. The layout served three purposes. One was a demonstration layout for our store. The second was an open-to-the-public layout to attract visitors and increase Richardson Farms as well as our commercial visibility. The third purpose was to raise money for the Johns Hopkins Hospital Childrens' Center, a non-profit organization that supported pediatric research as well as patient care.
Here is the end of a freight train passing the lake. The lake was a big attraction on the layout. The mountain range behind the lake is 22 feet long and is modular so that it can be broken down and stored at the end of the season. Above the mountains are my sister-in-law Kim who came to see and take photos of the layout, and my son Chris, who helped build the layout and worked with me and Tom in our sales store. The top of our display shelves visible behind Kim and Chris.
Here is a photo of the free-will donation box. There were two at opposite corners of the layout. 100% of the funds collected while the layout was opened went to Johns Hopkins Childrens' Center.
It was wonderful to see, during the season, several children that were helped by the advanced medical technology and treatment techniques done by the Childrens' Center. Below is a photo of me posing with Ashely. She was born with many heart problems and underwent 4 surgeries as an infant to repair a severely damaged heart that had a hole in it. Ashley came to see the trains along with her younger brother, mother and father. She was the year's poster child for the Hopkins Childrens Center and at 4 years old, is a healthy and thriving young lady.
, oh yeah when are you buying a F unit
