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Public
Employee Press Trainloads
of fun
By
DIANE S. WILLIAMS
Under the gigantic palm fronds and 20-foot tall banana
trees of The New York Botanical Gardens conservatory lies a twinkling cityscape
filled with handcrafted replicas of New York landmarks in miniature crafted by
architect Paul Busse from pinecones, twigs, dried fruit and flowers, resin and
hot glue.
Like Santa and his helpers, Busse and his team bring trainloads
of joy to New Yorkers at the annual display. The Holiday Train Show at the Haupt
Conservatory blends the exotic horticulture of Australia and South Asia with toy
trains and Busses architectural imaginings of Christmas in New York. Each
year he adds several new landmark replicas to the growing collection.
Members
of DC 37s Quasi-Public Employees Local 374 the Attendant Guards,
Gardeners, Custodial Assistants, Maintainers and their supervisors and others
install the seasonal exhibit. In a Bronx conservatory already blossoming
with exotic flora and hanging vines, the workers plant flowers and greenery, polish
trains, swab moisture from 1,200 feet of train track and protect the exhibit.
This years display was on view from Nov. 23 through Jan 11 at the largest
botanical garden in the United States.
Toddlers become giants as a dozen toy trains, trolleys
and butterfly cabooses dart past the twig replicas of St. Patricks Cathedral,
Brooklyns Pierrepoint Street townhouses, Manhattan mansions and the famous
department stores of Fifth Avenue. The Lilliputian locomotives loop around wishing
wells and visitors whisper their hopes for the New Year. Horns toot and bells
clang as the trains crisscross the Brooklyn, Manhattan, Verrazano and Hells
Gate bridges and breeze by Yankee Stadium to the delight and amazement of awestruck
children and adults.
Theres not a dead leaf to be found among the
hundreds of hothouse plants and trees scrupulously maintained and hand-watered
daily by the hardworking members of Local 374.
Our members do an
outstanding job arranging and maintaining this display, said Local 374 President
Cuthbert Dickenson. During the 2008-09 holiday season, this cultural
exhibit drew about 175,000 visitors to The New York Botanical Garden. Although
the train show is one of many public cultural attractions that generate millions
of dollars each year for our city, it may be in jeopardy because of proposed state
budget cuts. | |