Plenty of progress has arrived all around the land way up in north Glendale that the Arizona Model Railroad Society has called home for more than years.
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Plenty of progress has arrived all around the land way up in north Glendale that the Arizona Model Railroad Society has called home for more than years.
Housing developments continue to expand in the area. New schools are popping up. Six Flags Hurricane Harbor appeared in its backyard during the past decade or so. The society’s next-door neighbor, Victory Lane Sports Park, has always been a draw.
Meanwhile, the Arizona Model Railroad Society’s timeless charm has kept kids — as well as adults not quite acting their age — in touch with the classic enthusiasm that model trains still promise.
And like clockwork, free rides are still available every Sunday.
Hobbyists and curious onlookers will gather at the Glendale spot, 22822 N. 43rd Ave., for the annual March Spring Meet next month; a chance for locals plus out-of-town guests to “play trains,” in the words of society club member Perry McCully.
The celebration is capped by the meet itself, which runs 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, March 19. Admission is free but a $6 donation is requested. All kinds of items and merchandise will be available for buying or selling, from all model scales to Lionel collectibles and more.
“If it’s trains, they sell it,” McCully added.
This past fall’s similar meet drew 500 attendees, and vendor tables sold out a month before it started. Visit azmodelrr.com for details or to book a vendor table.
Meanwhile, every Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. from October through April, Arizona Model Railroad Society club members are on site to give rides on their sit-size train cars. Rides are free, but a $5 donation is requested to help support the club, which operates 100% by donations and is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
A huge display of model trains is also available for viewing inside the club’s facility, although it’s run by volunteers so getting access to see it depends on if members are there or not. But members are usually there during the Sunday train rides.
Steve Stockmar has been with the Independent Newsmedia team since 2017. An NAU alum and Peoria resident, Steve’s community journalism pursuits focus mostly on arts & culture, education, and profiles of neighbors making a difference. In his spare time Steve plays in a vintage baseball league using uniforms and rules from the 1860s, and also acts (badly) in community theater. In addition, he has an unhealthy obsession with baseball and the Chicago Cubs.
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