Tag Archives: O Gauge

Farmingdale,NY, USA. January 21, 2018. At TMB Model Train Club Open House, young boy looks at train running along wall.

TMB Model Train Club: Big Room with Big (& Small) Views

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From LONG ISLAND – by Ann Parry (annparry.com))
February 28, 2018

“ALL ABOARD!”  After photographing several Open Houses at the Train Masters of Babylon Model Train Club HQ, I’m still spellbound whenever I step into the O-gauge sized universe created with such skill and care by its members. 

Farmingdale, NY, USA. Jan. 21, 2018. BOB YORBURG, from Yorktown, inspects O-scale model train trolley town during TMB Open House at Train Masters of Babylon HQ. (© 2018 Ann Parry, Ann-Parry.com)

Farmingdale, NY, USA. Jan. 21, 2018. BOB YORBURG, from Yorktown, inspects O-scale model train trolley town during TMB Open House at Train Masters of Babylon HQ. (© 2018 Ann Parry, Ann-Parry.com)

When I went with friends to one of TMB’s recent open houses, we started slowly winding our way around the intricate track layouts with stunning scenery, and soon I lagged behind, since I was waiting to catch a train (photographically).

Farmingdale, New York, USA. January 21, 2018. Trolley model train speeds by old-fashioned downtown night scene at Babylon Train Masters Open House at TMB Headquarters (Ann Parry/Ann Parry, annparry.com)

Farmingdale, NY, USA. January 21, 2018. Trolley model train passes through old-fashioned downtown night scene at Babylon Train Masters Open House at TMB Headquarters. (© 2018 Ann Parry/AnnParry.com)

After a grand circular tour of the layouts, I chatted with TMB club members, and – faster than a speeding locomotive – said yes to TMB President DAVE WILLIAMS‘ offer to view, for my first time, their multi-level model train universe from high up in the Controller Loft stretching across the east wall.

Farmingdale, New York, USA. January 21, 2018. Long Island Rail Road LIRR Waiting Room at Pennsylvania Station is part of subway layout at Train Masters of Babylon during their TMB Model Train Club Open House at their Headquarters. (Ann Parry/Ann Parry, ann-parry.com)

Farmingdale, NY, USA. January 21, 2018. Long Island Rail Road LIRR Waiting Room at Pennsylvania Station is part of subway layout at Train Masters of Babylon during their TMB Model Train Club Open House at their Headquarters. (© 2018 Ann Parry/AnnParry.com.)

Farmingdale, New York, USA. January 21, 2018. DAVE WILLIAMS (far right) President of TMB Train Masters of Babylon Model Train Club and other members, are up in Controller Loft high above the train layouts during TMB Open House at its HQ. (Ann Parry/annparry.com)

Farmingdale, NY, USA. Jan. 21, 2018. (R-L) TMB members DAVE WILLIAMS, President; STEVE SCAGNELLI, Secretary; JOHN MASSEY and others, work in Controller Loft high up above train layouts during Train Masters of Babylon Open House. (© 2018 Ann Parry/AnnParry.com)

Farmingdale, New York, USA. January 21, 2018. TMB Model Train Club has Open House at its Headquarters. (Ann Parry/ann-parry.com)

Farmingdale, NY, USA. Jan, 21, 2018. Overhead view of Train Masters of Babylon’s Model Train Club Open House at TMB Headquarters. (© 2018 Ann Parry/AnnParry.com)

  • VIDEO  ‘AMTRAK STU’ CHASE tells about Train Masters of Babylon Club:

[videopress zGYoo85i]

 

TMB Model Train Club HQ 2018: PHOTO GALLERY 

Train Masters of Babylon: TMB site | 2018 Lionel Ambassadors

Nov. 30, 2016 blog post: “TMB Model Train Club’s O-mazing Open House“

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TMB Model Train Club’s O-mazing Open House

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From LONG ISLAND – by Ann Parry (annparry.com)
November 30, 2016

Where can you see a three-ring circus, NYC subway line, and real prop used in a mob hit scene on The Sopranos?  At the Train Masters of Babylon Model Train Club HQ in Long Island!

