Original subtitles

>> IT IS ONE OF NEW YORK CITY'S

MOST BELOVED FAMILY TRADITIONS,

THE NEW YORK BOTANICAL

GARDENS HOLIDAY TRAIN SHOW.

AN EXHIBITION THAT MUST BE SEEN

TO BE BELIEVED.

>> THIS IS MY FIRST VISIT AND I

AM JUST IN AWE OF THE DETAIL AND

THE IMAGINATION.

>> A FANTASY LAND COMBINING

MODEL TRAINS WITH THE NEW YORK

SKYLINE BUT WITH A BOTANICAL

TWIST.

>> THOSE BUILDINGS ARE ALL MADE

FROM PLANT PARTS - BARK AND CORK

AND TWIGS AND WHATEVER.

>> WITH ARCHECTURAL DETAILS

CLEVERLY RE-IMAGINED...

>> THAT IS MADE OUT OF RADISH

SEEDS, ALL THOSE LITTLE RED DOTS

ARE RADISH SEEDS.

>> WE TAKE YOU BEHIND THE SCENES

AND SHOW YOU HOW IT ALL COMES

TOGETHER.

>> IT'S LIKE WORKING FOR JOHNNY

APPLESEED, FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT

AND SANTA CLAUS ALL AT THE SAME

TIME.

>> COME EXPLORE THE MAKING OF

THIS MARVELOUS WORLD THAT'S

BROUGHT FAMILIES TOGETHER OVER

THE HOLIDAYS FOR MORE THAN 20

YEARS.

>> THERE'S SOMETHING BETWEEN

ARCHITECTURAL MODELS AND PURE

FANTASY.

>> IT ALL COMES TO LIFE ON

"TREASURES OF NEW YORK: HOLIDAY

TRAIN SHOW."

>> ALL ABOARD.

RIGHT THIS WAY.

>> THIS PROGRAM IS MADE POSSIBLE

BY ROBERT AND VICTORIA ZOELLNER

AND ROSALIND P. WALTER.

AND NOW, HERE IS JUJU CHANG.

>> HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED WHAT

DRAWS PEOPLE TO THIS PLACE YEAR

AFTER YEAR?

EVEN GENERATION AFTER

MAYBE IT'S THE WHIMSICAL TRAINS

ZIPPING ALL AROUND OR THE

BOTANICAL GARDENS.

MAYBE IT'S THE COMBINATION OF

THE TWO RIGHT INSIDE ONE OF THE

MOST BEAUTIFUL GLASS HOUSES IN

AMERICA.

IT'S A HOLIDAY TRADITION THAT

YOU NEVER REALLY OUTGROW.

WHEN YOU COME HERE, WHETHER

YOU'RE A KID OR A KID AT HEART,

YOU CAN'T HELP BUT BE ENCHANTED

BY THIS MAGICAL HOLIDAY TRAIN

SHOW.

SO, CONSIDER THIS PROGRAM YOUR

ALL-ACCESS PASS WHERE YOU'LL

DISCOVER THE INTERSECRETS OF HOW

IT ALL COMES TOGETHER AND WATCH

THE TRANSFORMATION THAT TAKES

PLACE RIGHT BEFORE YOUR EYES.

THE NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN IS

A CENTURY-OLD OASIS IN THE

MIDDLE OF THE BRONX, PLANTS

SPREAD OUT OVER 250 ACRES.

YET EVEN IN THE WINTER MONTHS

WHEN THE TREES HAVE LOST THEIR

FOLIAGE AND THE PLANTS LIE

DORMANT IN THE COLD, IT STILL

DRAWS IN VISITORS FOR ONE OF THE

MOST CELEBRATED THE EVENTS OF

THE YEAR.

THEY FLOCK TO THE SIGNATURE

LANDMARK BUILDING.

THE ENID A. HAUPT CONSERVATORY,

EAGER TO SEE WHAT'S BEHIND THESE

DOORS.

THIS IS THE ANNUAL HOLIDAY TRAIN

SHOW, AN EVENT THAT'S DAZZLED

AUDIENCES FOR MORE THAN 20

YEARS.

