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Intricate, imaginative displays are key to the model-train magic.
With the clatter of wheels on track and whistles that warm the heart, it's a perfect time to take in the train show. |
by Tierney McAfee
Locust Grove resident Jim Kerley received his first model train from his father on the day he was born. Fifty-nine years later, his love for model trains abounds--he is president of Rappahannock Model Railroad Club and proprietor of Locust Grove Trains.
"I kept an interest in trains all through my life. It's in your blood," Kerley said. "And once I started a family, I really got back into it again."
Current train fans--and those looking to get back on track for the holidays--can get their cabooses in gear and go to the railroad club's ninth annual Model Train Display and Show this weekend.
Kerley says the show is the perfect way to get in the holiday spirit, because it often evokes a sense of nostalgia for many baby boomers who woke to the whistles of their train sets on Christmas morning.
"The sight, the sound and the smells trigger a memory for somebody who might have had a train layout when they were younger," Kerley said. "People like it because they really miss what they had in their youth. You see these trains operating now and you're captured again by the same thrill you had as a child."
But Kerley says those who aren't train savvy will still appreciate the display, which will feature festive operating trains, many with built-in sound effects and smoke.
"They're beautiful to watch," he said. "They're like little pieces of art going around."
According to Kerley, this will be the club's biggest show ever, with six layouts of different sizes running and about 1,000 train items for viewers to enjoy. They are expecting a couple of thousand people over the two-day period.
Kerley says some of the displays at the show will be interactive. Those who attend will be allowed to use the remote-control system to speed the train up, slow it down, blow the whistle and ring the bell. Children will also be permitted to operate the trains under supervision.
"Children get pretty excited when they come in and see all this running," he said. "And they're even more thrilled when they realize they can take part in it."
The club will be supported by local merchants from Locust Grove Trains, Quilts 'n Treasures--which will provide souvenirs, face painting and more for the little ones--and Smith Thompson, which will provide door prizes and train-related souvenirs.
The club will also sell raffle tickets for a Lionel "Harry Potter" Train Set, modeled after the train in the Harry Potter book series.
Several train vendors will also attend the event, with representations of all manufacturers and periods for those interested in getting into the hobby or for existing operators who want to add to their train layouts.
The Rappahannock Model Railroad Club meets monthly in its clubhouse, and promotes and caters to the continuing interest in model trains. Established in 1996, the club has a membership of 40 active members, ranging in age from 16 to 75.
"Everybody in our club has some kind of love and fascination with railroading," Kerley said. "It's something that's deep set in you that you never change."
Kerley said some train-lovers enjoy model trains because they are representative of real trains.
"Model trains downsize their fascination of the real ones to the size they can be associated with personally," Kerley said. "It allows [people] to create their own world of railroading. Everyone who has a model train layout is president of their own railroad."
One of the club's other missions is participating in charitable events for organizations such as Hospice and Hope House.
"We are happy to donate our time and layout to help them attract more visitors and support the purpose of their mission," Kerley said.
Kerley said the club strives to keep the love of trains alive in future generations. He believes the upcoming show will help promote their cause.
"We want to be able to interact with our children and be able to continue our own passion for trains," he said. "We're just trying to keep the enthusiasm up."
| What: The Rappahannock Model Railroad Club's ninth annual Model Train Display and Show
When: Saturday, Dec. 8, Where: National Guard Cost: $5 for adults and $1 |
