Small trains draw big crowd to South Elgin open house

The trains never stop, and neither did the crowds at the 65th annual Valley Model Railroad Club's open house and food drive Sunday in South Elgin.

Visitors watched trains run around a large HO model railroad layout, and some even had a chance to operate the trains. There were up to 15 trains running at a time, with computer-controlled smoke, sound and lights, said Jim Pechous of Lombard, who was acting as dispatcher Sunday.

"During the winter I'm here every weekend usually," said Pechous, who also designed the electronics of the massive layout. "I've got a lot going on here."

The Valley Model Railroad Association was established in 1949 and has been growing ever since. The association meetings are held at the Clintonville Station, which was once part of the Chicago Elgin and Aurora Railway and is now along the Illinois Prairie Path.

The weekend open house was one of the organization's few events that lets kids control the trains, publicity chairman Duane Tuma said.

Everything from 1940s steam engines to modern trains were featured. Visitors who brought a canned food item got a raffle ticket for prizes. The food will be donated to the South Elgin Food Pantry.