Indiebride | IndieMom Blog

recent posts
----------
I Don't Need to Relate
Post-Party Crank
This Season's Exquisite Corpse
More of the Same or Something Actually New?
Fun and Threat &...
Finally! A Pregnancy Article of Interest
Whew
Just in Time for the Holidays...
Words. Not From Any Sponsor I Want to Deal With
What the Weekend Has Taught Me

Book cover
You've got questions, she's got answers. Be among the first to read Elise Mac Adam's new etiquette guide. Pre-order from:
- Simon & Schuster
- Amazon
- Barnes & Noble

Wednesday, December 20, 2006

Train, Train

It is all too appropriate in this moment of being chronically out of it that I would only hear about something lively happening in the City from a mass email, sent by a friend currently residing in Texas.

At the moment, in a few spots in the city, you can see some remarkable electric model trains, zipping around remarkable landscapes. My tipster's information said that there are exhibits at FAO Schwartz, Macy's "with unprecedented train track placement in the branches of a Christmas tree", the Citicorp center and Grand Central Station.

The allure of model trains never really caught me. I respect them and the environments people create for them, but they fit into an odd category of hobby for me. Once you've set up the little world, all you do is run the train through it. You don't even push it yourself and stage little battles employing strays from the jungle animal toy set and assorted little people. It all seems rather static.

But yesterday promised to be a day where no work would be accomplished so I packed the kid up and took him to Grand Central Station. Who knew the place would hold such allure? Before we even reached the Transit Museum outpost, Felix was fascinated by the constellations illustrated on the ceiling. (I tried to show him the one little sooty spot that was left after the huge renovation and cleaning was completed in the late '90s- the ceiling was covered with so much sludge from decades of cigarette smoke that the images were pretty much invisible- but he wasn't interested.) He also loved the very odd "light show" that goes on a few times an hour.

Anyway, Felix must "get" something I don't, because he was quite gripped by the trains. He loved all the tunnels and noises, the tiny people and the lights. And the whole business is beautiful- from the little replica of Grand Central Terminal, to King Cong scaling a modest Empire State building. I can't argue with him. Pay a visit if you can- even if you think this isn't your cup o' whatever.

But I can complain about the fit that was pitched when it was time to leave.

posted by Elise at 8:14 AM

........................................................

7 Comments:

Laura K said...

You don't even push it yourself and stage little battles employing strays from the jungle animal toy set and assorted little people.

Well, now, that entirely depends on who you are ;D