GRAPEVINE, TEXAS (September 11, 2013) - On Thursday, September 12, the Lone Star Hi-Railers Model Railroad Club and the Grapevine Vintage Railroad will open a O-gauge model railroad layout inside the 75-foot long historic baggage car located in the city parking lot on West Dallas Road just west of Main Street. Visitors to the 27th Annual GrapeFest will have the opportunity to have a sneak peek at this exciting new attraction in the heart of Grapevine.
Located in the historic Grapevine rail yard area, the big burgundy and silver baggage car is on static display behind the #771 Baldwin Mikado 2-8-2 steam engine. The car itself was built originally by the Pullman Company for the Lackawanna and Western Railroad.
Members of the club built the highly detailed diorama with scale models of many of the iconic and historic structures located in Grapevine, including a replica of the Grapevine concrete grain elevators and a scale model of the club baggage car itself.
"We had to do a model of the baggage car and the steam engine it sits behind. It would not have been complete without it," according to Eric Haist, president, Lone Star Hi-Railers Model Railroad Club.
The layout also includes a long series of late 1800 and early 1900 era buildings in Historic Downtown Grapevine.
"We tried to include as many building as we could that would give the look and feel of the city's historic Main Street," said Mike McLintock, head of the scenic committee.
The layout includes two rail yards and a massive hand carved mountain that towers four feet over the layout. The mountain was inspired by an actual mountain in west Texas and included three train tunnels and working oil wells. Other features of the layout include working wind turbines and a turntable. There is even a cell phone tower.
The layout has three independent tracks allowing members to run up to six long trains simultaneously. Members can even run their trains with state-of-the-hobby handheld remote control devices. Many of the trains emit smoke, have realistic lighting and built-in sounds of horns, bells and voices of the engineers and tower personnel.
The car will be opened all four days of GrapeFest from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. A dedication and ribbon cutting will be held at a later date. After GrapeFest, the layout will be open for visitors 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on most Saturdays and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. most Sundays. Special tours for groups can be arranged by contacting the Lone Star Hi-Railers.
Admission fees will be $2 for adults, $1 for children 2 to 12 and free for those 2 and under. For more information regarding this release, contact Mike McLintock, VP and Secretary, Lone Star Hi-Railers. (214) 693-0258, mamclintock@verizon.net. Or visit the club web site: www.LoneStarHiRailers.com.
For additional information about Grapevine, please call the Grapevine Convention & Visitors Bureau at 817-410-3185 or visit www.GrapevineTexasUSA.com.
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