Christmas Tree Trimmings (LEGO)

[rbarnaby]

I am just curious if anyone else is planning on surrounding their Christmas Tree with a LEGO train. We setup our tree tonight, but haven't finished decorating. I am planning no running my Horizon Express around the tree once the tree is decorated. I will try to post a picture.

Feel free to share any pictures you have of Trains around Christmas Trees.

[mediumsnowman]

My train is too busy running around the winter village to bother with any trees!

[rbarnaby]

I don't much of a winter village at all, so my train is free. I do use the Exclusive Holiday sets from last year to decorate our Stocking holders. The small Elf workshop is on the holder for my Santa stocking, the Ice Skating scene for my wife's Snowman stocking, and the Reindeer for our dog's Reindeer stocking.

LEGO makes great sets for extra Christmas decorations.

[legonerd54321]

I was planning on using my O scale trains to go around the base of the tree and suspend my LEGO train in the middle of the tree.

[ecmo47]

2014 train in tree. by Scott Roys, on Flickr

Here is what I did last year. Just got the tree up for this year but do not have the train in yet.

[hankdelsi]

My train is too busy running around the winter village to bother with any trees!

I do put my winter village sets along with the christmas train around our tree. just picked up santa's workshop to add to the collection.

[TF Twitch]

My wife and I have every Winter Village set which get placed around the tree with my Emerald Night running around everything.

[CDM]

I normally do but we're only putting up one tree this year due to having a one-man 10 month old wrecking crew in the house. I might have to convince the boss.

Typically it's just a city train with a circle or slightly oval run of track and a few of the loading detail pieces (gantry crane, etc). Nothing winter themed. I'd like it to be a steam set but I'll have to wait for another Lego release as I missed the Emerald.

[ecmo47]

^ The Emerald Night's color scheme does not make for a good tree train. That was the first train I had in the tree and it all but disappeared due to the dark green color of the engine!

[dr_spock]

^ The Emerald Night's color scheme does not make for a good tree train. That was the first train I had in the tree and it all but disappeared due to the dark green color of the engine!

I think it would stand out more if you have one of those silver tinsel trees from the 1960's.

[zephyr1934]

I'd like it to be a steam set but I'll have to wait for another Lego release as I missed the Emerald.

^ The Emerald Night's color scheme does not make for a good tree train. That was the first train I had in the tree and it all but disappeared due to the dark green color of the engine!

You could build your own version of the EN locomotive following the instructions but do so in a different color (red, normal green, etc.). Then make some MODs to improve the running (search the EB archives or post back if you can't find them), and tweak the design to improve the appearance (use the more recent 1x2, 2x2 & 1x4-double curved slopes, bigger tender, etc.).

If you already have an EN and don't want to run a Christmas version all year you could simply borrow the PF gear from the straight EN for the holidays.

PS, ecmo47's train in the tree is great.

[CDM]

You could build your own version of the EN locomotive following the instructions...

I've thought about Bricklinking the necessary pieces but I think I'll wait to see what official release(s) come in 2016, if any.

[Chubbs]

I'm planning on having my version of Sava's Polar Express Berkshire 1225 running around my tree

[Xris]

Yeah,

we usually did so. At least an oval around the tree. Usually, it grew and ended up in a vast layout.

However, kids do change your xmas habits - at least regarding your LEGO train layout. E.g., last year, we bought a City Train Super Set, but didn't manage to build it. While "Godzilla I" came out of her prime destructive age, 9-month old "Godzilla II" seemed to impose a quite to high danger level to any LEGO construction within 80 cm of the ground level. Ever since, the Super Set is awaiting its unboxing and construction in our living room. Today, Godzilla II endagers everything within 200 cm above ground level (he is able and willing to use climbable furniture, ladders and tools like sticks to reach his goal).

Perhaps I will manage to fix enough wall mountings to create a safe asylum for our LEGO xmas-train layout this year - on shelves 210 cm above grould level :-)

Xris

[brickbuilder711]

I've done it for the better of the last 14 years, and since last year's was a very lazy effort, I decided to go all out this year. Hell, I had to considering all the trains I had built in the last 6 months.

Here's a teaser photo

[Hrw-Amen]

I have put a train up the last few years running around the tree or just the whole room, but this year we seem to have a huge amount of stuff everywhere and I am wondering where to put the tree let alone a train. I would love to have it out but trouble is my home is small and space is at a premium.

[ecmo47]

DSC01354 by Scott Roys, on Flickr

This years tree is up and decorated. I would like to "Christmas-ize" the logging train but that may not happen. Enjoy!

[contrails]

Thanks for the ideas guys. My kids are away on holiday. I think i will set up something to surprise them when they get home under the Christmas tree

[pyro690]

I am planning on setting up my 60052 under the tree this year. It will be a first for me as it was my first train in any form and I got it this last summer. Got to get closer to Christmas to set it up as I have two little ones, one that wants to eat everything.

[v6TransAM]

As soon as my 5 yr old finishes building our other Horizon Express(end car to finish and he built it all solo) I plan on building another connector truck to make it one complete train set and then run it around the bottom of the tree.

Edited December 9, 2015 by v6TransAM

[Xris]

Hi ecmo47,

that's a really nice Shay engine encircling your xmas tree, congrats!

Xris

[ecmo47]

^ I cannot claim design credit. It won a contest hosted by Railbrick last year and the designer graciously let me have his LDD files. He designed the entire train and it runs very smoothly. The battery box and IR receiver are located in the log.

Edited December 14, 2015 by ecmo47

[Athos]

No train around our tree. The cat likes to sleep under the tree too much. I have decorated half my tree with Lego ornaments though.

Steve

[v6TransAM]

TGV is officially our Christmas train.

The boy finished building it tonight, so we set up an octagon consisting of 4 2 straight section and 4 2 curve sections.

Looks really nice having two TGV sets together.

2 year old is in love with it. I'll try and take a decent picture tomorrow in some daylight.

[fred67]

My train is too busy running around the winter village to bother with any trees!

Me, too.

The first year I had LEGO trains (the crappy Railway Express), we put them around the tree as best as possible (only had the track from two Railway Express sets, so a lot of curves, four straights). I did that for a couple of years (adding a lot more track). Then we moved the tree to a different room with a shaggier carpet and I stopped; now I set up a couple of tables with the winter village and the trains. I bricklinked the Christmas Train.

Last year, after adding Santas Workshop + a bunch of trees and making a handful of my own reindeer, I bought another table and do an "L", but I don't have any pictures.