AND THIS IS NOT YOUR TRADITIONAL

BOTANICAL EXHIBITION.

IT'S ONE OF THE MOST UNIQUE

SHOWCASES.

WITHIN THIS CRYSTAL PALACE ARE

NOT ONLY LIVING PLANTS BUT A

COMPLEX NETWORK OF OVER A DOZEN

MODEL TRAINS AND MORE THAN 100

REPLICAS OF BRIDGES, BUILDINGS

AND MONUMENTS, METICULOUSLY

CONFIGURED USING TWIGS

AND LEAVES, AND ACORNS AND

SEEDS, AND ALL KINDS OF PLANT

PIECES.

>> THERE'S SOMETHING BETWEEN

KIND OF ARCHITECTURAL MODELS AND

PURE FANTASY.

>> IT'S A CHARMING AND INTIMATE

DISPLAY OF NEW YORK AND THE

SURROUNDING REGION, A MAKE

BELIEVE WORLD THAT SIMPLY TAKES

YOUR BREATH AWAY.

>> IT'S MAGICAL.

IT'S LIKE WALKING INTO A SNOW

GLOBE AND LOOKING AT NEW YORK IN

MINIATURE.

>> EVERY YEAR, HUNDREDS OF

THOUSANDS OF VISITORS TRAVEL

NEAR AND FAR TO GET A SUMPTUOUS

DOSE OF NOSTALGIA.

>> IT'S BEEN A WONDERFUL THING

FOR THE BOTANICAL GARDEN, IT'S

BEEN A WONDERFUL THING FOR NEW

YORK CITY, ONE OF THE WONDERFUL

HOLIDAY TRADITIONS LIKE THE TREE

IN ROCKEFELLER CENTER.

>> AND THERE'S SO MUCH TO SEE,

FROM THE INTRICATE MODEL

OLD-FASHIONED MODEL TRAINS TO

THE VAST DISPLAY OF HAND CRAFTED

NEW YORK LANDMARKS RANGING FROM

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

TO THE GEORGE WASHINGTON BRIDGE,

TO THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING.

>> TOGETHER, THESE INCREDIBLE

BUILDINGS, WHICH DO DEFY

DESCRIPTION -- THEY MUST BE SEEN

TO BE BELIEVED.

AND THE TRAINS CREATE JUST A

MOMENT OF MAGIC AND FANTASY OVER

THE HOLIDAY SEASON.

>> THE MAGIC ACTUALLY SPRINGS

FROM THE EXTRAORDINARY

IMAGINATION OF PAUL BUSSE,

CREATING BOTANICAL TRAIN

DISPLAYS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.

>> HE HAS BEEN OUR PARTNER.

HE IS THE ARTIST WHOSE WORK WE

CELEBRATE.

BUT THE GARDEN AND THE

CONSERVATORY PROVIDE THE PERFECT

STAGE FOR HIS WORK.

>> EACH OF THE MODELS ON DISPLAY

IS A MASTERPIECE IN ITS OWN

RIGHT.

DELICATELY HAND CRAFTED WITH A

KEEN ATTENTION TO DETAIL,

REFLECTING THE ARCHITECTURAL

QUALITIES OF THE ORIGINAL.

TAKE CITY HALL, ORNATELY

DECORATED WITH THE LATTICE OF

DOGWOOD TWIGS, CRISSCROSSING

EACH WINDOW, PERCHED ATOP STATUE

OF JUSTICE, HER SCALES MADE OF

ACORN CAPS.

A NECKLACE OF WHEAT STALKS.

HER TORCH FLAME FASHIONED FROM A

DRIED MONARCH FLOWER INSIDE A

POMEGRANATE HAT.

OF COURSE, NEARBY, THE ELLIS

ISLAND IMMIGRATION BUILDING,

WITH TOWERS COMPROMISED OF

FUNGUS, HEMLOCK, AND SEVERAL

VARIETIES OF PINE CONE SCALES.

>> THE DETAILS JUST KIND OF KEEP

ON.

