The unmistakable sound of a steam locomotive fills the air.
I’m standing alongside railroad tracks, watching a distant train approach. And by distant, I mean about twelve feet away! I’m looking at just one of the many layouts of the Roanoke Valley Model Railroaders Club.
Anyone who has visited the Virginia Museum of Transportation in Roanoke has no doubt enjoyed and admired their model railroad layout. But what most people don’t realize is that, just beneath them, the basement of the museum plays host to an entire world devoted to the hobby’s enthusiasts.
“We’ve been in the basement of the museum for about fifteen years”, says Billy Nauert, president of the club.
Nauert is my guide as we walk down the basement hallway, “We have nine different size scale layouts. Every room is dedicated to its own individual scale and group of guys that run that room.”…