Model train hobbyists aim to spark interest among students
Model train enthusiasts shared their love of the hobby with students at New Glasgow Academy this week.
Tuesday and Wednesday, members of the Narragansett Bay Railway and Navigation Company, Nova Scotia Division, were set up at the school and demonstrated to classes how the trains worked.
Gordon Wahay, is a New Glasgow resident and member of the club. While the club does shows throughout the Maritimes, he said it’s the first time they’ve set up a display in a school and they hoped it might inspire some interest among students.
Wahay said he personally started collecting and building the model trains when he was 64.
It’s a hobby that has something for everyone he said. Some people love trains in and of themselves. Others like the historical aspect of it. Still others like the electronics involved with model trains.
The kids who got to check out the display and even test drive some of the model trains all enjoyed it.
“They’re all over the moon,” he said.
It took about four to six hours to set up this particular show, but many hours go into creating the settings.
Doug Whitman has been a member of the club for eight years and said he enjoys constructing the buildings and scenery the most.
Some of the buildings he’s meticulously created stick by stick.
To further help generate interest among students the club held a draw for a train set which was donated by Maritime Hobbies in Halifax for one of the students to keep.