All Aboard

America's holiday season comes hand in hand with the nostalgic fuzziness of seeing a miniature train choo-chooing away around the track. And in Santa Fe, the place to go for a dose of mini magic for 60 years has been the lobby of a Plaza bank.

Lights flipped on this morning for the First National bank's annual decorations, which will stay live until Dec. 26, thanks to members of the Santa Fe Model Railroad Club.

This year's train features all the old favorites, tiny adobe buildings, a moving ski lift and ice rink plus last year's new Harry Potter Train. Kids can also spot a this year's new addition, a Frosty the Snowman train that runs on a wireless control. Under the fake snow and twinkling lights, the train set also boasts all new electrical wiring that took most of the summer to complete, explains Henry Day, dressed as a conductor for the first day of fun.

"The only difference between us and kids is the age," says railroad club member Dick Haber as he oversees the morning's activity. "This is for children of all ages, believe me."

Also new this year is a 15-foot artificial tree that replaces the bank's traditional practice of using a live tree. Bank officials say the city fire marshal raised concerns about a dry live tree being so close to the train's electrical systems.

Most of the trains on display belong to the bank, but the 60-member train club has helped maintain and provide the seasonal tableau each year since 1991. They operate the trains and remain on site during bank hours to answer questions and point out the tiny details.

Jennifer Lind, First National executive vice president and director of retail banking, says this tradition began when two bank employees, both model train enthusiasts, convinced the bank's management to allow them to construct the display. Since then the tradition has grown to the point that the collaboration with the train club became necessary to help maintain it. She says the display is open to everyone, not just her customers.

"It's very much a community thing now," she says. "It doesn't just belong to the bank."

Trains run Monday through Friday from 9:30 am to noon and from 1:30 pm to 4 pm. The bank at 62 Lincoln Ave. will close at 3 pm on Christmas Eve and be closed on Christmas Day.

SFR intern Luke Henley and editor Julie Ann Grimm contributed to this report.

Santa Fe Reporter