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A model train making its way around the base of the Christmas tree is about as American as hot dogs, baseball and apple pie - and this year Eric Freeland of Windsor Heights is spreading that brand of holiday cheer to a few local businesses.

Calling Freeland a model train aficionado may be an understatement. He claims to have one of the biggest garden railroads on the East Coast in his backyard on Windy Hill Road with more than a half-mile of track and dozens of bridges, tunnels and waterways covering nearly an acre.

Freeland's work can be seen in and around the Friendly City at several locations this holiday season, with smaller-scale displays at Nicky's Garden Center in Woodsdale, Ace Hardware in Warwood and Marquee Cinemas at The Highlands. A larger outdoor train set will be at Nicky's permanently, he said.

Earlier this year, Freeland build an 8-foot by 8-foot set and took it to various nursing homes and retirement centers for the residents' enjoyment.

Each September, he holds an open house where he and about 1,200 of his closest friends spend the better part of two days playing conductor.

Freeland said he has been building elaborate model train sets for about six years.

"It's just kind of a hobby that got out of control, like a lot of them do," he said.

As for why Americans are so fascinated with model trains - according to Freeland it is still the world's biggest hobby despite more modern distractions like video games - he said it is a number of things, not the least nostalgia for days gone by.

"Trains are certainly something that's Christmas, Americana," Freeland said. "Every kid probably thought they would be a locomotive engineer at one point or another. It's pretty tough to find a guy that doesn't like trains."

Freeland, who is a sales manager for Bridgeport Equipment, said his "hobby" has almost turned into another full-time job. Along with John Kirchner and Chuck Horvath, both of Moundsville, Freeland builds elaborate train sets for clients all over the tri-state area - including one scenic wonderland he created for a St. Clairsville businessman that almost fills an entire basement.

He said he gets "tremendous satisfaction" upon completing a set and watching it run for the first time, though he acknowledged a bit of sadness as each project comes to an end, some of which take months to complete.

"To me, the joy's in the construction of it, the building," Freeland said. "If it's not fun, you probably shouldn't be doing it."

Freeland said his train-building hobby even led to him getting his current job. He met Bridgeport Equipment owner Tom Knight when he said his visits to the T&K Hobby Shop - the largest model train store in Ohio, also owned by Knight - became almost a daily occurrence.

"They got tired of seeing me so they decided to put me on the payroll," he joked.