Model Trains

Model Railway Exhibitions – Fun for All Ages   by Jim Hardwick

People from all walks of life come to model railway exhibitions. It’s interesting to watch the faces of those new to model Train Layouts getting their first look at these impressive setups. Whether you are new to models or a long time enthusiast, large displays continue to be a public draw.

Some exhibitions are side attractions for other events, but many last for long runs, some even permanently. The largest such attraction is in Hamburg, Germany, and it is called Miniature Wonderland. The large warehouse is sectioned off in areas that display systems from the primary train countries of the world.

An American exhibit in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is open almost every day of the year. Volunteers change the sets out occasionally, but the themes are from the early days of the railroads in and around Pittsburgh. The sets stick closely to actual places just as they existed in that bygone era.

There is a lot of interest in live steam Trains and their exhibitions can be found in several areas of the United States and other countries. These exhibits are usually trains that carry people, and they come in several scales. One such place is Train Mountain Railroad in Oregon, where twenty-five miles of track run through Crater Lake National Park. The trains are in a 1/8 scale.

Train Mountain was listed in the 2006 Guinness Book of World Records as the largest hobby railroad in the world. Train Mountain Railroad Museum is a non-profit dedicated to the preservation of the American train heritage.

It’s probably not surprising that Walt Disney loved trains. His uncle was a conductor when Walt was a child, and this influenced all of Disney’s endeavors from Disneyland, to Disney World, to his cartoons and live action movies.

It was not highly publicized, but Disney was a tinkerer with live steam Model Trains. He furnished rides to children in his own back yard where he kept his train. Much of the work of upkeep and improvements to the train were accomplished by Disney in his free time.

Another person well known for other things is a true model enthusiast. Neil Young, more noted for a harmonica and guitar, was one of the owners of Lionel Trains some years ago, and he maintains a large exhibition of the popular model at his ranch. His scenery is comprised of items found on his ranch to keep it all natural.

Other people of note are presently, or have been, Model Train lovers and some have public exhibitions of their own. It is not a fair assumption that no one is interested in trains anymore. There still seems to be plenty of places to find exhibits and people keep attending.

Model railway exhibitions are here to stay, for the time being anyway, and there are plenty of train enthusiasts eager to attend or display their trains at these events. Most all of us are kids at heart when it comes to model trains.

About the Author

I’m Jim Hardwick, lifetime lover of model trains and railroading. Check out my website http://www.modeltrainmastery.com for lots of interesting articles about model railway exhibitions, including a FREE mini-course on Model Railroading.
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