Christmas gardens, with their whistling and chugging trains that wound their way through miniature rural country villages, tunnels and snowy landscapes until arriving in the city, are still an essential element of a Baltimore Christmas. The very notion of a string of railroad tracks encircling a Christmas tree or a more elaborate scene with rolling trains is certain to brighten the hearts of .
For over a century, in between blazes, cat rescues, and chili cook-offs, Baltimore-area firefighters have apparently spent their winter downtime arranging elaborate model train sets.