By Laurie Whittier
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

Growing up in Indiana, Merlin Neff remembers heading into town to watch the trains come and go. Since he lived on a farm without electricity, this was the closest he could come to having a train of his own. “It wasn’t until high school that I got my first Lionel train set,” he says.

Today, Neff  is making up for lost time by being part of Wind Crest’s Model Railroaders Club. For two hours every Friday, he and nearly 20 other residents gather to devise and construct various layouts that will eventually be displayed for all residents to enjoy.

Currently, the club is busy designing its holiday display. With a North Pole theme, this year’s exhibition will feature a gondola that runs back and forth, skiers, and ice skaters—among other festive details, according to club member Jim Murphy. “We should be done around the first of December,” he says.

Diverse membership
Not everyone in the club has model railroad experience, says Murphy. “Some people just enjoy lending their talents and getting to know other people,” he says. “This group has expertise in everything from engineering and electronics to art and design.”

The club formed shortly after Wind Crest’s grand opening in summer 2007. And it’s not just a boy’s club, either. Priscilla Payne is one of two female members.

“I’m not so much interested in the guts of it, but I do enjoy the artistic part,” says Payne. “I always liked trains and used to ride them a lot as a kid. I remember liking the sound of the clickety-clack, clickety-clack going down the tracks.”

Payne’s husband, Marshall, is also a member of the club. “It’s fun for us to work on something together, and we enjoy creating something that we know will bring so much enjoyment to others,” she says.

For Bill Kamsler, the Model Railroaders Club was a good fit with his background in electronics— something that’s imperative to the overall success of any model railroad project. “Being part of this also gives our wives a much-needed break,” he quips.