Hobbyist is workin' on the railroad

Frank Baldwin looks right at home with the control panel overseeing his HO model railway system. The Sisters area resident has an upper level room in his home specially designed for his railroading hobby.

Frank has an HO scale system that is 1/87th actual size and his system spans the equivalent of about 10 miles of track.

"You never finish projects and I'm right on schedule," he said.

There are double tracks circling much of the large room. A side track goes "up the mountain" with a timber harvest train. Frank's railroad contains 12 locomotives and dozens of freight and passenger cars.

"There are several steps involved in model railroading," he said. "You start with building the substructure, then the roadbed, before laying rail."

Frank uses flexible track but notes that some purists will lay each individual tie while laying rail.

Next comes the scenery and buildings.

"I spend many nights constructing each building from a kit," said the model builder.

Finally come the schematics, connecting the electrical gear and the 40 switches on Frank's master control panel. The train system is ready to roll with authentic background railroad sounds.

Frank is a member of the National Model Railroad Association and has been on international rail trips riding world class trains. Two years ago, about 50 club members toured Switzerland, Italy, Austria and Germany by train. Frank actually got to drive a large locomotive in Innsbruck

"It's a tremendous feeling to push forward on the controller and feel all that metal moving under you," he said.

This year's adventure tour led the group to Chile and Argentina. There they rode on 1910-1920s steam engine trains, some on narrow gauge rails and some on broad gauge. The two-week trip covered about 1,000 miles. A highlight for Frank was crossing the Andes on a 1922 German engine.

Baldwin took video footage detailing the South American trip and will provide a copy to the National Model RR Association headquarters in Chattanooga, Tennessee. His scenes crossing Patagonia are a particular highlight.

Baldwin has also ridden aboard trains in New Zealand and Japan. He fondly remembers rides on Japanese bullet trains at 120 mph speeds (the newer bullet trains now reach an average speed of 180 mph).

Frank lives with his wife Jan in their Sisters area home. They have two children and four grandchildren.

"The kids really enjoy the model railroad system when visiting," says Frank.

In his non-modeling hours, Frank volunteers at the Habitat for Humanity and he and Jan enjoy RV travel.

Baldwin is interested in meeting other model railroad enthusiasts in the area and invites them to contact him through the phone directory.