All Aboard!

Especially in winter, I can comfortably settle down during an evening and run my model railroad. I’ve had one since the 1970’s, and it’s been a great distraction from stresses and strains. Play has always been a central part of how I cope with stress. And the railroad, in its various incarnations, has a large part of my play.

I’ve mostly modeled coastal New England. On my model railroad, there is usually a harbor scene and a small New England city. There is also a bit of a humorous perspective included. The small city is the fictional one of Passamygaskeag. It sits on the banks of the Passamygasskeag river. The big industry there is the Beanery – where the famous baked beans are made. The smell of baked beans can be presumed to flavor the town’s air.

I am still working on this railroad, and developing an operational scheme for trains and products arriving, being delivered, and outgoing products in cars made into trains and leaving for other towns not on the railroad.

Occasional disastrous events occur on the “Passy”. Most notable are the visits from the nearby Catizilla’s Marcus and Sabrina. They insist that they are merely passing through as they exercise. But the overtuned cars and trucks and the terrorized inhabitants tell another story.

Oh well, just another day on a model railroad.