Model Railroads, Where did they start?

info@sssicamous
Jul 9
9 min read

The S.S. Sicamous situated on the shore of Okanagan lake, is home to the Kettle Valley Model Railway, the 15 x 4 meter layout fit with buildings and track galore. With over one hundred meters of laid track, this model is a spectacle for trains in the valley. Both young and old visitors are fascinated by the railway during our hours of operation. The KVR club has been working since 1988 and still has volunteers come in to keep it running.

Curiosity might lead you to wonder what these railroads would look like when they were running. The kicker is that they really have not changed much. Many of the industry standards have been around for more than six decades. Hobbyists all over the globe build their own. People also love to watch model trains, even with little interest to trains themselves. Museums and train expos are popular for tourist and craftsmen alike. This blog should serve as a deep dive into the history of these little wonders and how far they have come since their invention.

maroon and grey diesel canadian pacific train passing through a mountain range N scale model — *N scale CPR diesel locomotive on a KVR themed layout*

Model railways' origins go all the way back to the 16th century and the age of sail. Shipwrights and designers would build scale and smaller models to appease their commissioners. Those at the time who were unfamiliar with architecture and engineering could not read the detailed plans, thus needing a model to help envision the product. This then evolved with the Industrial revolution. Inventors, designers, and rolling stock manufacturers alike all took to building models of their concepts for their investors. With the trains came the first toys. Small, wooden toys appeared just after the first steam track locomotives came into use. Commercial prominence really started around the 1850s. More and more companies were manufacturing these trains for consumers with kits, tracks, and layouts. Advertisement was also huge at the time with marketing not yet being heavily regulated. Ads would target adult and child audiences. All of this was revolutionized with the first electric models in 1894. This legitimized the hobby and has been going ever since.

While models and pre-builts are standard now in the model railway world, before the mass spread of kits and "ready to run", hobbyists would have to build models from scratch! Various hobbyists benefited from their day to day careers when it came to these models. Inventors, craftsmen, artisans, woodworkers, watchmakers, and railway workers' expertise came in handy. Materials used varied widely between modelers, common ones included: tin, lead, wood, bone, ivory, and plant fiber. Large scale manufacturing came into play around the 1890's when sets were mass produced and to great success. A race began between a few founding companies. Companies like Marklin, Hornby, Carlisle and Finch, Lionel and more instantly became household names from 1890-1940. These companies were successful through the First World War and survived the Great Depression. Development and innovation continued to find more efficient modes of power and more realistic functions. Modeling and plastic made refining details to scale more efficient. Modernized pigment production and logistics made painting models easier to now go with the detailed plastic. Dedicated craftsmen seeking realism and companies trying to pass new profit margins both were modernizing at a staggering rate.

During the era between 1930 and 1980 we saw many different scales and gauges arrive. Differing greatly between Germany, The United States, and Britain these hobbyists generally traded between metric and new imperial. Previously limited to available technology, size was another point of competition. Model railways take up a lot of space. People without the space were seeking smaller models to run their trains in home settings. Attics, garages, and basements being completely taken over with large train sets? No more. The 1920s saw the rise of HO scale, this cut the more standard, larger, O gauge in half and took the scale with it. Even further was N-scale, made to be half the size of HO. N scale has also been used on HO layouts to create forced perspective, making higher up and back set houses look smaller and distanced.

Craftsmen and hobbyists alike have been producing fairly accurate models since these trains became widely available. There has not been much scale in quality or difference along those years.

Another large invention that has set the standard since it released was the Kadee's magnetic coupler system. These couplers easily attach by just pushing the cars together yet are strong enough that repetitive use hardly shakes them. It has become clear that modellers are really effective at finding the most efficient tools available. These all come together to form what we have for standard systems today - manual trains that require a plugged connection to the operating board and track, and advancements to high tech computers that can run many trains all at once on a single layout. Modernity and creativity always thrive in a hobby this inquisitive.

Unfortunately with the fall of commercial railroads it seems the models have followed suit. Socioeconomic factors have led to companies neglecting their once all powerful rail network. Those same socioeconomic factors are coming into play to also dissuade young people from choosing a hobby like this.

You might ask, Why trains? Why not model boats, cars or planes??? Hobbyists have been making the aforementioned vehicles but there is a stark difference that has allowed trains to remain the most unique. Model boats are very cool but also scale in price quite steep, quite quick. Boats require a decent body of water and are only controllable from a waterproof motor/rudder. Boats limit the amount of accessibility and customization. Remote control boats have the issue of not being in scale. They do not have wharves, marinas, gas stations, or tug operation like they would in the real world. Though similar to model trains, there is a degree of customization between vessels.

