Harry Huckemeyer
The Short Line Model Railroad Club is returning for another year of fun and excitement as we start the process of finalizing plans as we look ahead into the future. We always welcome new opportunities to participate in upcoming new events that pop up, and we look forward to the several that have been on our agenda, both locally and around the Valley, for several years now. For those who may be new to the area, we are a model railroad club that has been around the area for many years now, and we have several members from here locally as well as parts of the surrounding areas.
Our past has included a variety of the different sized model railroads being marketed, but times do change, and we presently dedicate most of our club activities using modular layouts. This allows us the opportunity to travel to other areas, both here locally and also to other areas around the Valley. Typically at these events, there is a large following of those interested in the hobby who enjoy spending a few hours with families, both young and old, to enjoy the day and relive a few moments of their past when most of us have fond memories of the past around the holidays.
For those hobby enthusiasts who are looking for more, there are scenic layouts currently in place in one of the boxcars at the Arizona Railroad Museum. On the third Saturday of each month, a group of volunteers will be available to lead you through the interior where you will find several operating scenic layouts, which will include a variety of operating trains, including Lionel and an assortment of HO and N scale. The museum is located off Ryan and Arizona Avenue in Chandler and is open on weekends only and has a large showing of vintage railroad cars and locomotives that at one time carried many people around various parts of the country. There is a small entry fee for admission to the museum. For additional information, you can go online to www.azrymuseum.org or call 480-821-1108.
The Short Line Model Railroad Club meets on the second Saturday of the month from September through May. Meetings are held in Oakwood at the Arts & Crafts building in the Paint Room, which is located in the first building on the left as you enter into the area where the main community building with the restaurant is located. Meetings start at 1 p.m., and the area is also used as a workshop, which club members can use to finetune their modules, or prior to an event, we can do a preliminary staging to ensure we’re prepared for a road event.
We’re always looking for those who have a few hours a month to spare and enjoy staying current with changing technology, not only in the world of hobbies but in today’s world in everything in general. As a club, in addition to the events we participate in, we meet monthly, unless we have conflicts, from September through May. Two of those meetings typically are social where we include guests and the opportunity to get to know those who allow us the time to enjoy these moments. For any other information regarding any of the above or about our club, you can reach us at 480-600-1349 or [email protected].
Have a great day! It’s time to look ahead and enjoy everything our area has to offer.