A week ago yesterday, it being a gloriously sunny Sunday, we ventured out to Morris Arboretum to take a walk and see how the rose garden was doing. Cars were lined up along Northwestern Avenue waiting to get in. Couldn't imagine what was going on. Were they giving away plants?
Actually, it was opening weekend for the 2008 garden railway, an event you might not suspect would generate so much excitement. But there you go. This year's theme is "Architectural Wonders of the World." It runs till Oct. 13.
No world wonders, but I remember being drawn to my brothers' toy train set back in the dark ages, especially the small-scale towns, bridges and mountains and the pale puffs of smoke that came out of the engine.
This is a grander thing. The trains - one has Thomas as the engine - were amusing and interesting in their own right as they passed replicas of some of the world's most fascinating buildings and sites - the Taj Mahal, Machu Picchu, the Eiffel Tower, the Great Wall of China, the Giza pyramid.
Fifty-six in all, including some close to home. Hey, how'd these guys get in there - Betsy Ross House, Elfreth's Alley, historic houses in Fairmount Park and - OK, so Morris gets a pass - the Fernery at the arboretum. The miniature replicas, whatever their pedigree, were absolutely great, and we ended up doing the whole circuit. There's also a small train for kids to ride all over the arboretum. Opening weekend only. (See lower photo)
There's a long history of garden railways in Europe, starting in the mid-19th century. The fad hopped across the pond in the crazy 1920s and '30s, dropped out of sight in the boring '50s and re-emerged about 30 years ago.
Morris' garden railway is lots of fun, especially if you have little ones to entertain. Truth be told, it was hard to tell who was enjoying it more - the little kids or the big ones. That would be us.