EVERY PLANT YOU CAN IMAGINE IS

USED FOR EVERY ARCHITECTURAL

DETAIL YOU COULD NAME.

>> TOWERING HIGH ABOVE THE CITY

SCAPE ARE FOUR NEW YORK BRIDGES,

CRAFTED OUT OF ALL KINDS OF

VARIOUS TREE BRANCHES AND BARK.

THERE'S THE GEORGE WASHINGTON

BRIDGE, SPANNING THE HUDSON

RIVER.

AND ON THE EAST RIVER, THE

MANHATTAN BRIDGE, THE BROOKLYN

BRIDGE AND THE HALE GATE BRIDGE.

>> I'M STANDING UNDERNEATH THE

BROOKLYN BRIDGE.

ONE OF THE REAL MAGICAL PARTS OF

THE HOLIDAY TRAIN SHOW IS THAT

THERE ARE TRAINS RUNNING ALL

AROUND YOU AND EVEN OVER YOUR

HEAD.

REALLY, I DON'T KNOW OF ANYBODY

THAT DOESN'T LIKE TRAINS IN SOME

WAY OR ANOTHER.

>> ALL THE MODEL TRAINS IN THIS

SHOW ARE G-SCALE SIZED, ONE OF

THE LARGEST TYPES OF MODEL

RAILROAD.

IT'S THE PASSION TRAIN

ENTHUSIASTS HAVE ENJOYED AS PART

OF AMERICAN CULTURE FOR MORE

THAN A CENTURY.

>> IT'S SORT OF ONE OF THOSE

HOBBIES THAT'S

MULTIGENERATIONAL.

WE SEE FAMILIES COMING,

GRANDPARENTS BRINGING GRAND

KIDS, PARENTS POINTING OUT

TRAINS TO THEIR KIDS AND THERE

IS SORT OF AN EXCITEMENT ABOUT

IT.

>> THE TRAINS RUN ALONG MORE

THAN 1,200 FEET OF TRACK,

CRISSCROSSING THE LENGTH OF MORE

THAN FOUR FOOTBALL FIELDS.

WINDING AROUND CORNERS AND

THROUGH TUNNELS AND ACROSS

TRESTLES.

PACIFIC RAILWAY RACES THROUGH

HARLEM.

THE KIDS LIKE THE NOVELTY TRAINS

LIKE THIS LADYBUG LINER.

OF COURSE, THOMAS THE TRAIN HAS

CELEBRITY STATUS.

>> THERE HE IS, THOMAS!

I CAN SEE THOMAS, MOMMY!

>> IT'S A REALLY FUN EXPERIENCE

FOR OUR VISITORS WHO COME TO SEE

THE TRAINS AND THE PLANTS AND

EVERYTHING REALLY LIT UP AND

MAGICAL.

>> IT'S A CELEBRATION OF THE

CITY, TRULY UNLIKE ANY OTHER.

AND YET THIS WONDERFUL TRADITION

ACTUALLY HAS ITS ROOTS OVER 650

MILES OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS IN

THE ROLLING HILLS OF NORTHERN

KENTUCKY.

[ PHONE RINGING ]

>> GOOD MORNING, APPLIED

IMAGINATION.

LESLIE SPEAKING.

MAY I HELP YOU?

>> THIS IS WHERE THE SHOW'S

CREATOR, PAUL BUSSE, AND HIS

COMPANY WORK ON THE UNIQUE CRAFT

THEY CALL BOTANICAL

ARCHITECTURE.

>> APPLIED IMAGINATION IS A

GROUP OF VERY CREATIVE PEOPLE

THAT CREATES THREE-DIMENSIONAL

SPACES INVOLVING TRAINS AND

MINIATURES AND PLANTS.

>> WE UTILIZE JUST ABOUT

ANYTHING WE CAN GET OUR HANDS

ON.

A WALK THROUGH THE WOODS IS NOT

THE SAME THING ANYMORE.

