West Island Model Railroad Club

09/04/2026

Apparently the final stop for the last surviving Manhattan railroad hobby shop......

"The sandwich sign in front of the basement shop at 23 West 45th St. announced on August 31 that “Everything Must Go.” The beloved basement shop was closing, after a run of 56 years. For 54 of those years, it has been under the same owner, Allan Spitz, who is 80 but said that left to his own devices, he had no intention of retiring. "

The Red Caboose, the last of the old-time hobby shops in the city, is closing. With the shop’s demise slated for mid-October, Christmas will be a little differe...

07/30/2026

UP 4014 is back home after its epic cross-country road trip!

07/21/2026

How things have changed since 2010!!

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07/07/2026

A few photos from Steam Town this past week

07/06/2026

Just four days after the spectacular UP 4014-R&N 2102 Sesquicentennial steam excursion weekend, the Railway and locomotive Historical society sponsored an all day trip on several of the Reading & Northern's branches in Pennsylvania's anthracite coal region. One stop on this run was to the R&N's shops where the 2102 was already undergoing regular maintenance in preparation for the rest of its tough operational schedule leading up to the grand July Fourth celebration.
Vince Lee Photos

07/03/2026

Yesterday was not the day to railfan UP 4014.

More than 100 people required medical treatment and 35 were taken to hospitals after extreme heat overwhelmed attendees at Union Pacific Big Boy No. 4014's appe

06/30/2026

From our member Jack on Tracks:

Welcome back to Jack on Tracks and another episode of the Back Shop! In this installment of the Berkshire Knitting Mill build, we're tackling one of the most important details on any structure project—custom windows and doors.

After experimenting with several techniques, I finally settle on a method that creates realistic-looking window trim, detailed door assemblies, and a much more convincing industrial appearance than the stock kit parts. You'll see how I modified commercial window components, doubled up door panels for interior and exterior detail, weathered the finished pieces, and installed everything into the structure.

Along the way, we run into a few unexpected challenges, including adhesive issues, video recording glitches, and some last-minute fitting adjustments. But in the end, the results completely transform the look of the building

Welcome back to Jack on Tracks and another episode of the Back Shop...

06/24/2026

When your diesel calls in sick..............................

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06/22/2026

Check us out in the Sunday issue of news

06/19/2026

Various views of UP 4014 Sunday, June 14th. Vince Lee Photos.