35 cents
VOL. 2/ISSUE 37
THURSDAY, JULY 17, 2014
All aboard the miniature world of model railroad enthusiasts Mary Kemper staff writer
mkemper@veteranvoiceweekly.com
These guys might not be wearing coveralls and striped hats, but they’re railroaders, all right — their trains are just small. Very small. The members of the Treasure Coast Model Railroad Club and Historical Society, Port St. Lucie, take their craft very seriously, but have a lot of fun along the way. It’s easy to get drawn into another world when you walk into their clubhouse on Becker Road. From the painted backdrops to the meticulously accurate trains to the tiny figures, buildings and trees, it feels a bit like Alice stepping through the looking-glass. Mountains tower in the surrounding murals. All manner of trains cross steep gorges on wooden or steel trestles, passing farmlands, towns, the desert Southwest and steel mills. Each club member has his favorite railroad, such as Union Pacific, and each has his favorite train, whether freight or passenger. Most are vintage, modeled from the 1930s to the 1970s, with the general theme being the 1950s. The attention to detail, even down to wooden boxes or a colliery chute, or a park full of children at play, is astonishing. Recreating this world takes a lot of time, energy and talent, and the railroaders have all of that in abundance. They’ve been at it since 1975, according to John Scesny, president. “Originally, the club formed in Vero Beach, where people would meet in each other’s houses,” he said. After a move to the Port St. Lucie fairgrounds, the club eventually found its current location, a former firehouse obtained with the help of former Mayor Bob Minsky, which the club rents from the city. Scesny, whose son served in the Navy, said the club is “about 95 percent veterans,” with members
Staff photo by Mary Kemper John Scesny, president of the Treasure Coast Model Railroad and Historical Society, stands next to a section of model railroad depicting a colliery with freight trains at the clubhouse in Port St. Lucie. “(W)hen families come in? You should see it when it’s time to go. The kids just don’t want to leave.” John Scesny, president Treasure Coast Model Railroad Club and Historical Society Port St. Lucie from all of the services except the Coast Guard. Scesny himself is the son of a farmer, so he could not serve because he was needed at home. “My interest in trains goes back to the Long Island (New York) railroad,” Scesny said. “I used to take pictures. I still do. “I got interested in model railroads in my early 20s, about 100 years ago,” he joked. Scesny’s specialty is painting trains, to the smallest and most accurate detail. Other members specialize in different aspects, like making buildings, trestles and landscaping. Army veteran Neil Nappi, former presi-
dent, recalled trying to figure out how to make cactus for his Southwestern display. “I thought and I thought, and then it came to me — pipe cleaners!” he said, pointing out one of the cacti. Sure enough, it is completely realistic, as are all of the other figures. There are three main lines running throughout the building — Gold, Red and Blue — and all of them interconnect, including fully functioning roundhouses and turntables. Everywhere you look, tiny vintage cars
See RAILROAD page 2