Love of model trains easy to understand

After a recent dinner at the home of friends, the hosts invited their guests to take a peek at their model trains.

We descended the basement stairs, and there, on a wooden platform, was an astonishing scene. This couple had re-created scenes from his native Europe in the the postwar years. Trains chugged on two levels — through mountain tunnels, around a town with stone bridges and quaint buildngs, and out into the countryside.

He focuses on the infrastructure and electronics, the bells and whistles if you will. She enhances the streetscape by “aging” the structures and placing the tiny plants and people just so.

Many scenes remind them of moments shared when they — and their love — were young.

What is it about railroading that so captivates people?

Today in 816, writer Rick Hellman gives you an idea. You will meet model railroaders who are drawn by a love of precision and history.

Although trains certainly evoke images of the past, I hope they will continue to have a place in our future. Not just for their panache, but for their efficiency, too.

This story was originally published March 12, 2014 at 5:27 PM with the headline "Love of model trains easy to understand."