Planning

• 1). Budget enough time in advance to plan thematic specifics of your party. Budget time, also, to gather, make, purchase and organize any theme-related items you will display or, if planning an actual railway outing for your party, to acquire the necessary tickets or passes for the outing. Plan enough time after you have refined a theme to send invitations and allow an RSVP interval between invitation receipt and date of the party.
  
  
• 2). Determine the setting. Fundamentally, you have three choices: hold the party on a actual railroad trip, in a building that has a railroad association such as a railroad museum or former railroad station that now houses something like a restaurant with function rooms or in your own home. For those held other than at home, look into the options available in your locality.
  
  
• 3). Determine the scope of your railroad-themed party. While self-created decor can exist for an actual on-the-rails party, likely you will need minimal such decor in that instance. The setting itself serves as your decor if you offer an party involving an actual railway excursion. For home or function room settings, consider approaching displays in terms of subthemes. Display, for example, a progression of historical to modern train engines, different engines from a single decade, steam locomotives only or examples of different train types such as overnight excursion trains, commuter rail trains and freight trains. Consider adding further railroad-themed decor such as photos, models or artwork of railroad bridges, railroad tunnels or railroad landmarks.
  
  
• 4). Consider, particularly for parties held at home or at a rented facility, adding creative touches to your railroad-themed party. Plan, for example, to include an enacted, railroad-associated mystery. Devise a decor, such as decorating the walls of rooms in your house or sections of a function room with artwork representing train windows and a view out of those windows that encourages engaging in such an activity. Set up various rooms in your house to represent railroad cars such as a dining car, passenger cars and perhaps freight cars or a caboose.
  
  
• 5). Send invitations soon after you have determined on the party's setting and thematic scope. Add a nice touch to invitations for parties held at home or at a function hall by including an imitation "train ticket" that you, acting as conductor, can punch to admit each guest at arrival.
  
  
• 6). Acquire or construct, as necessary, the decor you have planned for an at-home or function hall setting. Arrange the bookings for a party that involves an actual railroad trip in sufficient time beforehand to obtain tickets or passes for each guest.