For those who have been following me or Daps Magic for any extended period of time, my love of trains has probably been observed. Ever since I was a little boy, trains have been a part of my life. When I was around six years old, my Dad made a HO Scale train set in the basement of our house in Iowa. As time went by, that train followed in moves around the country. As an adult, the train continued to move with me. The collection expanded as time went on and eventually expanded to include G Scale trains and N Scale trains. The G Scale is definitely a favorite.
My first time seeing a G Scale train was at EPCOT in the Germany Pavilion. There, the Romantic Road Miniature Train Village has several trains steaming around a miniaturized countryside. I absolutely loved this when I saw it for the first time in 2008. In a nearby shop, they sold some of these trains. I had no clue that people would actually buy them and take them home for their backyard. My first realization that a backyard train could be a thing was when I had dinner at my friend Bret’s house, who happened to have one. It was amazing, and my eyes were opened as to what could be. Within a couple of years, I had a train chugging around my backyard. My train was inspired by childhood memories of going to Alaska with my grandparents, with some allowances for a limited budget to get me started.
Today, most of the trains are in storage once again. However, the love of trains continues. This is particularly true of model trains. When I go to EPCOT, I love getting to see the G Scale trains circling in and around the Romantic Road Miniature Train Village. It is something that I’m thankful for in multiple ways. I’m thankful for the joy it brings me and others as they watch the trains. I’m thankful for the inspiration this set gave me to imagine the possibility of what could be. I’m also thankful that Disney continues to showcase this hobby.
This may be a simple day in A Month of Thanksgiving, but it makes me smile. What are you thankful for today? I’d love to hear! Let me know in the comments below!