Farmingdale, New York, USA. November 26, 2016. An Amtrak model train speeds through a tunnel at the Train Masters of Babylon TMB Model Train Club's Open House. Visitors enjoy a 4000 square foot O Gauge model railroad with 10 trains running on 19 scale miles of track and an underground subway system. Watching O Scale model trains traveling on tracks through various elaborate scenes was family fun, free and open to the public, during the long Thanksgiving holiday weekend. (Ann Parry/Ann Parry, ann-parry.com)

Farmingdale, New York, USA. November 26, 2016. An Amtrak model train speeds through a tunnel at TMB Model Train Club’s Open House. (© 2016 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

Last Saturday, during the long Thanksgiving Weekend, I spent a couple of hours that sped by all too quickly at TMB’s Open House, which was free and open to the public, as all their Open Houses are.

Farmingdale, New York, USA. November 26, 2016. BAKE TURNER, of Melville, holds a blue Electromotivee Division EMD model train engine at the Train Masters of Babylon TMB Model Train Club's Open House. Visitors enjoyed a 4000 square foot O Gauge model railroad with 10 trains running on 19 scale miles of track and an underground subway system. Watching O Scale model trains traveling on tracks through various elaborate scenes was family fun, free and open to the public, during the long Thanksgiving holiday weekend. (Ann Parry/Ann Parry, ann-parry.com)

Farmingdale, NY, USA. Nov. 26, 2016. TMB club member BAKE TURNER, of Melville, holds a blue Electromotive Division EMD model train engine at the Train Masters of Babylon Model Train Club’s Open House. (© 2016 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

BAKE TURNER, a TMB Model Train Club Board Member, told me how the club – which is a Lionel Ambassador for 2016-17 – moved from Lindenhurst to their Farmingdale location four years ago, and they’re still expanding the elaborate O-Scale layouts, including developing one vertically up a wall!

Farmingdale, New York, USA. November 26, 2016. Tiny high wire aerialist model figure, about two inches tall, is part of the circus scene display at Train Masters of Babylon TMB Model Train Club's Open House. Visitors enjoy a 4000 square foot O Gauge model railroad with 10 trains running on 19 scale miles of track and an underground subway system. The free and open to public event was family fun during the long Thanksgiving holiday weekend. (Ann Parry/Ann Parry, ann-parry.com)

Farmingdale, NY, USA. Nov. 26, 2016. Tiny tightrope walker model figure, about two inches tall, is in circus scene display at Train Masters of Babylon TMB Model Train Club’s Open House. (© 2016 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

Young children perched on parents’ shoulders; adults bent down to inspect the subway line; and lots of arms, short and long, pointed to trains whizzing around the 19 scale miles of track winding through fantastically detailed landscapes, towns, tall cityscapes….

Farmingdale, New York, USA. November 26, 2016. At TMB Train Masters of Babylong Model Train Club's Open House, visitors look at actual train display - complete with blood stains - seen in'The Blue Comet' episode of'The Sopranos'. Photo above layout is scene with character Bobby Baccalieri at L.I. model train store. (Ann Parry/Ann Parry, ann-parry.com)

Farmingdale, New York, USA. November 26, 2016. At TMB Model Train Club’s Open House, visitors look at actual train display seen in ‘The Blue Comet’ episode of HBO’s ‘The Sopranos.’  (© 2016 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

And then there’s the club’s star attraction: the actual train layout featured in “The Blue Comet” episode of The Sopranos HBO television series. It wasn’t until shortly after my visit I realized the layout was complete with “blood stains” from Bobby Bacala’s execution, so I want to return to the scene of that crime during a future Open House.

UPDATE:  January 2019

In the Jan. 2019 issue of Model Rail, the UK model train magazine, editor Richard Foster writes that The Blue Comet episode of HBO’s The Sopranos is his favorite TV episode featuring a model train.

Along with info about the episode and TMB Model Train Club, Foster’s “Backscene” article (page 146) includes one of my news photos of the actual TV prop on display during TMB’s Open House.

The Model Rail  January 2019 digital back issue is currently available for purchase at the PocketMags site (which I have NO relationship with).

TMB Open House:  PHOTO GALLERY 

Train Masters of Babylon: TMB site  |  2016-17 Lionel Ambassadors

Feb. 28, 2018 blog post: “TMB Model Train Club: Big Room with Big (and Small) Views“

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