Lots of museums in San Diego and, while we have been to most of them over the time we have been here, we not only have some still to see but we also want to visit some that we have already seen before. I was reading about the Railroad built between El Centro, CA and San Diego and all of the extremely difficult mountainous terrain with steep cliffs, deep canyons, rocky escarpments that it covers and remembered that this whole layout is depicted in the Model Railroad Museum. Hey, let’s go and see how they depict it.
The Model Railroad Museum, at 28,000 sq ft, is divided up into several areas, with different RR Clubs in San Diego taking an area and depicting one of the railroads of the Southwest. The area that I wanted to see was the 4500 sq ft one that depicted the building of the San Diego and Arizona Eastern RR through Carrizo Gorge in southern California. We walked through some of the other exhibits and then came to this one. We were marveling at it when a Mike, a Club member who was working today and running his own trains around the tracks, came over to talk with us. Interestingly, he went to the Roosevelt HS in Des Moines, where my mother, my aunt and my uncle also went. We also talked about the Lionel model that Gary still has - in the original box. Well, the conversation went from there. And - soon he asked if we would like to go inside to see it from another perspective. Are you kidding ! ! ! Would we ever ! ! ! What a treat. He took us all around the display and pointed out some of the little things that we might have missed. Like the drag race. At one end of the tracks are the two hot rods, spouting exhaust (cotton) out of the mufflers; at the other end is a policeman on a motorcycle - waiting.
And, this little scene.
I hadn’t probably given it much thought but I learned that track doesn’t come as track - it comes as 10’ long metal strips. Now, you’ve got to cut it to length, make some tiny little logs to use as ties, make some tiny little pins to put into into the track to hold it to the ties. Lots of work here. Can you see those tiny little pins? It's tough - better use a magnifying glass. But someone made them and put them in.
Here’s something even smaller to make: tools for a workbench inside a railroad shop in the railroad yard. Here’s the view from the top. Can you see those little tools on the bench? No, well, I can hardly see them either. Interestingly, no one who has paid to come into this museum can see those tiny little tools on the workbench. Only the guys who volunteer here. Why did they make them - for the sheer joy of having the whole set up be accurate - down to the smallest tool.
Here they are, in zoom: wrenches, pliers and a hammer. And, knowing how particular these guys are - these tools probably work.
What impressed us the most about the display was not just the details on the outside, those that everyone can see as they wander around but the details on the inside, those that only the volunteers and people invited in can see. Check out this electrical wiring behind this building.
No one but the club members can see this but it is still done correctly. Note how the buildings are painted on the outside where people can see but also how the designs continue on the inside with windows and doors. Details and all down with loving care. Such details, such dedication, such passion for the hobby of Model Railroads. We were so impressed.
Hey, they’ve even got tiny little RV’s.
Here’s Mike showing Gary some of the inner workings.
Mike works several days a week and, when his wife asks if he is going to play with his toy trains, he calmly explains to her that he is going to work on the Model Railroad.
What fun it was to be on the inside and look at other tourists on the outside looking in and wishing they could be inside like we were.
What a tour we got, he showed us everything, he answered all of our questions and he showed such a love and passion for what he was doing and what his club had accomplished. We were so lucky to be in the right place at the right time. We really were impressed. Can’t wait to come back next year.
Afterwards we wandered around Balboa Park and then headed out to do the ‘7 Bridge Walk.’ And, what is that you ask? Ah, it’s a 6 mile walk around the Hillcrest area in San Diego where there are 7 bridges. Just what you guessed, right? Several of the bridges are pretty ordinary - cars and a side walk going over something else like a railroad or a highway. But there are several bridges that are pretty special and fun to walk on.
But the walk has lots besides just bridges. We stopped in a Trader Joe’s to grab an apple for a snack. We visited the ATM at the local Wells Fargo for a bit of money. And we enjoyed the crowds in the Hillcrest neighborhood. Oh, yeah, as we were leaving Trader Joes with our apples in hand, a lady walked by us and said, ‘Oh, aren’t you two so cute?’ Huh? Oh, yeah, two old people who dress alike and look somewhat alike (although I am mustache challenged) walking along both eating apples. Lady, I’m not ‘cute.’
But this window display sure is. Should I get this for Gary for Valentines? Let’s vote.
This bridge is fairly new and has lots of quotations along the railings. Here is one of them with a quote from Kate Sessions, American botanist, horticulturalist, and landscape architect closely associated with San Diego, California, and known as the "Mother of Balboa Park, about wearing sensible shoes - my kind of gal.
Then we get to the older bridges, and here is one of our favorites - we have walked over this bridge every time we have come to San Diego. It’s the Spruce Street Suspension bridge, it sways with every step, it bridges a deep chasm and it’s utterly charming.
The Quince Street bridge, a wooden trestle bridge,built in 1905 for less than $1000. Again you don’t want to look down to see the depths of the canyon below. And, we’re on a bridge built in 1905?
We got back to Balboa Park early enough to see the sun shining on the tower above one of the museums in the park.
And we got back just in time to join the rush hour traffic.
‘Never sit on a barbed wire fence naked.’
Texas Bix Bender
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