Model railroad club announces open house

SANDUSKY — A local model railroad club is continuing an annual tradition by scheduling two open house events in December. The Eerie & Mad River Model Railroad Club, 1309 N. Depot St., Sandusky, has scheduled the events for two Saturdays in a row: • Steam locomotives in the model train setup will be featured from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7. • Diesel locomotives will be running from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14. Admission to both open houses is free, although donations will be accepted. As in past years, members of the club will be showing off how they've made improvements to their model railroad setup since last year's open house, officers in the club said. A peninsula in the layout with a big loop, with a meatpacking plant and an ice plant, had been updated and improved, said Robert Butler, the club's secretary, and Bob Butler, the club's treasurer. The town the trains pass through also has been improved, Bob said. Members of the club will be on hand on both days to answer questions about the model train hobby and their setup. The club has been at its current location for 24 years. The name of the model railroad club honors the first railroad to serve Sandusky, the Mad River and Lake Erie Railroad. According to the Sandusky History Blog — at sanduskyhistory.blogspot.com, maintained by Sandusky Library — ground was broken for the railroad in 1835. Trains began running from Bellevue to Sandusky in 1838.