“Here it comes,” says Max Moulton, 7, front, to Ethan Pulk, 8, as a model train comes around the bend at the Great Falls Model Railroad Club on Mill Street in Auburn on Saturday afternoon. The best friends from Auburn have been coming to the club’s ExTRAINaganza since they were toddlers. The fun for all ages continues Sunday and next weekend from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information: greatfallsmodelrrclub.org. (Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal)
AUBURN — In one room of the Great Falls Model Railroad Club display Saturday, tiny trains chugged along beneath three merrily decorated Christmas trees.
In another room, all four seasons were depicted, and slightly bigger trains circled miniature snow banks, tiny piles of autumn leaves, and green, dusty lumber yards. Downstairs was a cavern of railroads, surrounding the train-lovers walking within.
This year marks the ninth annual ExTRAINaganza, and children and adults alike wandered throughout the tiny tracks, decorated cookies, played train-themed games, and of course, learned a lot about trains.
Club Secretary Paul Lodge said the club gives members an opportunity to be recognized for the variety of skills required for model train-building.
Some, Lodge said, are interested in the engineering and electrical aspect — setting up the low-voltage current that runs through the tracks and powers the trains, while others enjoy the artistic aspect — building the intricate wooden bridges and painting the scenes and trains.
According to Dick Clark, a member of the club for over 30 years, there is a spectrum of devotion for club members.
“On one end, there’s the rivet counters — people who literally count the rivets to make sure their model is exact, down to the last detail, and on the other end there’s the ones who just like watching the trains go around,” Clark said.
The club also has a youth group, which Lodge said “encourages (a love of trains) to stay alive.”
The youths who attended the ExTRAINaganza on Saturday were certainly keeping train love alive.
Cameron Bradbury, 10, of Auburn, attends the event every year, and his mother, Crystal Bradbury, said he “absolutely loves trains.” He spent most of his time at the event downstairs, where club member Travis Johnson was letting him be the engineer of a flat black train.
“Does it have a horn?” Bradbury asked Johnson, as he clutched the train remote control and watched with wide-eyed fascination as Johnson tweaked the speed of another train.
Gabby Swanson, 4, of Auburn, rode on the Amtrak for the first time this summer, and her grandmother, Louise Eldridge, said it was “the best day of her life.” Ever since, her grandmother said, she’s been interested in trains.
Clark’s love of trains began early, too. In second grade, he rode a steam train from North Leeds to Livermore with his class.
“That’s what really got me started,” he said.
ExTRAINaganza will continue today and next weekend from 10 a.m to 4 p.m, at the club on Mill Street.
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Danika Ratford, 10, foreground, and her sister Bria, 6, check out one of the dozens of working layouts at the Great Falls Model Railroad Club in Auburn Saturday afternoon during the club’s annual ExTRAINaganza that continues Sunday and all next weekend from 10-4. For more information, visit the club’s website at:greatfallsmodelrrclub.org (Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal)
Jordan Obie, 3, left and his brother Benjamin, 1, play with a model train set at the Great Falls Model Railroad Club in Auburn on Saturday afternoon. (Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal)
Max Moulton, 7, left, and Ethan Pulk, 8, watch a model train come around the bend at the Great Falls Model Railroad Club on Mill Street in Auburn on Saturday afternoon. The best friends from Auburn have been coming to the ExTRAINaganza since they were toddlers. The fun for all ages continues Sunday and next weekend from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information:greatfallsmodelrrclub.org. (Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal)
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