What could possibly be so fascinating about a model train? Just ask the thousands of enthusiasts who spend hours designing, replicating, and building scale models of villages, cities, or countryside scenes all designed around hundreds of feet of railroad track. Model train collectors around the world have made this the most popular and longest lasting hobby ever known.

It wasn?t unusual to have a model train chugging around the tree on Christmas morning more than a few years ago. Many youngsters lost interest pretty quickly, however, and this is where dad took over. Focusing on that little set of metal cars and yards of railroad track became a source of relaxation after an exhausting work day. Not just sitting and watching while the train ran around the track, but building scenery and constructing life-like villages for hours at a time.

There is something about a model train that brings back childhood memories and just makes you feel good. This may be why model train enthusiasts and hobbyists are so intensely dedicated to this more-popular-than-ever venue. Hours are spent crafting scenery to perfection, designing buildings that are exact replicas of the originals, and laying down what seems like miles of track that will take this model train on its journey.

Model train collecting is a wonderful way to bring families together, especially father and son, but let?s not leave out the female members of the family! There are a great many girls and women who also find the model train world fascinating and have collections of their own. This hobby is for everyone and anyone who ever had or wanted a model train when they were a child. Once you get started collecting, you are hooked.

A layout for the model train can be as simple or as complex as anyone cares to make it. The model train lover has the freedom to do anything he or she wants in terms of design, and the scenery can be anything from a peaceful countryside to snowcapped mountains to the bright seashore. Many hobbyists choose to re-create the village where they live, right down to the smallest detail.

Lose yourself in the wonderful world of model train collecting. Create this small space as you would like to see it, relax and forget about the worries and pressures of everyday life, and let the model train take you away for a while.