YOU GO UNDER THE OAK TREE AND

YOU CAN LEAN OVER AND FIND THE

PERFECT ACORN CAPS AND THE

BRANCHES IN THE TREES, YOU LOOK

AT THEM AND GO, THAT'S GOT A

NEAT CRICK.

I NEED THAT.

>> THEY LOOK FOR TEXTURE, COLOR,

SHAPE AND SIZE WHEN INTERPRETING

A BUILDING'S DETAIL.

A MODEL CAN TAKE ANYWHERE FROM A

FEW WEEKS TO SEVERAL MONTHS TO

COMPLETE, ALL DEPENDING UPON ITS

INTRICACY AND SHEER SIZE.

UNLIKE AN ARCHITECTURAL MODEL,

WHICH IS A PERFECT REPLICA OF A

BUILDING, BOTANICAL ARCHITECTURE

IS DIFFERENT.

>> I WOULD DESCRIBE BOTANICAL

ARCHITECTURE AS SCALE MODELS,

NOT NECESSARILY TO SCALE, BUT

BROUGHT DOWN TO A SIZE THAT

COINCIDES WITH WHATEVER 3-D

LANDSCAPE WE'RE PUTTING IT IN.

>> AN ILLUSIONIST THAN A MODEL

MAKER.

>> TAKE PAUL'S RENDITION OF THE

NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY.

THE REAL VERSION IS AN EARLY

20th CENTURY NEOCLASSICAL MARBLE

BUILDING, DECORATED WITH ORNATE

STONE CORNICES AND CORINTHIAN

COLUMNS, LOCATED ON FIFTH AVENUE

IN MIDTOWN MANHATTAN, THE ACTUAL

LIBRARY STANDS TWO CITY BLOCKS.

PAUL'S VERSION FOCUSES ONLY ON

THE MAIN ENTRANCE, WITH STONE

WORK MADE OF BARK AND THE ICONIC

LIONS ARE MADE OF PEAR-SHAPED

PODS.

ALL THESE MINUTE DETAILS HELP TO

CAPTURE THE ESSENCE OF THE

ACTUAL BUILDING.

IN RECENT YEARS, PAUL HAS HAD TO

TAKE A STEP BACK FROM HIS WORK

AS HE HAS BATTLED WITH THE ONSET

OF PARKINSON'S DISEASE, BUT HE

STILL IS INTIMATELY INVOLVED IN

THE PROCESS.

>> WELL, TODAY, MY PURPOSE IS TO

JUST BE AN INSPIRATION.

>> PAUL STILL REMEMBERS THAT

LIFE-CHANGING MOMENT WHEN, OVER

20 YEARS AGO, THE NEW YORK

BOTANICAL GARDEN CONTACTED HIM

TO CREATE THEIR FIRST TRAIN

SHOW.

>> I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT.

SUCH A WONDERFUL INSTITUTION.

THEY TALKED TO LITTLE OLD ME OUT

HERE IN KENTUCKY.

>> THIS IS THE INAUGURAL SHOW

PAUL CREATED FOR THE GARDEN.

IT FEATURED JUST 15 MODELS AND

FOUR TRAINS.

AS THE YEARS WENT BY, THE SHOW

GREW WITH MORE BUILDINGS AND

MORE TRAIN TRACKS, AND MORE

TRAINS.

NOT EVEN RENOVATIONS OF THE

CONSERVATORY BUILDING IN THE

EARLY '90s COULD STOP THE SHOW.

INSTEAD, THEY HELD IT OUTSIDE.

>> IT WAS BEAUTIFUL, BUT IT WAS

HARD FOR PEOPLE, YOU KNOW,

PARTLY BECAUSE THOSE WERE STILL

VERY COLD WINTERS WE WERE

HAVING.

SOME DAYS THE TRAINS WOULD BE

LIKE FROZEN IN PLACE ON THE

TRACK.

>> AT LAST COUNT THERE ARE MORE

THAN 150 MODELS IN THE GARDEN'S

COLLECTION, WHICH IS MORE THAN

THEY CAN EVEN FIT IN THE INDOOR

EXHIBITION SPACE.

