Dave Haettich of West Seneca has a pretty terrific train set. Dave says "there have been a lot of changes were made over the years." He used to put it up and take it down every Christmas, but that got to be a lot of work. "It stays up, it never comes down now" according to Dave.
His train village has all of the details we look for this time of year: ice skaters, little houses that light up and of course Santa. Several of them. But it's always the trains that get the most attention, that's because some of Dave's trains are pretty old.
"My father built this when I was born" Dave says pointing to the center portion of the train village. He just celebrated his 85th birthday, that means that the original train village, built by Dave's dad has seen 85 Christmases. His original 1932 Lionel train is still here too and according to Dave it still runs.
Through the years the train set has entertained Dave's seven kids, twenty-seven grand children and eighteen great grand children. "It was at my father's house until I got married and he said get it out of here." Dave says with a chuckle. That means Dave's wife Ann gained a husband and a train set.
There's a special magic that a toy train brings to the holiday season, for little kids and big ones. Dave Haettich figured that out a long time ago.
