HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1997-09-10, Page 11THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10,1997. PAGE 11.
Train enthusiast finds hours of pleasure in hobby
know what to look for and what the
value of certain pieces should be."
The best way to gain some
information is to read the hobby
books or speak with a very
knowledgeable person.
Giilck has also been able to save
some money in the development of
his system because of his
electronics background. Trained in
radio and television repair, Giilck is
able to pick up components at army
surplus stores for the electric part of
the railline.
As he opens a control panel, the
number of electronic components
and the miles of wire is surprising,
yet he says he hasn't finished yet.
Parts of his complex are still
under construction as he adds
buildings and landscaping to the
miniature environment.
Though railroading may not be
the hobby for everyone, the detail
and precision with which these
enthusiasts ply their skill must be
marvelled at.
Though modest when discussing
his creation, Giilck's many years of
interest in an every-growing hobby
is apparent.
It is a pastime which exercises the
logical mind, the creative mind and
the physical stamina as participants
maintain activity for a four-hour
stint, at least in Giilck's case.
At the controls
Morris Giilck of Blyth stands at the main control panel for his intricate train line.
By Janice Becker
Citizen staff
For many, the sound of a train
chugging along the track, blowing
its whislte, may simply bring back
memories of youth, or be an
unpleasant noise disturbing the
neighbourhood. But railroad buffs,
are drawn together regularly to
enjoy the sounds and intricacies of
operating hobby trains.
Morris Giilck of Blyth, is one
such enthusiast who has been
involved with the recreation and
running of railroad lines since the
age of 18.
Giilck, along with six or seven
other train lovers in the area gather
each Tuesday evening at one of
three homes which have a fully
operational railroad line and
shipping schedule.
Trains are not just engines and
cars running around a loop or
sliding through tunnels for these
men. It is a serious, yet fun
business, says Giilck.
His track layout is an intricate
inter-woven series which passes
through tunnels, over bridges, by
villages and to the railyard which
represents Toronto.
When the railroad men are
assembled, a full 24-hour schedule
of hauling and transferring goods
gets underway. The train
movements are timed by a clock
which moves six-times the normal
speed, allowing the schedule to be
completed in a four-hour evening.
Each man has a series of trains he
must run at the appropriate time,
with the correct cargo, to arrive at
the next station as scheduled.
"The schedules are typical of the
steam era," says Giilck.
For someone not familiar with the
actual running of a train system,
Giilck's operation can be somewhat
overwhelming, yet fascinating in its
detail. This train system is more
than a hobby, it is run like a
business.
Aside from the actual running of
the trains, the work and time which
Giilck has invested in his pastime is
amazing. Each tie along the more
than 200 feet of track was laid by
hand as was the track which
overlays them.
Giilck also painted the ties,
adjusting the colour for the open
areas or those in stations where the
colour is deepened.
The track passes eight major
towns, each with their station and
mills, depending on the product
produced in the community. A
mining facility sits in one comer
while a round-house and switching
yard consume much of the other end
of his basement.
From comer to comer, Giilck has
filled the basement space with
tunnels sculpted into bedrock
mountains with trees holding
precariously to the slope.
The artistry required to create the
landscape is equally as intriguing as
his development of the train
schedules. He didn't just paint grey
rocks onto smooth plaster forms, he
found appropriate rock to which the
plaster was molded. The landscape
appears very realistic as do the
gabions which stabilize his fictitious
step rock inclines.
Over his many years of railline
design, Giilck says he has
dismantled and recerated several
times, some because of moves.
Each time he makes changes to the
design and creates new features for
his system.
Because of the attention given to
detail, Giilck says the train
operators in this area quickly "weed
out the toy trainers".
"This is the operation of a system.
The trains are sent to a town to do
work, not just run around," he says.
The ".toy trainers" may also
quickly find this is not a casual
hobby when they learn the cost of
the equipment involved.
"A decent plastic engine will cost
$50 to $60, while a good one will
be $80 to $100," says Giilck. "Some
can run as high as $1,500.'
"It is an expensive hobby, but it is
one which can be controlled by
staying simple. A good engine and a
few cars can be purchased, then
added to slowly."
However, finding a good engine,
the most important component of
any system, can sometimes be
difficult, says Giilck. "You have to
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