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More than 600 feet of track, double the size and more of last year’s display, now carries an array of HO and G Scale trains that chug past miniature people, ponds, automobiles, villages and stops - including the city’s own signature Depot - painstakingly setup by Wes Easley, Carlos Juarez and friends. |
Odd Fellows celebrate the holiday with fabulous HO & G Scale trains
December 15, 2010
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula News
A traditional holiday happening - the mega-display of miniature trains - is welcoming visitors at the Odd Fellows Lodge, where a holiday winter wonderland is hidden away on the second floor. More than 600 feet of track, double the size and more of last year’s display, now carries an array of HO and G Scale trains that chug past miniature people, ponds, automobiles, villages and stops - including the city’s own signature Depot - painstakingly setup by Wes Easley, Carlos Juarez and friends.
This year the holiday display is being used to help those less fortunate: although admission is free, Odd Fellows would appreciate those enjoying the display - which fills the Great Room right below the historic clock tower - to bring either an unwrapped toy valued up to $10, ten cans of food or a $10 donation. The donations will be given to the Santa Paula Rotary Club Christmas Basket program, which this year will provide a memorable holiday to more than 450 prescreened needy families.
Juarez said train collector Easley has “spent weeks planning and hours building” the display, with additional help and contributions from Juarez, Don MacIntosh and Melanie Binsley. “It’s a very different and intriguing layout” that includes mountains, new scenes and even more trains on a must be seen three-level route.
The display is fascinating, with a merry mix of engines, cars and scenes, from an old-fashioned engine and Limoneira Company cars carrying lemons to a daintier steam engine - complete with a red glow from the coal burner - with many sleek cars to more modern Metrolink-type passenger cars. The engines are primarily Southern Pacific, reflecting Easley’s wish to play off Santa Paula’s history with the famous railroad.
There’s something different everywhere you look, with trains and cars ranging from the smaller HO scale to the large impressive G scale models collected by Easley starting about 16 years ago after he purchased a train set for his family and put it into service under the Christmas tree.
Visitors - including those familiar with the trains and those who have never experienced small engines - are delighted when cars gradually coming to a stop complete with realistic power winding down sound effects. With a flip of the switch the engines come back to life, sounding exactly like the real thing as they cycle growing power.
Juarez said this year’s display will hopefully help the Rotary Club fill Christmas Baskets for area pre-qualified needy families, a way of giving back after the Rotary Benefit Fund approved a grant for renovations of the Odd Fellows building. Also on display is Easley’s 1/29th scaled handcrafted Depot model, a wonder of replication.
Wheelchair access is available - call 805-290-5525. The display at the Odd Fellows Lodge - located on East Main Street across from the Davis Street intersection - will be open this Friday and Saturday from 6 to 9 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m.
