Macy's Christmas Trains?

Question: Does Macy's still have a large model train display at Christmas and is it worth making the trip to see?  

YEs. It's in Santa Land. You can do a Search on NYC holiday walking tour thread on this forum and find pics of the layouts in the past. I am sure Skip Natoli will chime in on this thread. Other sites to see- if you have some walking legs are:

• Visit to Penn Station and watch real passenger trains move in and out of the station via the LIRR overhead walkway[with it's big panoramic windows!]
• Visit Grand Central Terminal and see real trains as well as the Transit museum that will have a Lionel holiday display as well. 
• Finally, if you still have time and stamina, you can walk up to FAO Schwarz TOY store- but go inside via the MAdison Ave entrance and NOT the 5th ave entrance because the lines are rediculously LONG!

The NYC holiday walking tour thread has it all.  My son and I are going to do it in early December.  The train takes us from home right to Penn Station.  A day of shopping would want to make me jump in front of a train, but a day of toy train watching, that we can do easily.  New Yawk is a fascinating city.

Take the F train from Manhattan to Brooklyn. The subway becomes the elevated ("EL") as it enters Brooklyn. GREAT views from both sides! Get off at Ditmas Avenue. Go down to street level and visit [the late Peter Bianco's] Trainworld at 745 McDonald Avenue. That store alone is worth a trip to NYC.

Visit www.trainworld.com for details.

P.S.: Because of the view from the EL and the clattering of trains overhead from street level, your sister would enjoy that trip, too.

Be sure to walk on the sidewalk and enjoy Macy's traditional window displays. They tell a different story every Christmas season.

Rockefeller Plaza is near Macy's, too. A towering Christmas tree sets the mood. The famous ice skating rink there is open to the public. Lots of places to eat inside. Go there after dark (around 5:00 PM in December).

The TODAY show on NBC broadcasts from Rockefeller Plaza. They usually cover the arrival, setting up, and decoration of that towering Christmas tree.

Another option is to ask your sister to take Amtrak's CRESCENT, CAROLINIAN, PIEDMONT, SILVER STAR or SILVER METEOR to NYC and set your own schedule.

Will many of these displays be set up just after thanks giving?

Was going to make the trip to go for the Thanksgiving day parade then do the noted walking tour on Black Friday!

Or are they only set up in December?

The Botanical Garden offer his annual Holiday Train Show...busy as ****...but so nice..would not mind going back to see it.

http://www.nybg.org/exhibition...train-show/index.php

The Lionel layout in Grand Central is great and it is free. And walking around Central as a train buff and/or foodie is just as good, ie: a slice of Juniors Cheesecake. You can see real heavy duty intense passenger railroading that is unlike ANYWHERE is the US. Take the 42nd street shuttle or even ride up to the Bronx to the Botanical Garden train display, about 18 minutes via Metro-North. Now as a New Yorker who just read that someone from N.C. has no desire to ever come here, up yours and stay in the boonies!

Thanks for all the replies there's no way to pack all of this into one day.  But I'm gonna try!

ReadingFan: Amtrak would be a good idea but if we picked the Piedmont we'll never get any father than north Raleigh, NC.  Just picking at you.

Cincytrains: Grand Central is a definite must .  "up yours and stay in the boonies!" now that's just what I've come to expect from yous guys.  Actually its not just NYC I don't care for any of the big cities "take Manhattan just give me that country side!"

Thanks again everyone!

THERE'S a Noo Yawk travel agent!

Think of it as a practice run.

Steve;

As a former New Yorker, I can tell you that not everybody is like Cincytrains.  Having lived the country life style, I can understand your feelings.  But I will tell you this - NYC is still one of the greatest places in the world to visit.  I don't live there anymore and don't want to but still like to visit. 

Oh, and another thing - New Yorkers have the undeserved reputation of being unfriendly.  It's just that they live such a fast paced life, they don't have time to stop and chat.  When they do, they talk your ear off like you're old friends.

So, make the trip, enjoy it for what it is and tell people like Cincytrains to go p*** up a rope and watch it rust.

Steve, From where in NC and when is this trip planned?

Several years ago while living in Charlotte took a one day flight to NYC at Christmas Time, was a fantastic day to be in NYC.

If I didn't know Cincytrains, I would think he was serious.  But, you guys have covered the answer nicely. I would add that in order to see the Santa Land layout at Macy's, you have to actually go into Santa Land. If the trip is on the weekend in December, there may be a significant line. The earlier you get there, the better off you'll be. I've had to wait up to an hour and a half on the weekends. Weekdays the line is still there but generally not more than a half hour to 45 minutes.

There is no line at the Grand Central layout. People can usually spend as much time as they want with no hassle.

Both the Macy's layout and the Grand Central layout were built by TW Design and feature Lionel Trains. They are both unique and inspiring.

There is nothing quite like New York City during the Holiday Season. Walking 5th Avenue from 34th St. to 59th St., with a stop at Rockefeller Center, will put you in the Holiday Spirit for sure.