Technically speaking, they’re not just ‘playing trains’

WHEN President of the Phillip Island and District Railway Modellers, Geoff Newman, said his members and other model railway enthusiasts aren’t “just playing trains” he wasn’t kidding.

It might surprise you to know that while they’ll see grand historic trains like the iconic Flying Scotsman, America’s California Zephyr and even Australia’s own Indian Pacific rolling around on train sets, there’s a lot more that goes on behind the scenes.

Take visiting enthusiast Ted Allan from Sunshine for example, at Phillip Island on the weekend for the annual model train show.

Although he’s been “playing trains” for almost 60 years, he used a 3-D printer and computer to print out the trains, carriages, buildings and even the painted façades for his Eddington Quay Model Train creation that was on show at the weekend.

“There’s groceries in the shops, a model train club of course and even drunks in the pub of this little imagined town as the train goes around,” said Ted.

As well as mounting their annual exhibition, which they’ve been doing at various venues around the town, for almost 20 years now, the Phillip Island Railway Modellers are now building a intricate model railway in their clubrooms, using all of the available technology.

“Many of the trains have a digital chip in them and you can run them from your smart phone with all the sound, lights, whistles and working signals of a real railway and there’s a lot of technology that goes into a setup like that,” said Geoff.

“You’d be surprised.

“But the beauty of being in a group like this is that there’s always someone who knows how to do it who can help.

“Look, I don’t expect we’ll ever finish this one, at least I hope not, but we’ll have a lot of fun trying.”

The weekend’s event was mostly about providing visitors to Phillip Island with something extra to do, especially if the weather chased them off the beach. But it also attracted plenty of enthusiasts happy to demonstrated, not only how to run a model railway but also how to build one.

Wendy Sheppard was one of those (happily) pressed into action by her member husband Jack, demonstrating how to paint and prepare the characters and buildings which populate a model railway scene.

Husband Jack has developed a machine to press metal into corrugated iron for roofs and fences.

President Geoff paid tribute to the Bass Coast Shire Council for helping the group organise the annual show.

If you want to know more, or are interested in joining the Phillip Island and District Railway Modellers, simply turn up at the Phillip Island Senior Citizens Clubrooms, 6 Lions Court Cowes at 1pm of a Sunday or go to their website at http://piadrm.com/

The Phillip Island Model Train Show runs from 10am-4pm Saturday and Sunday, January 21 and 22.