Holiday magic
Clinton man shares Christmas trains
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John Thornberry runs his trains, which are set up in this intricate layout in his garage in the Mariner Point community in Clinton. He brings the trains out every holiday season for friends and neighbors to enjoy. - G. Chambers Williams III
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A country store, bus, fire station, nuclear power plant and more fill this section of the railroad layout. - G. Chambers Williams III
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A Lionel train store with tiny trains running around on tiny tracks is on the right, with a railroad depot and swimming pool behind it. - G. Chambers Williams III
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A radio station complete with broadcasting tower, a newspaper office, and more are shown in this section of the railroad layout. - G. Chambers Williams III
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A lake, a Ferris wheel, and a Thomas the Tank engine show up in this view of John Thornberry’s model-train layout in his garage. - G. Chambers Williams III
Each holiday season, John Thornberry wows his family, friends and neighbors with his spectacular model railroad layout, which fills the garage of his home in Clinton’s Mariner Point community.
He says it’s his way of sharing some holiday joy with the hundreds of people who come by each year to see the trains and detailed accessories of the layout, which he’s been working to create for the past 18 years.
“It’s put away for most of the year, but when the holidays come around, it all comes out in the garage, and I invite people over for our open-house parties to see the trains and layout,” he said.
“It’s all constructed on several four-by-four-foot tables, and since I began collecting pieces, it’s just gotten bigger and bigger,” he said.
There are so many intricate accessories on the boards that the trains themselves are not particularly the stars of the show.
The layout includes colorful, lighted, active pieces such as amusement park rides, a fire station, Disney-style attractions, a Lionel model-train store with tiny trains running around on tiny tables, and much more.
The trains themselves include a blue Thomas the Tank Engine and associated cars, and a Polar Express train with passenger cars copied from the popular holiday film.
Trains are “O” gauge – the Lionel type – and even include steam engines and various freight cars.
Thornberry has a wireless, hand-held controller to stop and start the trains, and clearly enjoys walking around the layout, pointing out all of the unique features to visitors.
“I never had trains growing up, but I bought a set for my daughter when she was little, and it just took off from there,” he said.
“My 4-year-old grandson is involved in it now, and this year he helped me decorate it,” Thornberry said.
