MTH: 30-72248 Merry Christmas Gondola with Lighted Snowmen 'Green' O Gauge The name “gondola” actually predates railroads. In the early 1800s, utilitarian flat-bottomed boats with low sides, used to transport coal down the Potomac River to the Washington D.C. area, were called gondolas as a spoof on the much fancier Venetian gondolas. Similarly shaped coal-carrying cars on early railroads earned the same moniker. As more specialized cars were invented for coal service, the gondola evolved into the general-purpose car it is today. These Christmas-inspired cars are certainly no coal haulers! Brightly painted and adorned with body-clad LED Christmas Lights, each car contains lighted Snowmen that blink and change colors whenever they're switched on. These are certain to be real attention getters on your Holiday Christmas Garden!