Barrhead Museum miniature trains make tracks

BARRHEAD- An elaborate model train display rolled into town this month at the Barrhead and District Historical Museum.

On Aug. 24 the Northern Alberta Freemo Group came to Barrhead to showcase their elaborate model train landscape.

The topographical setting included working lights, a grain elevator, a treacherous bridge to cross and track loops that intricate miniature trains manoeuvred over the course of the day.

“We love trains and have from childhood on. We also love sharing our collection because it's a little bit of art and a little bit of science,” said Julian Lengauer, Leader of the Northern Alberta Freemo Group.

Adam Paton and Grant Sterling were there with Lengauer combining their collections to create the feature of impressive replicas of historic trains in action, shown at the Barrhead Museum.

“There is a lot to putting everything together. We have sections where the lights work and I’m working on setting up signal lights that will light up when the trains go by,” said Paton.

Lengauer and Sterling both worked for the railways years ago and Sterling parents are from the Clyde area with family in Westlock and Barrhead.

Lengauer explained the best parts of these showcases are that they get to meet so many people who share their train stories.

Many share their knowledge of when they worked on trains, offering ideas on how to improve the exactness of their setup, which the group appreciates.

“One lady from the Brule area near Hinton explained that before the highways were built, they would take the train into Jasper to go to the hospital,” said Lengauer, who finds the stories enriching.

They had come in the night before and spent a few hours setting up and another couple hours on Saturday morning for the crew to have terrain and tracks connected and working.

“We each build different sections to a certain standard, so they are interconnectable,” detailed Lengauer.

The group looks forward to opportunities when they're blessed with the chance to display their combined collection.

The Northern Alberta Freemo Group have done set-ups at senior centres and at train shows, most recently in Calgary.

“We can bring our modules set up and connect everything and get to play with the trains,” said Lengauer.

These model train enthusiasts will be holding another exhibit of their trains at the 2024 Greater Edmonton Model Train Show at Millennium Place, Sherwood Park on September 14 and 15 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Northern Alberta Freemo Group is a group, not a club.

“The nice part is that nobody has to show up. It's all about whoever is available,” said Lengauer.

The group is always looking for other “train nerds”, according to Lengauer.