All Aboard!
~ A Virtual Celebration of the Annual Kensington Train Show ~
One of our favorite traditions here at the Kensington Historical Society is the annual train show. For the past nine years, September has been our month to celebrate Kensington's origins as a train town. Train enthusiasts, young and old, have marveled at the elaborate displays of model trains created by the National Capital Trackers at Town Hall. Sadly, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we had to cancel this year's show, but we invite you to "climb aboard" this virtual exhibit to revisit train shows past and learn more about Kensington's history!
One of our favorite traditions here at the Kensington Historical Society is the annual train show. For the past nine years, September has been our month to celebrate Kensington's origins as a train town. Train enthusiasts, young and old, have marveled at the elaborate displays of model trains created by the National Capital Trackers at Town Hall. Sadly, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we had to cancel this year's show, but we invite you to "climb aboard" this virtual exhibit to revisit train shows past and learn more about Kensington's history!
**Navigator notes: To navigate through this exhibit, you have two options. You can click on the "Next Stop" button at the bottom of each page, or you can click on a subject in the menu bar located at the top of each page. There's much to explore, so be sure to check out all the pages!**
**Navigator notes: To navigate through this exhibit, you have two options. You can click on the "Next Stop" button at the bottom of each page, or you can click on a subject in the menu bar located at the top of each page. There's much to explore, so be sure to check out all the pages!**
Our Journey Begins: A History of the Train Show
Our Journey Begins: A History of the Train Show
By Gary Ditto, KHS Board of Directors
It began on a cold winter’s day. I was selling Christmas Trees at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church and no one was buying. In a moment of lassitude, the other volunteer helping out mentioned that her husband was at the train show at the College Park Airport (the oldest airport still operating in the USA). When she explained what it was, I immediately thought “we need that in Kensington.” The next day, Diana and I drove to College Park and fell in love with the Train Show put on by the National Capital Train Trackers.
It began on a cold winter’s day. I was selling Christmas Trees at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church and no one was buying. In a moment of lassitude, the other volunteer helping out mentioned that her husband was at the train show at the College Park Airport (the oldest airport still operating in the USA). When she explained what it was, I immediately thought “we need that in Kensington.” The next day, Diana and I drove to College Park and fell in love with the Train Show put on by the National Capital Train Trackers.
From there it seemed that the elements easily fell in place. The National Capital Train Trackers quickly volunteered to take on the show. Town of Kensington officials were also excited to be a co-sponsor of the event and offered Town Hall for the weekend after Labor Day. Both the Kensington Historical Society and the Noyes Children’s Library Foundation made full-scale commitments to help organize and run the show.
From there it seemed that the elements easily fell in place. The National Capital Train Trackers quickly volunteered to take on the show. Town of Kensington officials were also excited to be a co-sponsor of the event and offered Town Hall for the weekend after Labor Day. Both the Kensington Historical Society and the Noyes Children’s Library Foundation made full-scale commitments to help organize and run the show.
St Paul’s United Methodist Church and the Bakers Union building made parking available to us. JennyCakes Bakery offered to make Train Cookies. The Dixieland Express band agreed to play New Orleans style jazz on Saturday morning and have done so at every train show since. Boy Scout Troop 439 has been selling hot dogs and drinks no matter the weather. Matthew Dodd has driven down from Pennsylvania every year for a Sunday afternoon performance, singing songs and telling stories of old railroad days. Diana and I made a commitment to do whatever we could to make this a successful event. And so it began.
St Paul’s United Methodist Church and the Bakers Union building made parking available to us. JennyCakes Bakery offered to make Train Cookies. The Dixieland Express band agreed to play New Orleans style jazz on Saturday morning and have done so at every train show since. Boy Scout Troop 439 has been selling hot dogs and drinks no matter the weather. Matthew Dodd has driven down from Pennsylvania every year for a Sunday afternoon performance, singing songs and telling stories of old railroad days. Diana and I made a commitment to do whatever we could to make this a successful event. And so it began.
The day of the first Train Show we had no idea what to expect, but lines of children and adults soon formed at the door of Town Hall. We knew we were on to something wonderful when the first group of kids entered the show and their eyes just seemed to pop out of their heads, mesmerized they were. Actually that went for kids of all ages, as parents and grandparents loved seeing the show and reminiscing and sharing their personal connections to trains. The sense of wonderment, joy and ceaseless smiles are testimony to the success of the Kensington Train Show. The Town of Kensington has earmarked the weekend after Labor Day as the “Train Show” weekend for perpetuity.
The day of the first Train Show we had no idea what to expect, but lines of children and adults soon formed at the door of Town Hall. We knew we were on to something wonderful when the first group of kids entered the show and their eyes just seemed to pop out of their heads, mesmerized they were. Actually that went for kids of all ages, as parents and grandparents loved seeing the show and reminiscing and sharing their personal connections to trains. The sense of wonderment, joy and ceaseless smiles are testimony to the success of the Kensington Train Show. The Town of Kensington has earmarked the weekend after Labor Day as the “Train Show” weekend for perpetuity.
Photo Credits:
Header Image: Painting by Jessie Rowdybush Walsh, 1977. Gift to Kensington Historical Society.
Noyes Library image - Montgomery County Public Libraries
All other images - The Ditto Group