RC cars are similarly, if not, more popular than model trains. Their popularity has been around long though suits a very different niche. Model trains have an age bias compared to their automobile counterparts. Trains appeal to those who are older and younger on average. RC cars, (especially during the pandemic.) Have a much more general audience being males between the ages of 5-40. RC cars also give you something that is obtainable but out of grasp for many. Their Dream car could be 300,000$ but the model? 500$. Not needing to buy the tracks is a very important factor. RC cars are also more versatile than trains as they are way more space efficient. Model railways also scale in price more variably than the cars. Paying one payment of 480 for a good RC car is more economical than how much the trains will add up to over time.

Remote controlled planes are very cool do not get me wrong. Though they are certainly more niche than trains, boats, or cars. Plane modelling however is a lot less. There are a ton of aviation fanatics especially over military planes. Jets catch the eye of many, though they share the same logic as train modelers. The inability to own a military or historical plane gives some desire to own it as a model. Much less for the scenery (or lack of) plane modellers hang their creations as a display spectacle.

The reoccurring sentiment I have come to is that model railways act as a more controlled and distinct form of hobby modelling. Railways allow a unique and experienced form of modelling. Full control over what in real life would run for millions of dollars. Every detail from the grass to the fish in the streams is up for you to build. Lots of people can own boats, cars, and even planes but it is near impossible to own a railroad. Everything listed here varies from person to person and modeler to modeler, these points act as a rationalization for why people like this long-standing craft.

As stated in the intro, the club started in 1988. Model railway clubs are fantastic ways to get around the issues model railroad layouts present, this negates how much space they take up in the home. Originally the KVMRC had a crude track spread and a very active group of members. Tuesdays were for those to bring in their own trains to run.

There have been many, many renovations to the tracks over the years although some issues arise with older hardware and wiring. With hundreds of scale miles of track laid. The layout was detailed, toiled, and fawned over by members. Even in just the last decade there have been many renovations and updates to the layout. Tons of hours have been spent cleaning and maintaining track. In recent time, notable amounts of buildings and urbanization has been done. Civil development is important to a model railway, as fun as it is to watch trains over the countryside, trains are meant as a means to link community to community, town to town, and city to city. Previously areas like Carmi and Hope had far less detail, usually just a water tower or signals. Actual buildings give it the feeling of being a proper stop along the tracks that make it as important as the “miles to Hope” on the signs imply.

Train tracks are busy work and the model reflects this. Wiring has been in hot contention for those working here. The dollar insert is finicky, and the entirety of Penticton has been blacked out when they surged too much power to the lights and burnt many out.

Tender love and care have been put into the mountains and certain areas along the layout though not much has differed significantly. Methods such as tree bark cliffs and weathering on the tunnels can make this model feel lived in, like there is actually weather and time this world has to deal with.

Busy season really limits the amount of work that can be done while also increasing the need for work to be done to maintain the track. Autumn and Winter is usually when all the big renovations happen. 2015-2016 marks an important era in the development of the modern railroad. Okanagan Mountain was extremely overhauled. Between Naramata, Chute Lake, and Myra Canyon was a stabilization and levelling of the railbed. Pulling out chute lake a decent half meter, they really went all in on redesigning the space. Okanagan mountain now is one of the most visually appealing areas of the railroad. The spiral around the mountain was kept though expanded and the tunnels were situated as a means to help the stretching of disbelief. They kept or added landmarks like the resort at Chute Lake, Little Tunnel, and the saw mill. Trout Creek has been renovated multiple times from 2016 onward. Displays such as the forest fire, vineyard, and the creek itself have been added or cared for. Between 2017 and 2023 Carmi was reworked and so was midway to instead go underground. While a somewhat controversial decision to the club members, it has remained that way since.

Many problems of these have plagued the Kettle Valley Model Railroad, though they are issues that will appear on almost any track layout. Roads and bridges are one of the most difficult to scale and build on a layout. Automotive traffic always takes a backseat to the proper spectacle of the railroad so they end up unrealistic to that of a real motorway. Issues such as elevation, access, road law, and general space can all make roads feel like the afterthought they are.

Another considerable point of contention is the bodies of water you would see on a model. Waterways on a model railroad are very difficult to execute in a realistic way. Water is evermoving and almost never static so that is the main illusion breaker. Modelers try their best to imply movement with waves, whitecaps, and bends in flow though to varying levels of success. Scaling something like a great river or ocean also poses issues with weight and space. One would need to sacrifice far too much precious tablespace to get it accurate. Lots of the creeks and rivers especially on the KVMR use forced perspective. By running the river or creek around a mountain you can hide the mouth and the source.

Electrical also proves tough on layouts due to the knowledge and expertise needed to keep everything running and everything running safely. Electricity has been a staple to the model railroading community pretty much since they were invented. Today you can have advanced computer controlled splitters and turnouts. Even round houses are powered by electricity on the setup.

Penticton model railroad incola hotel SS Sicamous — Penticton before the burnout.

Hopefully this blog informed and educated on the history of model trains. Hopefully you further look up the history of the CPR and the surrounding railroad history, or even look into getting model trains yourself!