Check it out: Eagle Scout completes wooden train playset at New Hope Valley Railway ahead of Thomas in the Garden event
New Hope Valley Railway will host a special event next month for Thomas the Tank Engine lovers that includes play on a new train playset built by a local Eagle Scout.
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Thomas in the Garden is Sept. 9 and will offer a bunch of fun activities for young train lovers. They include:
- a ride on passenger cars pulled by a real locomotive.
- a chance to check out the railway's model trains, which run along 1,000 feet of miniature track and will include four Thomas and Friends model cars.
- a chance to play on the new wooden train playset.
Wooden Climb-Aboard Train Playset
The climb-aboard train playset is built by Eagle Scout and young rail fan Joshua Johnston, 15. Johnston, who first visited the railway as a child, spent more than 200 hours with about 20 volunteers to build the child-size model train. He is a member of Boy Scout Troop 731 of the Black River District in the Occoneechee Council.
“My love for trains started when I turned two and my aunts gave me some Thomas and Friends videos which included the wooden trains,” said Johnston in a press release. “It’s my hope that the playset will entertain and inspire other young rail fans during their visit to NHVR’s rail yard.”
The wooden train consists of three separate pieces –- an engine and two train cars, the press release says. The engine and back car were designed for children to climb and pass through, and the middle car has two benches for sitting. Most of the train pieces were built and painted offsite. The playset’s final assembly and touch-ups were done in the rail yard.
Check it out!
Congrats, Joshua!
Model Garden Railroad with Thomas
Also on Sept. 9 and operating near the playset will be the model trains on the miniature track. They will include Thomas #1 with Annie and Clarabel; Percy #6 with assorted Troublesome Trucks; James #5 “Ice Cream Train” with Milk Tanker, Cream Tanker, Raspberry Syrup Tanker and two Ice Cream wagons; and Toby #7 “Vintage Train” with Henrietta, Victoria and Elsie.
These model trains are on loan from garden rail fan and North Carolina Garden Railroad Society member Joe Austin. They typically operate on 150-feet of track he and his wife built in their Apex backyard, but will be joining New Hope railway's larger collection of miniatures for the day. The mini track also features tunnels, bridges, plants, trees, houses, churches and its own engine house. There are multiple tracks for several trains to run simultaneously.
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