Model Train Show Fascinates Young and Old

In a gathering room of the Pearl River United Methodist Church this weekend, an O-Guage Union Pacific diesel engine pulled a line of tank cars along a 40 foot straightaway section of Hi-rail track.

Six year-old Connor Russell of Orangeburg weaved in and around other spectators as he follows the model train around a curve as it heads back in the opposite direction.  

Today, and over the next two weekends, the Bergen County Model Railroad Club will continue to entertain hundreds of visitors with its annual display of model trains. Four separate layouts complete with full scenery shows off the club members' passion for the hobby, displaying trains from all eras and several different gauges.

As children of all ages delight in the sight of more than 20 trains running all around them, Herb Klaus, a club member originally from Spring Valley keeps watch on two subway trains as they cruise past a model cityscape.  

"I come up from Florida just for this" he says as one of the subway trains stops at the platform.  Ava Pelliccio, 3, of Nanuet and her sister Gianna, 5, stare through plexiglas as a Shay steam locomotive pulls logs on flat cars across a steel trestle bridge.  

Ex-president of the club, Thomas Quinlan of Pearl River operates the transformers as he controls two large standard gauge tinplate trains winding throughout a large mountainside alpine village layout.

 "I'm still a kid" says the spry senior as a group of children point and smile as the train comes out of a tunnel in the mountain.  

When it comes to toy trains, aren't we all?  The show is open to the public with a $5 admission charge for adults and $2 for children (12 and under) and runs today, Feb. 21, from noon-5 pm, Feb. 26 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Feb. 27 from noon-5 p.m., Mar. 5 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Mar. 6 from noon-5 p.m.

More information can be found at the club's website at: www.bcmrrc.com

Download the movie