Wilmington and Western’s Holiday Lights Express spreads Christmas cheer

In the weeks leading up to Christmas, it’s common to see families stringing lights along their front porches or setting up fiberglass reindeer in their front yards.

But in Brookmeade and other developments along the path of the Wilmington and Western Railroad, it’s the backyard decorations that get more attention.

Ten families are vying for the title of top decorator in the railroad’s holiday lights competition – and the three winners will be decided by the votes of passengers on the Holiday Lights Express.

The competition began in earnest four or five years ago, said railroad volunteer Mike Ciosek, in part to increase holiday ridership.

“Also, people have visitors who come to town this time of year and they don’t always know what to do with them,” he said.

So the railroad wanted to offer a little bit of Christmas spirit for people in search of an activity, he said, and the neighbors have really started getting into the competition.

Many have added a few more decorations each year, he said, and this year passengers can catch a glimpse of everything from flying reindeer to an army of illuminated snowmen.

While the competition can get a little stiff among a few neighbors, the decorations are all in fun, said Mike Brady, a Brookmeade resident.

“We like to let the passengers see the decorations and make their ride a little more enjoyable,” he said.

That’s not to say it’s easy to string up decorations in the back yard, he said.

Brady, who has come in second place for the past two years, put up a dozen snowmen and several large light displays in his yard and along his fence and deck.

It takes a while to put it all up and the display requires a few hundred feet of extension cords, he said, but it’s worth it because his two daughters, Lindsey and Rachel, really enjoy watching the train pass their lit up backyard.

Seeing the glowing train is enough to get anyone in the Christmas spirit, said Brookmeade resident Kathy Schultz.

“We always wave to the train when it comes by,” she said. “I have a stack of Christmas hats sitting next to the door.”

She and her husband, Bill, have decorated their backyard for 10 years, but she said she’s especially proud of the Christmas tree she made out of hanging lights, just like the trees at Longwood Gardens.

It’s more about having fun than competing, she said, and the backyard light displays are a great way to bring the neighborhood together.

But the holiday lights aren’t confined to backyards -- the train itself is a light display. Wilmington and Western volunteers decorate the 1929 Doodlebug train with more than 5,000 colorful bulbs, a task that takes more than a week to complete, Ciosek said.

And as the train prepared to depart on a holiday lights tour, a dozen families stopped to admire the lights and take a few pictures with the train before boarding.

With a sharp blast of the whistle, the glowing train pulled away from the station.

As the train approached the first group of lit houses, Hockessin resident Michael McDermott’s three children watched with their noses almost against the glass windows.

“It’s really a special time of year to be out, especially in the snow,” he said.

The only challenge was choosing the light display they liked the best, he said.

Highlands resident Claire Leung and her 2-year-old son, Kieran, settled on House 5 as their favorite – the Schultz’s residence.

“We picked the perfect day to do this,” she said, watching more lights roll past. “The snow makes it picture-perfect.”