>> WE FEEL LIKE WE'VE GOT A

REALLY NICE CROSS SECTION OF

SKYSCRAPERS AND MANSIONS AND

MUSEUMS AND IT'S COME TO THE

POINT WHERE WE'RE A LITTLE BIT

SQUEEZED FOR SPACE IN HERE.

>> WHICH MEANS SOME BUILDINGS

ARE SWITCHED OUT FROM YEAR TO

YEAR.

>> AND EVERY YEAR, THE SHOW

FEELS KIND OF NEW AND NEWLY

CONCEIVED AND FRESH, AND THAT'S

GREAT TO SEE.

>> EACH YEAR, IT'S AS IF THEY

BEGIN ANEW.

SETTING UP THE HOLIDAY TRAIN

SHOW IS A WEEK-LONG AFFAIR.

JUST WEEKS BEFORE THE

EXTRAVAGANZA IS TO OPEN, THE

IMAGINATION CREW ARRIVES AT THE

GARDEN ALONG WITH THE HELP OF

LOCAL ARTISTS AND BUILDERS.

THIS SMALL ARMY GETS STRAIGHT TO

WORK.

>> IT'S A LOT OF HARD WORK.

I ENJOY DOING IT EVERY YEAR.

IT'S LIKE WORKING FOR JOHNNY

APPLESEED, FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT

AND SANTA CLAUS ALL AT THE SAME

TIME.

>> FIRST, THEY HAUL THE BRIDGES

AND TRACKS OUT OF STORAGE, AND

DELIVER THEM TO THE

CONSERVATORY.

MORE THAN 1,200 FEET OF MODEL

RAILWAY TRACK IS ARRANGED IN

SECTIONS, ACCORDING TO A

PREDESIGNED LAYOUT.

EACH SECTION OF TRACK IS PIECED

TOGETHER LIKE A PUZZLE, JOINED

PERFECTLY TO ALLOW TRAINS TO RUN

SMOOTHLY.

THE CREW COMES PREPARED WITH

SPARE PARTS, KNOWING THAT THESE

TRACKS HAVE SEEN HUNDREDS OF

HOURS OF USE FROM PREVIOUS

YEARS.

THEY ASSEMBLE THE TRACKS,

REPLACING RAILROAD TIES AND

REFURBISHING JOINTS AS NEEDED.

THE MODEL TRAIN TRACKS ARE ALSO

CLEANED AND THE RAILS MUST BE

POLISHED.

>> YOU HAVE TO CLEAN THEM OFF.

THAT'S HOW THE TRAINS GET THEIR

POWER, THROUGH THE TRACK.

IF IT'S DIRTY, IT'S LIKE AN

INSULATOR AND IT WILL STOP.

SOMETIMES THEY'LL JUST RUN OVER

THIS DIRT BUT MORE OFTEN THAN

NOT, THEY WON'T.

>> NEXT, THE BRIDGES ARE HAULED

IN PIECE BY PIECE AND ASSEMBLED,

WHICH IS NO EASY FEAT.

>> ALL RIGHT.

>> WE ON?

>> YEAH, YOU'RE ON.

♪♪

>> SPACE IS A PRECIOUS COMMODITY

AND EVERY INCH COUNTS,

ESPECIALLY WHEN ALL THE PARTS

BECOME INTERCONNECTED.

DOWN AT GROUND LEVEL, THE CREW

BEGINS LANDSCAPING, INSTALLING

POOLS AND WATERFALLS, AND

TUNNELS ARE MADE FROM HOLLOWED

OUT LOGS.

IT'S AN ELABORATE PRODUCTION

THAT ALL HAPPENS IN JUST A

MATTER OF DAYS.

ONCE THE TRACKS ARE BUILT, MODEL

RAILROAD TECHNICIANS INSPECT THE

SYSTEM OF ELECTRIFIED RAILS,

WHICH POWER THE TRAINS VIA

DIRECT CURRENT.

THEY TWEAK THE CURVATURE OF THE

TRACKS.

>> OKAY.

>> AND CLEAR ANY OBSTRUCTIONS

THAT MAY LAY IN THE TRAIN'S

PATH.

