All the Live-long Day 4/25/21

While out on an early spring walk through campus in 2017, we noticed a sign for a Penn State Model Railroad Club (PSMRRC) open house. I have been interested in railroading and model railroading since I was a boy. That may be because my grandfather worked for the Pennsylvania Rail Road (PRR) for 54 years and was an engineer on steam locomotives for 50 of those years. Also, his father (my great grandfather) before him was a conductor for the PRR for his entire working years. Or, it may be because my grandfather had a detailed 4 ft by 8 ft Lionel model railroad layout in his basement that fascinated me, and that I eventually inherited. Or, it may be because we live about an hour from the Pennsylvania Railroaders Museum in Altoona, the former PRR railroad yards in that town and another in Hollidaysburg, as well as the famous Horseshoe Curve just outside Altoona. Then there is the large number of rail-trails in central PA where I frequently bike with a group of other retired guys.

According to the PSMRRC web site, the club was founded in 1955. We got to see a number of small layouts (above), similar to those that would be found in basements during the 1950s, and the clubs 5th generation large layout (below). The time and intricate work that was required to develop these is almost beyond comprehension.

Unfortunately, the club’s space was in the basement of a dorm that was scheduled for a complete renovation. The club had to tear-down and pack-up everything that was moveable by the end of 2017. The club’s web site is still up, but there is no information when new space will be provided by the University for the next (6th) large layout.