The Central California Coast Garden Railroad Society (CCCGRS) was invited to join the San Luis Obispo Model Railroad Association (SLOMRA) for the annual Model Railroad Days two-day event held at the historic Oceano Train Depot. CCCGRS participated with a modest G-gauge display supported by a portable table constructed by Walt Wajda.
Displays were available for public viewing from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM on both Saturday (27-Jan) and Sunday (28-Jan) within the Oceano Train Depot. The depot itself created the perfect venue, full of reminders of our region’s rich railroad history. The atmosphere was enhanced with regular freight and passenger rail traffic passing the event location.
We were very pleased by the level of interest from the public. Many commented on the large size, level of detail and immersive sounds of the temporary layout. We received several positive comments from our colleagues who model and operate in smaller scales. The appeal of operating model trains outdoors, especially in our mild climate, was a frequent observation. We noted guests not only from the immediate area, but visitors from Los Angeles, the San Joaquin Valley, Nevada and Oregon.
Large scale trains and scenery captivated guests during the weekend event.
The casual atmosphere exposed attendees to not only large scale, but S, O, HO and N-gauge modular layouts.
These events are part of our group’s mission to promote garden and model railroading throughout the central California coast. Special thanks to our members that helped make the event a success, including: Mark Edwards, Michelle Edwards, Lori Hays, David Hayes, Richard Harvey, Walt Wajda, and Julie Wajda. Discussion about future joint events with CCCGRS and SLOMRA are underway.