>> GOING GOOD.

MUCH BETTER.

>> MEANWHILE, THE MODELS ARE

BROUGHT IN, ONE BY ONE.

AS THEY'RE LAID OUT, THEY'RE

INSPECTED FOR ANY DAMAGE FROM

LAST YEAR'S SHOW AND REPAIRS ARE

MADE ON THE SPOT.

SOME ARE NOT SO HEAVY, WHILE

OTHERS, LIKE THE MASSIVE MODEL

OF THE FLAGSHIP MACY'S STORE IN

HERALD'S SQUARE TAKES EIGHT

PEOPLE TO HANDLE.

>> IS IT ON?

>> SOME ARE PLACED IN SPECIFIC

LOCATIONS.

OR GROUPED TOGETHER, ACCORDING

TO A NEIGHBORHOOD THEME.

IT'S A COLOSSAL TEAM EFFORT FROM

START TO FINISH, WORKING

TOGETHER TO TRY TO TRANSFORM THE

CONSERVATORY INTO THE HOLIDAY

TRAIN SHOW AS WE KNOW IT.

ONCE THE MODELS ARE ALL IN PLACE

AND THE TRAINS ARE UP AND

RUNNING, THE CREW PUTS ON THE

FINISHING TOUCHES.

>> BY THE TIME WE GET DONE, IT'S

AMAZING.

WE'VE TAKEN MORE OR LESS AN

EMPTY ROOM AND TURNED IT INTO A

MENAGERIE.

>> JUST IN TIME TO KICK OFF THE

HOLIDAY SEASON, THE EXHIBITION

FINALLY OPENS ITS DOORS TO THE

PUBLIC.

>> FOR ME, THAT'S THE EXCITING

MOMENT.

IT'S JUST SO BEAUTIFUL, THAT

FIRST MOMENT WHEN THE DOORS

OPEN.

AND I'M SO PROUD OF IT.

>> YOU GET SUCH A SENSE OF

ACCOMPLISHMENT.

MY EYES GO OVER AND SAY, OH, I

DID THIS BUILDING.

OH, I DID THAT BUILDING.

IT'S JUST THE BEST TIME EVER.

>> FOR ALL THE BUZZ AND

EXCITEMENT THE SHOW CREATES, IT

ALSO PROVIDES A SPECIAL BONDING

EXPERIENCE.

>> IT'S A VERY GENTLE WAY FOR

FAMILIES TO HAVE A NICE

EXPERIENCE TOGETHER.

IT'S NOT ABOUT SHOPPING FOR THE

HOLIDAYS OR HIGH-TECH ANYTHING.

IT HAS TRANQUILITY ABOUT IT.

>> ANYTHING WE DO TOGETHER AS A

FAMILY IS EXTRA SPECIAL.

IT'S HARD TO FIND THE TIME THAT

WE ALL CAN DO SOMETHING

TOGETHER.

>> WONDER AND NEW AND

EXCITEMENT.

IT'S JUST SO MUCH FUN TO SEE IT

THROUGH HIS EYES AND SEE HIS

EXCITEMENT.

>> REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY

COME TO SEE THE BOTANICAL

ARCHITECTURE OR THE TRAINS,

VISITORS WALK AWAY WITH A

GREATER APPRECIATION FOR NEW

YORK.

>> I THINK THEY ALSO LEARN ABOUT

NEW YORK CITY, THESE PEOPLE.

THEY'RE REMINDED ABOUT OUR

CONSTELLATION, IMPORTANT

LANDMARKS HERE, WHICH IS VERY

WONDERFUL.

>> AND IN THAT CONSTELLATION OF

LANDMARKS, ONE SET OF BUILDINGS

SHINES BRIGHTLY.

>> THIS IS THE MANHATTAN SCENE

AND THE HOLIDAY TRAIN SHOW.

IT'S ONE OF THE FAVORITE SCENES

OF OUR VISITORS HERE WHEN THEY

COME TO SEE THE SHOW.

