On the right track

SUN CITY – “It’s kind of mesmerizing to watch a train run around,” said Kishwaukee Valley & Eakin Creek Model Railroad Club President Don Espeseth of N.21. He hopes that other Sun City residents, their friends, family, and their neighbors will feel the same at the Model Railroad Club’s semiannual Open House.

Kishwaukee Valley & Eakin Creek Model Railroad Club HO Gauge Assistant Superintendents (left to right) Al Price, N.27, Ron Butzen, N.17, and Bill Ed- dis, N.21, discuss plans for additions to the HO gauge model railroad empire in club’s home beneath Mill- grove Woodshop. (Photo by Chris LaPelusa/Sun Day)

From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, May 16, visitors of the Spring Open House, which is held in the Model Railroad Club’s home located in the basement of Millgrove Woodshop at 13400 West Sun City Boulevard, will have the opportunity to enjoy the running of multiple scale model railroad trains.

“[Visitors] like to see the trains operational. They like to see them,” Espeseth said. “Grownups will come in here and say, ‘I had one just like that’ or ‘Oh, I should have kept mine.’ [Adults] like trains. Kids like trains. They like to see them operate. That’s why we hold the Open House. We want to give back to the Community because the Sun City Community gave us this facility. It’s a way of giving back to Sun City.”

The Model Railroad Club was first established by Sun City resident Harry Leopold during the 2001 Collector’s Showcase and was officially chartered under the direction of Bill Eisenmenger in 2002. In the eight years of its operation, members have scrupulously manufactured detailed and elaborate miniature landscapes with intricate track designs weaving about—a display of neat little worlds that are always changing and expanding.

“Trains are always a work in progress,” said Espeseth. “You never finish it. Once you start, you start over.”

Espeseth is in his first year operating as the club President. However, he started working with model railroads when he was “fairly young.” A career in the military kept him from the hobby throughout much of his adult life, but after moving to Sun City, he once again discovered model railroads.

“But some of the members,” Espeseth said, “have been involved since they were kids.”

Espeseth said that the Kishwaukee Valley & Eakin Creek Model Railroad Club is one of the only model railroad clubs in the country that operate with four gauges.

“Most clubs only [operate] one gauge or maybe two,” Espeseth said, noting that he personally did not know of any other club that runs four gauges.

The Model Railroad club in Sun City operates (small to large) N, HO, O, and G gauges. HO is the most popular gauge, but the G gauge holds its own appeal to Model Railroad Club visitors, as it runs outside in a setup the Woodchucks Woodworking Club helps build and through a landscape The Sunflower Garden Club helps maintain.

Espeseth said that membership has remained steady over the years. The club currently has 41 members, but they’re always looking for more, especially women, as the club primarily consists of men.

In addition to hosting the Spring Open House, the Model Railroad Club also contributes their time and talents to many other Sun City Community events, which include the Holiday Display in Prairie Lodge and the Charter Club Expo. They have also hosted several Boy Scouts’ outings.

“What we really want to impress upon visitors is that they can come here and have fun [and] learn about trains,” Espeseth said, then joked, “Actually, we just love to show off. We love to show what we do.”

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