St. James' Roundhouse to be torn down

By FRITZ BUSCH

Journal Staff Writer

ST. JAMES -- The clang of a train engine bell is the first thing that gets your attention when you climb the stairs to The Roundhouse next to the public library.

Miniature diesel and steam-powered freight and passenger trains and their sounds wind around miniature villages with intricate details await visitors this weekend.

If you have any interest in model railroading, see the model railroad exhibit in the old fire hall this weekend during Railroad Days. The building will be demolished soon, to make way for a library expansion project.

Destroying the building is a sobering thought for Bill Nordgren and the rest of the St. James Model Railroad Club. They've got lots of time invested in the two-room exhibit of HO, Lionel and G scale trains.

"We were afraid this would happen and it soon will," Nordgren said.

He is one of the charter members and past president of the model railroading club that began in 1989. It now includes about 20 members from Sleepy Eye, Mankato, Lake Crystal and St. James.

Parts of the railroad sets are made to simulate actual places like downtown St. James decades ago.

"My railroad goes all over the county and area, to places the railroad never went," Nordgren said.

Some of the scenery looks a lot like Minneopa State Park. Layers of limestone rock were created on styrofoam with spoons, wire brushes and carefully mixing and applying paint.

Other sites along the tracks include several small villages, a prison and an intricately-made wooden trestle bridge made of many pieces of balsa wood.

Nordgren's favorite railroad is the Milwaukee Road. Other club members prefer the Burlington Northern and Great Northern.

The Minnesota Central Railroad is the club's own creation with maroon and gold colors on engines and cars.

Dale Hedlund of St. James, another former club president, feels his time spent on model railroad is worthwhile.

"Our wives all know where we are," Hedlund said.

He praised the City of St. James for allowing the club to use it's property at no charge.

"The city has been just terrific," Hedlund said. "They worked with us, helping us promote it. It kept our dues down and enabled us to buy more of our own equipment."

Hedlund said the club's work is a family affair with children and spouses pitching in with some of the painstaking work like helping create railroad scenery.

"It's a nice way to spend time with the family," Hedlund said. "We have a really neat, talented group of people here."

Some members prefer architectural planning, others enjoy modeling and scenery.

Several lighting systems were built into the display that can be switched to simulate night, early morning, midday and sunset situations.

The club hopes to eventually light up all the miniature villages complete with sidewalks, birds in the trees and small children.

As many as four trains operate at once in each of two rooms.

The current home of The Roundhouse will be demolished later this year after club members disassemble and salvage what they can. The club's new home will be in the City of St. James' former dredge building near the century-old depot museum on the other side of St. James Lake.

The club meets Thursday nights and Saturdays and works on its equipment until Christmas. The Roundhouse is open other times by appointment. Club members have competed at many model train shows and won many awards.

The Roundhouse will be open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 1-4 p.m. Sunday this weekend for Railroad Days.