All aboard! Next stop, the Southern Alberta Model Railway Club’s annual Spring Open House this weekend.
“We usually do two Open Houses every year. One in the fall in October and one in the spring in March,” says Martin Ebel, SAMRC assistant superintendent.
According to Ebel, the club is in its 52nd year. “It’s a club for model railroaders and those interested in trains to join together in common interest and enjoy model railroading.”
“We’re community based. We’ve got members from Lethbridge and area and some as far away as the Crowsnest Pass or Calgary. It’s a welcoming environment. It’s not political, it’s not about religion or anything else. Anybody that likes trains and model railroading and wants to be in a supportive environment is welcome,” says Ebel.
Currently, Ebel adds, the club has just under 30 members. “Membership kind of fluctuates up and down. Our youngest member is in his mid-teens and our oldest member is in his 80s and everything in between. It is multigenerational and we do have a female member, so it’s not just men.”
“It’s a nice, laid-back group of people united by their love of railroads and trains,” Ebel says.
Ebel notes the group meets formally once a week on Tuesday evenings from September to June from 7 to 9 p.m. “People meet informally in the summer in July and August, but those aren’t formal club meetings.”
“Everybody is welcome. We want to be a part of the community; we are a part of the community, and we want to continue to be a part of the community. We want people to feel welcome and come out and check out what we do. We’re always looking for new members and we have information about membership if somebody comes to the Open House. You can always ask us about that,” says Ebel.
This family-friendly event will be off the rails, as it’s free admission and donations are welcome. The two-day event runs Saturday and Sunday at the Gyro Park Clubhouse from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.