CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — An upcoming open house is all about sharing a tradition with a new generation. It's an interest that's been around a very long time.
A building on Clarksville's Madison Street commands attention. It's a mural of the city in the style of Starry Night. What you may not know is a space around the back also contains cityscapes and some things traveling through them.
Watch the trains and their own little towns in the player above.
"This is the Clarksville Model Railroad Club!" member Kenny Keaton said, surrounded by model trains.
"Someone will come in the door, and they're just like, 'Oh my goodness, look at all this!'" added member Dave Straka.
Kenny, Dave, and David Sickmeier share very similar stories of what ignited a love for model trains.
"When we were kids, we had trains," Dave said.
"My father bought it for me for Christmas," Kenny added. "I believe it was 1959."
"I was only about 6-years-old about that time," David remembered. "Ran it around the Christmas tree!"
When they meet with other club members, it's maintenance on trains and adding communities so detailed it's like peeking in on their lives.
"Detail makes it pop," Kenny said. "You can start putting little people around the cars, little general store. You just kinda look out, kinda go back in time yourself."
The baseball field has working lights over it. The barn has tobacco hanging in it. My favorite is the drive-in movie theater.
"It ain't never done," Kenny smiled.
"There's downtown areas," Dave added. "There's small shops up and down the streets."
It's not really a specific place or time. It's just pure beauty of the USA. And also decent take-out options.
The club's been around for about 30 years. They've been around the back of this building on Madison Street about nine of those. Club members said now's the right time to let people know what they do.
The Clarksville Model Railroad Club is holding an open house Saturday, November 9 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. It's located at 420 Madison Street.
"We really want to recruit the younger generation to come in here and have them enjoy this hobby as we have," Kenny said.
"That's probably our major goal, where it's part of their life, and they pass it to their grandchildren," David added.
Club members point out the trains are now run by phones and tablets, and they'd love to see where a new generation could take all of this.
"It would be nice for this to keep going after we're gone," Dave said.
"To find other people who have the same hobby, the same passion for this and love to build, it's astronomical," said Kenny.
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