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By Robby McKittrick
Hometown Weekly Reporter
On Saturday, November 3, train enthusiasts and families visited the Wellesley Community Center to witness The Great Wellesley Train Show IV.
The scene at the Community Center was an impressive sight.
There were two different floors at the show, each displaying different trains moving around a large track. Different people built different sets of the track, and it all connected together.
“We love the layouts,” said train enthusiast Peter Cole. “I am impressed … that different people built different modules, and they all plug in together. That’s great.”
Cole is a grandfather, and he was at the event with his son and his three grandchildren.
“Like most kids, we are all fascinated by trains,” said Cole. “I had a layout when I was a kid, [and] I spent every hour and every penny I had on [it].”
Cole further explained why he is interested in trains.
Two young girls enjoy watching a toy train during The Great Wellesley Train Show IV. Photos by Robby McKittrick
“Seeing them is sort of magic,” Cole said. “When you are living in another country, being able to travel by train is fabulous. You don’t have to drive. You can watch what is going by.”
The event was thronged with families, which made walking around the track a challenge at times. Overall, people seemed to enjoy the show.
“My son is really into Thomas the Tank Engine and trains, so I thought it would be a good afternoon [activity],” said Kevin Cullinane. “I had a train set kind of like this when I was a kid, so it’s fun to share it with him … He gets a lot of enjoyment out of it, so I do, [too].”
The show consisted of multiple different train groups. For example, the Hub Division of the National Model Railroad Association created the track and designs on the top floor, while the Northeast N-Track organized the track downstairs.
One of the organizers of the train show and Module Superintendent for the Hub Division, Dick Ball, hopes to continue to “promote railroading.”
“That’s our goal,” Ball said. “It’s always crowded [at our show] … It’s a bigger crowd every year.”
