The Comox Valley Railway Modellers Club (CVRMC) is picking up steam.
“We started the club about a year ago,” said CVRMC member Dwight Kayto. “There were a few of us, and we knew there must be other modellers around, so we started a Facebook page and today we have 27 members. We know there is a lot of interest in this hobby, so this year we thought we would put together something to help those who are either younger, or newer, with some of the basic skills.”
The club recently completed a four-week beginners’ program for model train enthusiasts (through Courtenay Recreation) and the response was positive.
“We organized this through the Courtenay Recreation Department and got quite a good turn out,” said Kayto. “We [had] eight students and a couple of parents and seven or eight of us at each session providing individual instruction in our hobby.
“I think just about every one of them has now joined our club as well.”
The course gave all participants the opportunity to design their own 18-inch span of track. They laid the track on a foam base, created scenery, added landscaping, including trees, and buildings. On the final day, all the individual creations were connected to make one stretch of track.
“When you start out, it doesn’t look like much, but by the end of the program, it’s interesting how uniquely different they all are,” said Kayto. “It’s all in the imagination.”
One allure of train modelling is there is not an instruction booklet. People are only limited by their own visions for what their layout should look like.
“That’s the interesting thing about this hobby, is seeing just how different two models can be, even though you are using the same basic materials.”
And the building of the layout is only part of the hobby.
“It is a lot like other modelling hobbies, but of course the big difference is after you finish, you can actually run the trains,” said Kayto. “Most of us that have a train layout at our homes have it operational so that you can run the trains and it’s not just a static display.”
Kayto’s home layout is in a loft above his garage. The room is 14 feet by 26 feet and his tracks circumnavigate the room, along a shelf.
His home design is inspired by his hometown of Regina, Sask.
“I grew up on the prairies, so that’s what I am familiar with. People from B.C. might choose a theme with mountains, and tall trees. Every one is so personal - each one will have a charm of its own.”
Kayto’s home track took 14 months to complete.
“One of the other fellows from the club helped me get it started and we had it from an empty room to up and running in about 14 months. We probably worked a couple of afternoons a week. So two guys, two afternoons a week, and just over a year we had it up and running.”
His layout includes recognizable Regina buildings and a fully functional, multi-track railyard.
For more information on the Comox Valley Railway Modellers, check out their Facebook page.