Snow and the Tuscarora Railroad

People always ask me if I take the buildings in during the winter. Obviously from this photo, I leave them out, but more than evidence to the fact that I do leave them out,  this photo illustrates why I leave them out. A garden railroad changes with the seasons. Spring, summer, and fall are dedicated to running as often as time permits. As often as not, when I'm running trains, I'll have the camera ready in case there's a particular shot that I want to get, be it because the lighting's just right or whatever. Winter is reserved for indoor activities--modeling, repairs, daydreaming. But that doesn't mean the railroad itself goes into hibernation. It's still very much Pennsylvania in miniature, and as I look out my kitchen window on the railroad, the buildings stand to complete the landscape. There may not be any trains running, but the buildings, track, leaf-bare plants all combine to create that reality of winter. Traffic on the TRR slows down in winter, and trains don't run every day. As such, a deep snow like this isn't remotely cause for concern for anyone. They'll just bide their time, watch the icicles form off the eaves, and when the snow melts, get back to business as usual. Such is the way of things. I know at some point, the snow will melt, and I'll once again be able to run trains. In the mean time, I'll enjoy watching the icicles form. It is winter, after all...