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Railroad Club Open House Delights Children

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By LAURA CONE

The Sun

Published: December 24, 2008

Most people can't wait for Christmas. Morgan Jones, a member of the Sun City Center Railroad Club, looks forward to the day after Christmas.

He is not excited about the half-off sales on Christmas cards, but the Dec. 26 open house when children come from 1 to 4 p.m. to the model Railroad Club Room and have their chance to be junior engineers.

"I love the expression on their faces," Jones said. "It's interesting to watch the young kids. It's like they are born with a remote in their hands. They catch on."

Jones said he first became interested in model railroads as a child growing up in Kansas City. But things have changed since then.

"Most of the adults refuse to use the remote for fear of breaking it. The kids are fearless and they have a good time," said Jones, explaining how they give the children a chance to run the model trains in their club room.

Usually, members of the club have their "play days" Fridays from 1 to 3 p.m. and they have "work days" on Mondays and Tuesdays from 1 to 3 p.m. Jones does the touch up paint work on the trains while others clean the tracks, engines and wheels.
Richard Doty said the trains run on a schedule with regular stops.

"Friday is playtime when we just play," Doty said. "It's the best time for visitors to come in."

Bill Brown, the president of the club, said the reason they have the holiday open house the day after Christmas is because they want to introduce their hobby to the "junior engineers."

"Sun City Center is swarming with grandchildren that weekend," he said.

Brown said children are permitted to run the trains. They take home a certificate of recognition for their participation.

Paul Daverheim of SCC has been a member of the club since he moved to SCC in 1999.

"It has all the hobbies mixed into one, including carpentry, electrical work and painting," said Daverheim, who is a retired engineer. For more information on the model train club, call (813) 634-1414.

Editor Laura Cone may be reached at lcone@mediageneral.com.

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