View the Holiday Train Expo!
When: Every weekend from Nov 28 – Dec 2
Where: Independence Mall
For many, they are just a holiday sight, but the trains are actually there year-round. In a little pocket of Independence Mall, a group of dedicated model railroad enthusiasts create unique railroad scenes and mentor those new to the hobby. But it is during the holidays that the shop explodes with joy and activity.
An Annual Tradition for Train Enthusiasts of All Ages
This year, as work progresses on parts of Independence Mall, the Cape Fear Model Railroad Society is putting on its 12th Annual Holiday Train Expo. The event is the group’s annual fundraiser and a beloved holiday activity in Wilmington. The society has painstakingly crafted thirteen different train scenes and model railroads. Trains of different sizes zoom through detailed scenes to the right, to the left and even above! There is so much to see and so many moments to take in. There is even a “train Christmas Tree,” where different tracks circle up an evergreen tree, lit up and sparkling.
But the true pièce de résistance is the detailed model of The Polar Express. As the movie plays overhead, every scene from the treasured children’s Christmas book is on display. In one area, hundreds of elves line the village. In another, the conductor leans over to ask the little boy if he is boarding the Polar Express as the train creeps up billowy white mountains.
The dog-eared and tagged books are nearby, allowing visitors to compare what is before them with the illustrations in the book. The effect is remarkable.
Crafted by Hand
Remarkably, the Polar Express village and buildings were designed and created by hand by members of the Cape Fear Model Railroad Society. The entire Holiday Train Expo is a fabulous opportunity to see a potentially dying art form and take in the immense talent of some Wilmington residents.
Storied History of the Society
The Cape Fear Model Railroad Society was founded in 1994. Today it has seventeen members, with the average age around 70 years old. The group has a dual mission: to help preserve the history of railroads in the U.S. and promote the hobby of model railroading.
“Model railroading used to be the great American hobby,” John Rhodes, current secretary of the Cape Fear Model Railroad Society, said. “It is a legitimate and important piece of Americana. Unfortunately, today it’s a dying hobby. More and more objects are on the computer and less and less kids grow up with physical objects.”
Over the span of five years, Rhodes himself created one of the shop’s impressive installations. Various scenes of humor dot the landscape of his model railroad scene.
Thomas and The Polar Express
Children do have their modern train heroes, in the form of Thomas the Tank Engine and The Polar Express, characters that have captured the imagination of many children today. If you have a child smitten with trains, the Holiday Expo is a wonderful opportunity to let him or her live in new worlds.
The Thomas track is complete with buttons that control different objects. There are trains dating from decades ago, true collector’s items. On one exhibit, every single thing moves in some way. Trains swirl through winter wonderlands and classic Christmas scenes of yesteryear. There is a certain magic in the air.
The goal of the Cape Fear Model Railroad Society is to encourage and promote model railroad building, so members are in the storefront year-round. They also have open hours when they come together to create. Members love when those new to the hobby, especially children with an interest, ask to learn more. The members can explain how to create topography, how to build trees and important aspects of layout and design. They also explain the different track gauges and train sizes.
If your family is interested in the great American hobby, head to the Holiday Train Expo in Wilmington!
Want to visit the Holiday Train Expo?
When: Every weekend from Nov 28 – Dec 2
Where: Independence Mall.
The cost is $6.00 for adults, $4.00 for children ages 3-12, and free for active duty military, first responders, and children under 3.
The Cape Fear Model Railroad Society is located in Independence Mall, in the Dillard’s Wing and across from the arcade.
Want to learn more about the Cape Fear Model Railroad Society?
Follow the Cape Fear Model Railroad Society online at www.capefearmodelrailroadsociety.com or Facebook at www.facebook.com/www.capefearmodelrailroadsociety.org.
To Cape Fear Model Railraod Society is open year-round for visitors Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. and is free months other than Novemeber and December.