4 minute read
The Junction
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52 Model train enthusiasts display intricate exhibit
Story by Lawrence Bivens Photos by William S. Manley
Since the 1830s, railroads have been a key part of American commerce.
Even in an era of instantaneous digital transactions, they remain vital to moving commodities, consumer products and people. CSX’s Carolina Connector, opened in October 2021 in Rocky Mount, is visible evidence that trains are central to the Twin Counties’ economic future as well its history.
A group of model train hobbyists has captured the essence of how railroads link industries, communities and opportunities. Since 2018, the Golden East Railroad Modelers have built out an array of miniature trains, tracks and assorted conveyances in a more than 5,000-squarefoot space at Golden East Crossing mall.
The group has even put together a multi-modal facility depicting the interplay between rail-, port- and highway-based cargo shipping. Included are miniature replicas of the Carolina Connector, the Helen P. Gay Rocky Mount Historic Train Station and the Rocky Mount rail yards.
“We tried to really tie it in with Rocky Mount,” said Don Ries, a member of the club’s board of directors.
Known as “The Junction,” the model train complex is open to the public every Saturday. At other times, the club’s 50 or so members work to enhance existing displays and create new sections. Tommy Hudson, a semi-retired Tarboro resident who is president of the club, said the attraction welcomed more than 10,600 visitors in its first year. Names in the guest book include people from New York, Connecticut, California and many other states.
“There’s been visitors from overseas, as well,” Hudson said. “Some are in the area visiting family, and they stop in.”
About one-third of what can be seen at The Junction was formerly housed in Wilson. When that space’s owner decided to retire, the sprawling display needed a new home.
About 18 months later, Sheena Jerman, general manager of Golden East Crossing, got a visit from Alan Matthews, who directs retail economic development for the Rocky Mount Area Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the City of Rocky Mount. Matthews had heard the club was looking for space to house its models. Might the mall be willing to host it on an in-kind basis?
“Alan came to me personally about accommodating it,” Jerman said. “We had just gotten news about the CSX hub coming, and I could see how developing the model train site could help the community.”
Jerman quickly received an OK from Hendon Properties, which owned the nearly 580,000-square-foot mall at the time. Executives of the Atlanta-based company shared her excitement about moving the club into the mall, later sending a photographer down to snap pictures of the set-up for distribution in the company newsletter.
The partnership has since been a winwin for both parties — as well as for Rocky Mount.
“We’re in constant communication with them about things we can do,” Jerman said. “We’re always looking at ways we can help the community. There will definitely be more to come.”
Notwithstanding its partnership with Hendon Properties, the Golden East Railroad Modelers nonetheless incur expenses of running The Junction. Supplies, including lumber and electronics, are borne mostly by the members. Utilities and insurance on the space run several hundred dollars a month, according to Ries, who serves as the club’s secretary. Proceeds from a donation box at the entry to The Junction help defer those costs, said Ries, a retired computer industry technician living in Littleton.
“Right now, we’re running between 100 and 120 visitors per week,” he said, “which I think is great in light of the virus.”
Ries said the nonprofit association has enjoyed growth in its membership since moving to Rocky Mount. Its members live as far away as Raleigh, Durham and Wake Forest.
“We’re one of the largest model railroader clubs on the East Coast,” he said.
Model rail buffs can spend years building their elaborate displays, and the patience required in their intricate work is increasingly at odds with the instantgratification ethos of today’s times.
The Tennessee-based National Model Railroad Association reports 18,000 active members across the country. Through the club’s Facebook page and YouTube videos, news about The Junction has spread among the country’s model train enthusiasts, many of whom have ventured to Rocky Mount to check out the club’s displays, which snake around the room on four distinct rail gauges.
“There are also the train guys,” Ries said of his fellow rail hobbyists around the U.S. “It’s not just the general walk-in public that comes to see us.”
