Open house draw fans of model railroads

Open house draw fans of model railroads

By ELISE McKEOWN SKOLNICK

VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT

AUSTINTOWN — The chance to see miniature trains climbing miniature mountains and gliding by miniature people, buildings and cars drew kids and adults to the Youngstown Model Railroad Association’s open house.

The club hosts the event “so that we can share our hobby with the rest of the city,” said Chuck Willett, member of YMRA.

It also serves as a fundraiser for the association.

Members of the association have spent the last 31 years filling the sanctuary and bottom floor of the former Four Mile Run Christian Church with trains, bridges, mountains, ponds, houses, churches, and other details of the American landscape.

The lower floor contains HO-scale models, which are smaller than the O-scale trains in the former sanctuary on the upper level.

A portion of the lower level display includes a replica of downtown Youngstown in the late 1950s, Willett said.

The lower level display also includes an amusement park, complete with a twirling carousel, Ferris wheel, bumper cars and other rides. It’s a favorite of kids, Willett noted.

The club members are working on a steel-mill complex, also on the lower level. It won’t be an exact replica of the steel mills in this area at any one point in time, Willett said.

The upstairs portion replicates typical scenes for this area but not any specific place.

There seems to be something new every time she visits the display, said Morgan Horne, 10, of Girard.

“I like to see the settings and see the trains go,” she said. “And to see all the different sizes [of trains].”

Her favorite area is the amusement park.

“I think it’s pretty neat. Everything’s really detailed,” said her grandfather, Chuck Horne. “They put a lot of work into this, and we really appreciate it. We try and come down here every year.”

The layouts stay in place all year.

“We’re constantly adjusting, cleaning,” Willett said. “Normally. What we do now, between now and March the first, we play. We don’t build anything; we just bring trains down and play.”

During that time they’re also making plans for what they want to accomplish before the next open house.

The YMRA was started in 1957. It’s been at its current location on the corner of Raccoon Road and Four Mile Run Road since 1978. The group has 41 members.

The open house continues today and Dec. 5-6, from noon to 6 p.m.