IT HAS ALL OF THEIR NEW YORK

CITY FAVORITE LANDMARKS,

INCLUDING THE GE BUILDING, ST.

PATRICK'S CATHEDRAL, THE GARDENS

AT ROCKEFELLER CENTER AND SOME

OF THE COOL PLANT PARTS INCLUDED

IN THIS DISPLAY ARE OKRA PODS,

USED AS THE DRESSES OF THE

ANGELS AT ROCKEFELLER CENTER.

CHECKING OUT THE SIGN AT RADIO

CITY, THOSE ARE MADE OUT OF

RADISH SEEDS.

ALL THOSE LITTLE RED DOTS ARE

RADISH SEEDS.

WHEN YOU TAKE A REALLY CLOSE

LOOK AT ST. PATRICK'S CATHEDRAL,

YOU CAN SEE A REAL ASSORTMENT OF

PLANT PARTS.

BECAUSE IT'S SUCH A DETAILED AND

ORNAMENTED BUILDING, YOU WOULD

NOTICE ALL THE DETAIL OF FAIRIES

AND PINE CONES AND PEA PODS AND

LEAVES.

SO PEOPLE REALLY LIKE TO GET A

CLOSE LOOK OF ALL THE DETAIL

THAT'S INCLUDED.

PEOPLE WILL SORT OF TAKE A GROUP

PICTURE RIGHT IN FRONT OF THIS

SCENE.

IT IS ONE OF THEIR FAVORITE

HOLIDAY LANDMARKS.

>> OTHER FAVORITES INCLUDE THE

APOLLO THEATER, THE WASHINGTON

SQUARE ARCH, AND THE LITTLE RED

LIGHTHOUSE UNDER THE GEORGE

WASHINGTON BRIDGE.

THE LIST GOES ON AND ON.

>> IT'S FUN.

IT'S FUN TO SEE PARENTS POINT

OUT BUILDINGS TO THE KIDS AND

THEY HAVE BEEN THERE OR THEY

RECOGNIZE THE LIONS IN FRONT OF

THE LIBRARY, OR THEY RECOGNIZE

THE MUSEUM OR THE PLANETARIUM.

>> THERE ARE ALSO MODELS OF

BUILDINGS THAT HAVE LONG SINCE

BEEN DEMOLISHED, OFFERING

VISITORS A UNIQUE GLIMPSE INTO

THE CITY'S PAST, BUILT IN THE

EARLY 1880s WITH GILDED DETAILS

AND ORNATE INTERIOR, IT WAS

UNLIKE ANYTHING NEW YORKERS HAD

EVER SEEN.

IT CAPTURES THE ESSENCE OF THE

ORIGINAL WITH CINNAMON AND

BEECHWOOD TRIM.

AND THERE'S THE ORIGINAL YANKEE

STADIUM, THE HOUSE THAT RUTH

BUILT.

>> THIS IS YANKEE STADIUM THAT

WAS BUILT IN 1923.

IT WAS THE ONE THAT WAS

DEMOLISHED IN 2010.

IT IS DEFINITELY A CROWD

FAVORITE HERE AT OUR HOLIDAY

TRAIN SHOW.

THERE'S A LOT OF DETAIL IN HERE

WITH THE FLAGS AND THE LIGHTING.

EACH OF THE LIGHT FIXTURES IS

MADE OUT OF THE CAP OF AN ACORN.

AND YOU CAN SEE ALL THE SIGNAGE

INCLUDED INSIDE, AND THE CROWD.

>> AND THEN THERE'S THE MASSIVE

20-SQUARE-FOOT REPLICA OF THE

ORIGINAL PENN STATION, A 20th

CENTURY MASTERPIECE OF THE

BOZART STYLE AND ONE OF THE LOST

ARCHITECTURAL JEWELS OF NEW YORK

CITY.

>> IT WAS BUILT IN 1910, BUT

DEMOLISHED IN 1964.

