Christmas Tree Stand
Or: DKS Dabbles in Lionel
Recently I came across a few blurry photos of something I'd forgotten about (and with good reason—but that's a whole other story): a Christmas tree stand I'd built in the early 2000s. The base was an octagonal wooden structure roughly four feet across, with a modified tree holder bolted to the center. It was decorated with as many structures and details—nearly all of them illuminated—as I could comfortably fit into the space, along with a loop of (modern) Lionel track.
Blankets of snow adorned a scene that featured a lighted Christmas tree and an animated skating rink next to a depot; an elevated crossing shanty overlooking a classic pickup truck—its bed full of snow—patiently waiting forever at a railroad crossing, with a small freight shed nearby being visited by a family of bears; and a short tunnel though a rugged hill serving as a backdrop. The steam train had a gondola loaded with Christmas trees, and a hopper car filled with wrapped presents.
I think our kittens Smooch and Zoë enjoyed the layout as much if not more than the human occupants of the condo.
