Get some extensive training
Make tracks to the Yaquina Pacific Railroad Historical Society in Toledo
Alan Holzapfel and Lisa Watson with the ‘One Spot’ locomotive
By Gretchen Ammerman
Oregon Coast TODAY
Trains come in many sizes, as do the people that love them. Model trains, the tiny replicas that can chug around a Christmas tree or travel through a perfectly replicated town, are a hobby many people enjoy until their golden years.
The Yaquina Pacific Railroad Historical Society and the Yaquina Northern Model Railroad Club will offer an introduction to model railroading at Toledo Public Library this Saturday, Feb. 8.
Connect with experienced hobbyists and learn about the history of the hobby, the evolution of technology and the different scales and power sources.
Guests at the free, all-ages event will learn how to make a teeny-tiny pine tree designed by John Clements and crafted from household items.
For those who love full-sized trains, the Yaquina Railroad Historical Society museum in the heart of Toledo is almost toot good to be true. With walk-though train cars, a new simulator that gives the experience of driving a train and a full-sized engine that kids can climb on, the museum is fun for the whole family.
And, thanks to a recent grant from Travel Oregon, the museum is more accessible for those with mobility challenges.
“We took the opportunity to adjust the slope of our main access ramp to meet ADA standards and we also extended existing pavement to our outdoor exhibits,” said Executive Director Lisa Watson. “The ramp still needs some paint and additional handrails installed, but we are happy to be making this place more accessible and inclusive for our visitors.”
The Train Simulator is also new, and can be enjoyed by visitors of all ages, but is more appreciated by older kids, teens and adults.
“We purchased a specialty controller that is similar to what railroad workers are trained on,” Watson said. “Our simulator puts you in control of a modern diesel-electric locomotive and you are tasked with delivering log loads. Players must obey railroad signals and orders and will see changes in speed restrictions. This has unexpectedly become a great tool in illustrating the braking distances of trains. Players gain a better understanding of the physics behind these massive engines.”
To increase the experience, the simulator is inside the real cab of a 45-ton switcher engine, called “Lokey” by mill workers, that was purchased in 1951.
With 10,000 photos and large collection of memorabilia, the train cars at the museum are decorated to bring you into the era when trains were the “virtual lifeblood of every community.”
Adjacent to a working railroad, with trains running from the Georgia Pacific Mill to Albany, the museum is nestled between rolling stock that includes the first and last engines bought by the various C. D. Johnson companies that owned Toledo’s lumber mill from the 1920s to the 1950s. Another neighbor is the Baldwin steam engine, known locally as “One Spot,” which was used in Lincoln County logging from 1922 to 1959.
Another interactive exhibit is the Magnetic Signal Company “wigwag” between One Spot and the entrance ramp, operated in McMinnville from around 1912 to 2001. Drop a quarter in the slot to see the wigwag operate and hear a recording of One Spot entering Toledo in 1957.
At the gift shop, grab an engineer's cap, whistle or Lego set to preserve your memories and support the society’s efforts to preserve this part of local and national history.
And even if you have a dog with you, Watson and society president Alan Holzapfel say, “All aboard.”
The introduction to model railroading is from 1 to 3 pm this Saturday, Feb. 8, at Toledo Public Library, located at 173 NW 7th Street. The Yaquina Railroad Historical Society museum is located at 100 NW A Street in Toledo. For more information, go to yaquinapacificrr.org.