After a difficult year off due to the pandemic, we brought the traditional Christmas trains and village display back to the historic Redford Theatre for the 2021 holiday season. Our layout was featured in a nice article by Roger Carp a few years back.
For those that don't know, the Redford Theatre is a historic neighborhood movie house located in Detroit, MI. It contains the original Barton theater pipe organ (for silent film accompaniment) which was installed in it when the doors opened in January of 1928. The Motor City Theatre Organ Society owns (since the mid-1970s) and operates the building using an all volunteer staff. Weekly movies, rentals, etc. help pay for building maintenance and restoration projects. A toy train display during the holidays have been a tradition for a touch over three decades at this point. I took on the tradition beginning in 2011 with much help from friends and family over the years.
Beautiful! If that doesn't get people in the Christmas spirit I don't know what will!
Same me, different spelling!
Nice layout. I like the effect that the lights under your ground cover give.
I'm not sure if we will get to that side of the state, but what are the hours of operation and dates that you will br operating this?
That's the style!
Thanks for posting the video here. I've used your lighting technique on past Christmas layouts.
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8ntruck Nice layout. I like the effect that the lights under your ground cover give. I'm not sure if we will get to that side of the state, but what are the hours of operation and dates that you will br operating this?
Thanks for the kind words everybody!
The lights under the snow were a technique I came up with early on in my time building the layout at the theater. Because its an "atmospheric" type theater designed to make you feel like you're sitting outside beneath a night sky, the normal house lighting is rather dim even at its brightest. The first year or two you could see the village building windows lit up, but you couldn't really see the exteriors or any of the figurines and other details. The lights under the snow helped highlight the dark spots a bit.
The layout runs for an hour before each regular show, about 15-20 minutes at intermission and then for a short period of time as people exit.
More information about the theater schedule can be found at redfordtheatre.com.
Leading up to Christmas, I believe we have holiday themed shows scheduled for every Friday and Saturday. Typically Friday movies begin at 8 pm (doors open at 7) and Saturday shows are at 2 pm (doors at 1) and 8 pm. Definitely check out the schedule on the website for specifics. The layout usually remains in place and operating at least through January and often into February.
fifedog That's the style!
Every time you say that I see this :
https://youtu.be/z_SAVgrlKWY
Penny - That too. Except the part about being ripped to shreds at the bloody angle.
I have enjoyed seeing your Christmas layout several times in the past. The current version is the best one yet! Your layout has become a holiday tradition. Great work and so enjoyable to see the layout along with an organ concert and movie at this historic theater.
dsmith I have enjoyed seeing your Christmas layout several times in the past. The current version is the best one yet! Your layout has become a holiday tradition. Great work and so enjoyable to see the layout along with an organ concert and movie at this historic theater.
Sorry for being so late, but thank you! I agree that this years layout turned out to be the best one we've done. I really enjoyed the last one and this was essentially a copy of that one with some minor changes to clean it up around the edges.
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