Model trains exhibit at Science Museum

Explore a miniature circus with so much detail it almost seems real. Look for a tiny New England wood chopping operation. Think Aloha at a model train layout devoted to Hawaii. Help a little man put up a billboard. Check out small cities, towns, villages and rural areas in scales to match the trains that […]

November 25, 2008; 2:31 PM • by FTRea

It’s all at the 31st Annual RF&P Model Railroad Show at the Science Museum of Virginia, Fri., Nov. 28,-Sat., Nov. 29, 9:30 a.m.-7 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 30, 11:30 a.m.-5 p.m.

Peer inside buildings and look for details. While you’re there meet the model city’s creator — 13-year old Ian Hemingway. He’s been honing his talent since he was first allowed to build with regular size plastic blocks.

That’s about the same time a plastic block company came out with electric trains. He’s been designing and creating layouts ever since.

Look for Dr. Bob Singer. He’s a retired neurosurgeon who has created an HO-scale circus with intricate detail. He’s especially proud of his trolley that runs through his layout. See the elephant that towers over the rest? That’s Jumbo the Great. He’s fashioned after the real Jumbo – a huge elephant P. T. Barnum bought from the London Zoo and brought to his circus in the 1880s.

Take a trip to the country with scale modelers from Richmond Area Ntrak. Those covered bridges are part of an N-scale Lake Moose scene. The New England portrayal is complete with a small wood chopping operation.

If you’re a model rail devotee you may think the Clinchfield Railway layout presented by David Fugate looks familiar. This restored display was originally built for Model Railroader Magazine in 1979. It’s a classic.

Keep an eye out for a pink building and palm trees. That’s a sure sign you’ve found Dave Conyers’ Hawaiian layout. His O-scale trains depict a fictional Honolulu, but that pink building is a miniature version of the real Royal Hawaiian Hotel.

Ask the Virginia Piedmont and Central HO Model Railroaders how they created their layout’s new waterfront and lumber mill.

If you want to get in on the action, stop by the Atlantic Coast S-Gauge trains. These enthusiasts have American Flyer trains that include buttons you can push to make cows awaiting transport move around a pen or blow the train whistle. There’s even a button to push to help a little plastic man paste up a billboard.

Looking for a special train piece to take home? Train Town Toy and Hobby has set up shop with trains and accessories for sale. Find out more about Richmond’s rail history in books at Shop4Science.

The 31st Annual RF&P Model Railroad Show is sponsored by the Richmond Freelance and Prototype Model Railroaders Club and the Science Museum of Virginia. The RF&P Model Railroad Show is included with Science Museum exhibit admission. Tickets are $9 for youth ages 4-12, seniors 60+ and active military and $10 for adults 13-59.

For Science Museum information call (804) 864-1400 or 1-800-659-1727, or click here. The Science Museum is located at 2500 W. Broad St.

–The information above was provided by Nancy Tait at the Science Museum.