Behind Every Project There Lies a Story And A Dream
Kings Point Model Railroad Club
As a retired senior with plenty of free time and years of hands-on experience in electronics and home remodeling, joining a model railroad club was an easy decision for me. Not only would I learn about model railroading, but I would also be encouraged to use my past experience to improve the existing layout. For fifteen years, the club provided me with a venue to showcase my artistic talents, along with the encouragement and freedom to carry out the many projects I presented to them. I found there to be so many intangible benefits that kept me up at night thinking about them.
Probably the most important benefit I experienced over the years was enjoying the expressions on the faces of young children as they realized they could control the train as if they were engineers. Then there were the adults, excitedly sharing how much they enjoyed the trains of their past and their many memorable experiences. The feeling I received from these interactions is hard to define.
A Dream Come True
As far back as I can remember, I have been fascinated with Western movies. If there's one I haven't seen, I would be delightfully surprised. Due to my fascination with westerns, a western theme on the layout was always on my mind. Eventually, I worked up the nerve to present my idea to the club membership, and to my surprise, it was fully accepted. I am proud to say that this project turned into my crowning achievement with the club (and incidentally my last). My dream of a western "Tiny Town" became the creation of "ErwinTown USA," dedicated to Erwin Weinstein, our club's deceased founder.
I have included a fragment of the club's history in this presentation only to show that my project dream of a Tiny Western Town would never have come true without the hard work of other dedicated members. If you would like to know more about the club's history:
