C7 size incandescent bulbs will light the buildings of Plasticville, just as they did when my father put up the train every Christmas. With the advent of LED lighting, C7 bulbs are becoming very hard to find. These should last a while though, and I have a stock of backups.

The buildings are a simple snap-together type. They typically consist of four walls and a roof that helps square them up with an occasional chimney or other small drop-in or snap-on detail. The most complex structure I own is the farm house near the far corner, and is made up of 14 individual pieces.

The only pre-assembled structure is the church at the right. All that is required is to drop the steeple in place. The church originally had a music box mechanism inside, which was removed after its spring broke and has since been lost.

This model train set has been in my family since 1951 when my father began setting it up annually at Christmas time. I have been carrying on that tradition for my children and now for my grandchildren. These are the steps it takes to assemble every year.