55th Annual Rail Fair 2019 Model Railroad Train Show
Saturday & Sunday, October 5-6 10 AM to 4 PM
Boxborough Regency Hotel
242 Adams Place
Boxborough MA 01719
Admission is $8 for age 13 and up and is valid for both days. Children under 12 and Scouts in uniform are free.
Attractions include model railroad displays, layouts, exhibits, a new "children's depot" containing all sorts of fun for families, and dealers. "We have expanded floor space this year to include our new "Children's Depot" which will offer a variety of hands-on exhibits for children." The depot will include train rides on a small point to point train, a Disneyland monorail layout complete with many characters, two large interactive modular layouts where children can activate various scenes on selected modules, "Operation Lifesaver" which promotes railroad safety, a large LEGO® display, and other famous and familiar kids' trains.
The event is geared towards families with children, model railroaders (new and experienced), and anyone who enjoys trains or model railroading. “We will have many exhibitors such as the Amherst Belt Lines Club and the European Train Enthusiasts Clubs who will operate their huge and spectacular modular train layouts with a variety of running trains, and many others showing various railroad exhibits (both operating and stationary). Model railroad dealers will be on hand to sell, buy, or trade all sorts of model railroad items. It will be a fun day for all attendees!” says Peter D’Olimpio, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the NVRRA.
The hobby of model railroading is alive and well in central Massachusetts due to the efforts of The Nashua Valley Model Railroad Association (NVRRA) of Shirley, MA. The NVRRA operates a state-of-the-art model train layout which has over 1,200 linear feet of mainline track and over 3,000 feet of track, including the yards and sidings. “When you enter the museum, the enormity of the layout immediately strikes you. You will see 4 levels of track in some places, enormous freight yards, scenery, and a helix measuring 8 feet in diameter which connects lower and upper tracks. Given the size of the layout, we can simultaneously run as many trains as we want and some of the trains can each be hauling over 65 cars” D’Olimpio explains. “When we run 15 or so different trains doing different things at the same time, it can get confusing! We use a dispatcher to dispatch trains between locations and keep trains from having problems. We haven’t had any major collisions but we sure have had some traffic jams and foul ups just like the real railroads!!”" Members and guests regularly attend operating sessions of the layout, and private tours may be scheduled by calling call 978-225-0650 or submitting a request at www.nvrra.com.
Model railroading can teach young people useful skills such as planning, designing, basic carpentry and electronics, building scenery, team work, and train operations. D’Olimpio explains, “It’s pretty easy to get into this hobby and it doesn’t take much money to start up. Find a good hobby store. There are so many in our area. Attend model train shows where you will be exposed to many different areas of the hobby. And of course, you can contact us any time for advice on anything in the hobby. We’ve been doing this since 1952; we can show you how to avoid just about any mistake, as we have made most of them!”
The Nashua Valley Rail Road Association, Inc.
2 Shaker Rd, Suite E205
Shirley MA 01464
978.225.0650
Website: www.nvrra.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NVRRA/
