There’s so much of my life that is intertwined with the railroad. My maternal grandfather worked for the New York Central and Penn Central railroads in his time. I never pass up a chance to travel via Amtrak, or to ride one of the “scenic” railroads that wind through the countryside. And you know me with the developing and evolving Albany County Rail Trail – have camera, will travel.
That’s why I enjoy visiting the Great Train Extravaganza every year at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center, and this year is no different. Over 300 different vendors – from model train dealers to vintage railroad paraphernalia and ephemera sellers – will be on hand. Several model railroad clubs will have working displays and layouts to show off. And every year at this time, Chuck Miller feels like a kid at Christmastime.
Believe me. In my life, I’ve tried building model railroad layouts. It’s not something that you can just say, “Hey, I’m plugging together some track and watching the choo choo go around the basement water heater.” Nope. Model railroading is a seriously detailed – and rewarding – hobby. I may never be able to build that spectacular layout… but I applaud with both hands anyone who can build one.
In these miniature reproductions of railroading life, hobbyists use all their skills – painting, sculpting, architecture, kit-bashing, you name it – to take their imaginations and create reality.
In fact, here’s some footage I shot two years ago at the Train Expo.
Again… kid at Christmastime.
I will say this… even though I haven’t started any new model railroad layouts, that hasn’t stopped me from purchasing materials for other projects – you know, Dream Windows and artistic photos and whatnot. So even though I’m not planning on recreating the Island of Sodor in my apartment in the Town and Village … that hasn’t stopped me from purchasing a can of PC Green spray paint and using it on some wooden picture frames. PC Green on distressed wood looks swank. Hella swank.
And yeah, I’m not adverse to purchasing souvenir train logoture – especially if it involves local lines like the Penn Central, the Delaware & Hudson, the New York Central, Conrail or the Boston & Albany. You never ever know what you might create with a little inspiration.
Just sayin’ is all… 🙂
Chuck The Writer 
My husband Mark loves the train show and we try to get there every year. We missed it last year. Honestly, I enjoy it too.
We were in Binghamton this past Friday and there is an OUTSTANDING train display, full of such detail that it did make some of the train show stuff feel a little less exciting.
But we still had fun.
In an unrelated but somewhat related note, I rode the rails to work for nearly 30 years, from Westchester County to Manhattan. First from White Plains, and then from Tarrytown, I boarded and went to and from work. It was on that very line, where the horrid accident took place on Sunday. How many times have I been on a train rounding that bend? And how often did the train feel like it was going far too fast? (Often!)
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