All Aboard: Kids and Adults Enjoy Model Trains and More During Open House at Clinton Central Model Railroad Club in Castanea
By Emily Wright
CASTANEA – The Clinton Central Model Railroad Club held an open house on Tuesday from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the old Castanea Railroad Station, located at 15 Logan Avenue in Castanea. Admission for the open house was free and there was plenty of interactive entertainment geared towards children, such as a scavenger hunt in the layout room and a display of Thomas & Friends running on a 40’ x 28’ double mainline HO scale layout.
Despite Tuesday’s dismal weather, the open house had a small group of model railroad enthusiasts turn out by 5 p.m. when it began. Both kids and adults enjoyed watching the trains run on the expansive HO-scale model railroad layout, which is complete with a wide variety of model trains, cabooses, and other memorabilia, all built to scale and with intricate detail.
The layout, located in what was formerly the Castanea Railroad Station’s freight room, had recently been upgraded and features a model railroad track that measures roughly 2,300 feet with diesel and steam sound-equipped locomotives. The final open house for the season will take place at the Railroad Club this Saturday, January 13th from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.
The Clinton Central Model Railroad (CCMRR) Club is a non-profit organization that was established to promote and support the hobby of model railroading. This unique club is housed in the historic 1884 New York Central train station in Castanea and has been running for over 40 years. The club aims to unite individuals interested in operating and collecting model railroad equipment and related items. With a focus on HO scale layouts, club members work to build and develop detailed scale models of a railway system. Currently, there are 45 members in the CCMRR club, with a core group of about 20 members who do most of the maintenance and updates to the layout.
The Record had the chance to speak with CCMRR Club treasurer, Phil Micklitsch during the open house and get a detailed tour of the layout and its features. Micklitsch emphasized that anyone interested in model railroading is welcome to join the Clinton Central Model Railroad Club or come and check it out on a Tuesday evening. He also emphasized that no prior knowledge of model railroading is required for those who are interested; “We’ll train you,” he said. Those with a well-rounded knowledge of model railroading are welcome to come and bring their own trains to run on the track or enjoy the wide variety already available at the club.
The club’s history dates back to 1979-80 when the idea of establishing a local railroad club was first discussed. The idea gained significant attention through two newspaper advertisements and local events, such as The Great Model Train Race in Renovo, which showed a strong interest in the formation of a club. In July of 1980, the club was officially founded at the second meeting, which was held at the Clinton County Courthouse Annex. The 13 people in attendance became the first Charter Members.
The search for a permanent home for CCMRR began in late July of the same year, with members touring the basement of the old Lock Haven Hospital on Susquehanna Avenue. By August, the Club House was up and running at the Clinton County Cultural Center on North Fairview Street. The building, once the old Bloomsburg Silk Mill, became the first official home of the Clinton Central Model Railroad Club.
One of the club’s first major events was the first Train Meet in September 1980. The event was held at the Cultural Center and drew an impressive attendance of over 1,000 people. Then in October, the club’s name was officially established as the Clinton Central Model Railroad Club.
In December 1980, the club signed a memorandum of understanding with Lock Haven State College (now known as Commonwealth University-Lock Haven) to rent space in the back of Price Auditorium. In March of 1981, the club moved into Price Auditorium and began work on a new layout.
The club continued to grow and thrive in the Price Auditorium that year. The first election of officers was held and the club hosted a successful public train meet in October, which drew such a large crowd that it was relocated to the Avis Fire Hall.
By late 1987, the club received word that Price Auditorium was set to be remodeled, so the search for a new location began. In a noteworthy turn of events, the club received a donation from Emery Distilleries and the Clinton County Historical Society in 1988 for the Castanea Railroad Station, which became the club’s permanent meeting and display location.
The CCMRR Club celebrated its 40th anniversary in July 2020, and today it continues to bring the community together to share the love of model trains with future generations.
For more information and to see upcoming events, be sure to check out the CCMRR Facebook page and website, or reach out by phone or email.
15 Logan Avenue, Castanea, PA 17745
Email: info@ccmrr.org
Website: https://ccmrr.org/
Facebook: Search “Clinton Central Model Railroad”
Donations of model train and railroad memorabilia, as well as monetary contributions to support the CCMRR Club are graciously accepted.
