The holidays bring families together to celebrate traditions long established, and one of the most common for some at The Plantation at Leesburg is their childhood love of electric trains.
“In some of us the attraction is so strong that we’re drawn to the hobby of Model Railroading and embrace it as a lifetime pursuit,” wrote group member Ron Andretta in a press release. “Moving to Florida usually means giving up that precious layout space, usually located in the basement. So finding an active club in Plantation became part of the decision for many members when a final move to Florida beckoned.”
Formed in February of 2000, the Plantation Model Railroad Club will celebrate its 18th anniversary with a Christmas train show at The Plantation at Leesburg. This year, the show will feature the largest number of operating trains to date.
Originating with three to four people, the club has taken root with a very active membership of 20.
After several temporary locations, a large room became available in the Manor Activity Center. This room allowed for major expansion of the club’s HO layout, the addition of O scale Lionel, S scale American Flyer and G scale LGB trains that all run high on the walls around the room. Some of these trains are more than 60 years old. They are all well maintained and run through realistic scenery made up of years of additional detail work.
The display is complete with city traffic lights, operating train signals, road construction and detailed structures. Also featured will be a haunted mansion, elevated viaducts, fishing ponds, a power substation, a drive-in theater showing miniature movies and a waterfall cascading to a river below.
Holiday train shows have been a staple of the club’s calendar for years and have enabled a yearly donation to the Leesburg Food Bank. The group asks for a $2 donation or two cans of food for the Leesburg Food Bank. Children under 12 are free.
The show will be from 1 to 4 p.m. on Dec. 14 and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 15 in the Manor Clubhouse at The Plantation at Leesburg on Highway 27. Members and their spouses will run trains, pass out cookies and drinks and explain anything of interest to the visitors.