For many of us, such scenes evoke happy childhood memories of little locomotives chuffing along with carloads of presents and candy, circling endlessly through our living rooms as we anxiously checked off the remaining days until Santa's arrival. Model trains are more popular today than ever, largely because aging baby boomers who remember such magic moments have introduced their kids and grandkids to the hobby. And a number of Bay Area modelers also do their part to help rekindle those memories each year with open houses and public shows held throughout the months of November and December. If you like model railroading, or want to introduce a youngster to the fun and excitement of the hobby, several East Bay events offer the perfect opportunity.
Some shows also have special areas where visitors can operate the controls themselves.
But model railroading is also about education and history. Many layouts are modeled after a particular era or place. You might recognize your own town, or one you have visited, in the modeler's diminutive world. Stunning realism can be found in such details as buildings, trees, people, cars and waterways, and occasionally modelers will hide visual gags amid the scenery, like a three-headed dinosaur peeking from a dark cave, or Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs working in a gold mine. The longer you look the more you will often find.