Tom Lundgren’s interest in model railroading surfaced decades ago thanks to his older brother Jim.
Their grandfather would take Jim to watch trains leave Vancouver on Clark Drive, and Jim used his paper route money to buy model trains.
“Ultimately I ended up acquiring his older [trains] and it went on from there,” said the now 63-year-old.
Lundgren built three or four railroad layouts during the latter part of elementary school and in high school.
The appeal of the hobby is multifaceted.
“[Model railroading] is very interesting because of the skills required to actually do it,” he said. “Things have evolved immensely. Back when I was doing it a long time ago it was very simple — it was like a battery to a small motor and things ran, but you had to know about electricity. Today everything is all computerized so it’s a whole new challenge trying to figure out how it works.”
Lundgren also learned how to build scenery, which requires one to pay attention to what the real world looks like in a more detailed way.
Later, as a professional forester, he discovered how railway engineers decided where the tracks would actually end up, long before there were airplanes and aerial surveys.
“Then there’s a whole historical aspect of it that has to do with the development of Canada and the politics around it, including where the 49th parallel is,” he said. “There are lots of fascinating aspects to this. It’s a broad field.”
He didn’t have much time for the hobby while working and raising a family, but now that he’s recently retired, he’s delving back into the pastime, including helping to organize the 33rd annual Vancouver Train Expo at the Forum at the Pacific National Exhibition Nov. 7 and 8.
The event used to be staged at Cameron Recreation Centre in Burnaby, but organizers wanted to expand, so they needed a much larger space.
In previous years, the show attracted up to 2,700 people, but this year organizers hope to draw as many as 5,000 visitors to check out the more than 55 displays.
“We have been trying to include things that would be of interest to families,” Lundgren added.
The event features operating scale model train railways, exquisite scale dioramas and models, LEGO displays, children’s activities, West Coast Railway Association mini train rides and experienced modellers to answer questions. There will be new products from local and national manufacturers and suppliers, new and used vendors, large modular layouts, new and expanded displays from long-time exhibitors, as well as food service.
Organizers bill the event as of interest to everyone from art lovers, who will appreciate three-dimensional art with moving parts, to technology enthusiasts to those simply looking for an interesting outing.
There are also those who are deeply involved in the hobby and who are very particular.
When asked how serious some get, Lundgren acknowledged, with a laugh: “Very serious to the point people complain if the right number of rivets aren’t at the right place on the locomotives or the paint job is not right. But you can get, as with anything, carried away.”
The Vancouver Train Expo runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Nov. 7 and 8 in the Forum building on the PNE grounds. For more information and ticket prices see vancouvertrainexpo.ca.
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