All Aboard! Model Railroaders Club Invites Visitors To The Group’s Display At The South Florida Fairgrounds Story by Ron Bukley Photos by Susan Lerner
Is it real, or a model railroad? If you’re having difficulty deciding, then the members of the Palm Beach Model Railroaders Club have succeeded in their goal. The 36-year-old club, which has its clubhouse and permanent model railroad display at the South Florida Fairgrounds, is preparing for another year entertaining visitors with authentic scenery and model trains that measure about one-eighth of an inch to a foot of actual size. “We call it model railroading, and the reason is because we want them to look real, as opposed to toys,” club spokesman Lyman Fussell, 62, explained. Some electric trains look and run like toys, but in the late 1950s, some manufacturers started focusing on the HO gauge size — based on “half of O,” the original size of model trains. The smaller size allows more extensive scenic layouts for the model trains (Below) Dr. George Nimberg, George Himich and Lyman Fussell in front of the model railroad display at the South Florida Fairgrounds.
44 December December2010 2010• •WELLINGTON WELLINGTONTHE THEMAGAZINE MAGAZINE 44