Is your family stuck at home with nothing to do this week? A group in Bedford wants to get your kids off the couch, and get them excited about an old hobby.
"I love trains, and I love people," said Wallace Post, a retired rail engineer and model train enthusiast.
A few years back, Post pulled his large train collection out of boxes and started a club called the Bedford Central Railroad Group.
One of their biggest projects is an annual display at the Bedford Museum.
"It's for the enjoyment of the kids and the grownups," said Skip Vierrether, a member of the railroad group who volunteers as an engineer at the model train display.
"This is set up from the day after Thanksgiving until the last day in January, then it's taken down and put away," Vierrether said.
The railroad group started its display about ten years ago. It began as a small show, but each year something new is added.
"We have many different people who have different skills," Post said.
The trains run through a hand-made village, with lots of attractions in the background. Part of the show is interactive, where kids can run the trains themselves.
"It's really cool because they look real!" said Landon Cheek, a student at Bedford Elementary School. "It's just so cool how the trains move together and then they're not together, and the speed is different and the speed can change."
The railroad group hopes its display will encourage children to take up what used to be a popular pastime.
"I would like to see kids get back into this instead of pushing buttons on games," said Vierrether. "It's an enjoyable hobby to get into."
"This is just here to have a good time," said Post. "That's the number one thing, that the young people have a good time."
The model train show is open Monday through Saturday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm until January 28. Admission is free, but donations are accepted.