WHEN MOST PEOPLE COME UPON THIS,

THEY ARE STRUCK BY THE BEAUTY OF

THIS MODEL AND THEY STOP TO READ

THE LABEL AND THEY REALIZE IT'S

NOT THE PENN STATION THAT THEY

KNOW, THAT THIS WAS THE REAL

DEAL BEFORE IT WAS DEMOLISHED.

>> THE MODEL FEATURES OVER 100

COLUMNS MADE OF HONEYSUCKLE

BRANCHES.

MINIATURE CLOCKS ARE MADE FROM

BIRCH BARK AND SEEDS AND ARE

FLANKED WITH EAGLES, REMINDING

US OF THE NEW YORK THAT ONCE

WAS.

THERE'S ONE REPLICA THAT PAUL

BUSSE HAS MADE THAT IS A

PARTICULAR FAVORITE OF THE

GARDEN'S PRESIDENT.

>> I GUESS MY FAVORITE MODEL IS

THE MODEL OF THE CONSERVATORY.

ONE YEAR, HE SURPRISED US.

I DON'T THINK WE KNEW HE WAS

GOING TO DO IT.

HE JUST ARRIVED TO SET UP SHOW

AND HAD AN IMMENSE MODEL OF THE

CONSERVATORY ITSELF.

>> THE DELICATE MODEL WAS

CONSTRUCTED USING REEDS AS THE

BUILDING'S FRAME AND RESIN AS

THE GLASS.

>> IT WAS A PLEASANT SURPRISE.

IT WAS A BRILLIANT THING.

>> EACH MODEL HOLDS SENTIMENTAL

VALUE IN DIFFERENT WAYS AND

EVERYONE HAS THEIR OWN PERSONAL

FAVORITE.

THE SHEER ARTISTRY OF THE

BUILDINGS COMBINED WITH THE

SWIRL OF THE TRAINS AND THE JOY

OF THE HOLIDAY SEASON ARE WHAT

MAKE THIS ANNUAL TRADITION ONE

OF THE GREATEST TRAIN SHOWS IN

THE COUNTRY.

>> IT CAN ONLY HAPPEN IN NEW

YORK, IN THE WAY THAT IT

HAPPENS.

IT CAN ONLY HAPPEN IN THE HAUPT

CONSERVATORY.

>> A PLACE WHERE FAMILY MEMORIES

ARE MADE AND THE MAGIC OF THE

HOLIDAYS TRULY COMES ALIVE.

>> I THINK BACK TO WHEN I WAS A

LITTLE KID AND I WAS ALWAYS

INSPIRED BY THOSE EXPERIENCES

AND REMEMBER THEM TO THIS DAY.

AND I WOULD LOVE IF THAT

HAPPENED TO SOMEBODY ELSE.

>> AND IT'S ALL PLEASURE.

IT'S ABOUT THE TRAINS.

IT'S ABOUT THE HOLIDAYS.

IT'S ABOUT FAMILY OUTING.

IT'S ABOUT THOSE HISTORIC

BUILDINGS.

IT'S A WONDERFUL NEW YORK

TRADITION.

I HOPE WE'LL ALWAYS HAVE IT.

I THINK IT'S BEEN A GREAT THING.

>> WHAT I LOVE MOST ABOUT THE

HOLIDAY TRAIN SHOW HERE AT THE

NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN IS

THAT THERE REALLY IS SOMETHING

FOR EVERYONE.

EACH YEAR, IT GIVES VISITORS A

BREAK FROM THE EVERYDAY PACE,

IMMERSING THEM INTO THE JOYOUS

WORLD OF FANTASY AND SPARKS YOUR

IMAGINATION IN A WAY THAT MODERN

TECHNOLOGY JUST CAN'T.

MOST IMPORTANTLY, YOU CAN SHARE

THIS EXPERIENCE TOGETHER, WITH

FRIENDS AND FAMILY.

DID YOU LIKE IT?

[ ALL: YEAH ]

>> I HOPE YOU ENJOYED OUR

SPECIAL, TREASURES OF NEW YORK:

HOLIDAY TRAIN SHOW.

>>> THIS WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY

ROBERT AND VICTORIA ZOELLNER AND

ROSALIND P. WALTER.