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PLAINS TWP. — Model train lovers and railroad enthusiasts of all ages attended an open house hosted by he Hudson Model Railroad Club to see displays set up for the holidays.
“I’ve always wanted to see what it’s all about,” said Joe Fedorchak, who visited the exhibit for the first time. “I said that I was going to come for years. I’m glad I went.”
Fedorchak, 53, of Nanticoke, was impressed by the different landscapes and scenes the trains traveled through.
“You can tell that a lot of work went into this,” he observed. “This is perfect for people of all ages. It brings me back to when I was a kid, I always had two trains running.”
David Balko, 30, of Clarks Summit, who serves as the club’s vice president of track, said the club tries to change one or two scene’s each year to give attendees an opportunity to see something new.
“We have at least 1o trains with about 40 cars per train,” said Balko. “If you do the math we have over 400 train cars. They all come from members of our club.”
The club that boasts approximately 30 members from Northeastern Pennsylvania and the Binghamton area was founded in 1980, but has called its location on 97 Martin St., home since 1982.
While the event was totally free, the club functions on membership dues and donations. The funds are used to upgrade and add to the club’s various displays, according to Balko.
Balko said one of his favorite parts about holding open houses is seeing the reactions of the children that come.
“Sometimes kids are so excited they run all over trying to chase the trains,” he said. “Sometimes the adults act like the children.”
Brad and Luke Bendowski, of Mountain Top, stopped in to view the trains and landscapes.
“We came because we saw the event posted on Facebook,” Brad said. “I had metal train sets as a kid that are very similar to the one’s here today.”
He added: “Just seeing the detail and overall size of these displays is a testament to the people that want to carry on this type of history.”
Luke, 5, enjoyed seeing the large Assembly of train cars moving along the track, as well as the real-life scenery they traveled through.
“Every year we work more and more on our layout,” a statement on Hudson Model Railroad Club Open House flyer said. “Countless numbers of hours go into making a layout standout against the norm. We take this time every year to share our work, our passion, and our hobby with you.”
The open house runs through Jan. 6. For times and days, visit HudsonModelRailroad.org or follow Hudson Model Train Club on Facebook.
