Model trains circling a Christmas tree have a timeless nostalgia. But for some, including members of the Vero Beach Model Railroaders, the appeal lasts all year, with trains chugging away indoors and even outside.
Judging from the attendance at an inaugural Family Day With Trains hosted by the Railroaders at the Indian River County Main Library, many would agree. Young and old were equally enthralled, as children were introduced to miniature worlds, while older folks enjoyed a sentimental glimpse back to their childhoods.
On display were a mix of model trains, which are designed to replicate actual trains, and toy trains, built for durability and basic play.
“They go from the Lionel that everybody’s familiar with, and then they go bigger and smaller.
Lionels are called O-Scale; that’s the size,” said Chris Caldwell, who coordinated the event.
Smaller trains include HO-scale, standing for half O; N-scale, for the 9-millimeter track they run on; and Z-scale, the smallest, named for the last letter in the alphabet. The largest trains are G-scale for Garden, which can run outdoors in all kinds of weather.
“I’ve got a garden railroad in the backyard that’s 20 feet long and 5 feet wide. And in the house, I’ve got antique Lionel trains from before World War II,” said Caldwell.
Many train enthusiasts, including Caldwell, received their first train sets as Christmas presents.
He said the hobby was also educational, teaching children about electricity, derailments and troubleshooting mechanical problems.
“Then we discovered girls, and that stuff went into boxes for a long time. Later, when you have kids, you pull it back out again. And now we’re at this age, and it’s a hobby; it’s a pleasure,” said Caldwell.
The displays ranged from simple setups to elaborate miniature towns, complete with detailed buildings, people, animals, cars and trees. One was even multi-leveled with tunnels. Additionally, a Lionel 0 ‘Bump and Go’ version – the train reverses when the bumper touches something – showed that it could, for instance, be placed on a fireplace mantel.
A freight car switch challenge exhibited how cars could be switched to different trains and tracks; a four-piece display showed a set’s progression from plain plywood to a full town; and a T-Trak modular system demonstrated how layouts can expand with added pieces.
Some colorful pre-World War II O trains were modeled after the M-10000, an early American Union Pacific Railroad passenger train.
“They’re made out of medal; heavy, substantial, not the lightweight plastic that we have now in the train world. But these were toys first. They’re not realistic, accurate models,” said Caldwell.
Each manufacture made their version, including some for private catalog labels, such as JCPenney and Sears.
“It was either their effort to be more realistic or to be more price conscious. Lionel is the standard that everybody always wanted, but not everybody could afford it,” said Caldwell.
He said there are only three train stores in all of Florida, but there are large shows, such as one at the Azan Shriners Center in Melbourne, where people can buy and sell trains, which range in price based on age, condition and collectability.
At this show, some attendees came with boxes of their own treasured keepsakes, hoping to learn their value.
They were assisted by train expert and historian Jerry Groothouse, whose family has Florida railroad ties back to the 1880s.
“I have probably the largest collection of FEC memorabilia in the world,” said Groothouse, who brought a small sampling of his collection.
Caldwell is also involved in Operation Lifesaver, a public education nonprofit dedicated to promoting safety around real life railroad tracks. Across the country, he said, crossings have blue and white Emergency Notification System signs with phone numbers to call with issues, so the railroad knows the specific crossing number.
The event was so well received another is planned for Saturday, Nov. 28, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Indian River County Main Library. The group doesn’t have a website but can be found on Facebook.
Photos by Joshua Kodis
