Tag Archives: Open House

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

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)


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

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!

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 (& Small) Views

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Kitten Bowl III Party at Last Hope Animal Rescue

From LONG ISLAND – by Ann Parry (ann-parry.com)
February 23, 2016

On Super Bowl 50 Sunday, furball fans at Last Hope Animal Rescue in Wantagh enjoyed food, face painting, and cheering on the Last Hope Lions, their home team of kitties playing in the Hallmark Channel’s Kitten Bowl III.

Wantagh, New York, USA. February 7, 2016. Volunteer MIKE DAY, 13, of Wantagh, looks as if he's giving coaching advice to the gray kitten player with the red collar on TV in Hallmark Channel Kitten Bowl III. At Last Hope Animal Rescue's Open House, the guests cheer on their team, the Last Hope Lions, which the tiny tabby szs a member of. Over 100 adoptable kittens from Last Hope Inc and North Shore Animal League of America participated in the pretaped games, and the Home and Family Felines won the 2016 championship, which first aired the day of Super Bowl 50. (Ann Parry/Ann Parry, ann-parry.com)

Wantagh, NY, USA. Feb. 7, 2016. Volunteer MIKE DAY, 13, of Merrick, looks as if he’s giving coaching advice to the tabby team member on TV in Hallmark Channel Kitten Bowl III, at Last Hope Animal Rescue’s Open House. (© 2016 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

The Open House guests were thrilled when host BETH STERN, an animal activist and spokesperson for North Shore Animal League America, introduced tabby cat ALEXANDER, the Mayor of Last Hope. Ms. Stern explained Alex is available for adoption and then kissed him, which he accepted like a purr-fect gentleman.

Wantagh, New York, USA. 7th February 2016. Volunteer LAURA LANG holds Tabby cat ALEXANDER, the Mayor of Last Hope Rescue, wearing a glittery gold hat during Last Hope Animal Rescue's Open House during Hallmark Channel Kitten Bowl III television special. Alexander appeared on the TV show with its host B. Stern, who announced Alex is available for adoption. People at the center watched the game and cheered on their team, the Last Hope Lions. Over 100 adoptable kittens from Last Hope Inc and North Shore Animal League America participated in the taped games, and the Home and Family Felines won the 2016 championship, which first aired the day of Super Bowl 50. (Ann Parry/Ann Parry, ann-parry.com)

Wantagh, NY, USA. Feb. 7, 2016. Volunteer LAURA LANG holds ALEXANDER, the Mayor of Last Hope Rescue, at the center’s Open House during Hallmark Channel’s Kitten Bowl III. Alex appeared on the show with host Beth Stern. (© 2016 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

Wantagh, New York, USA. February 7, 2016. Tabby cat ALEXANDER, the Mayor of Last Hope Rescue, is available for adoption during Last Hope Animal Rescue's Open House during Hallmark Channel Kitten Bowl III. Alexander appeared on the TV show with its host B. Stern. The adoption center's volunteers and visitors watched the game on TV and cheered on their team, the Last Hope Lions. Over 100 adoptable kittens from Last Hope Inc and North Shore Animal League America participated in the taped games, and the Home and Family Felines won the 2016 championship, which first aired the day of Super Bowl 50. (Ann Parry/Ann Parry, ann-parry.com)

Wantagh, NY, USA. Feb. 7, 2016. ALEXANDER, the Mayor of Last Hope Rescue, in Wantagh, is available for adoption.  (© 2016 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

Another exciting highlight was when Tiger – one of the tiny tabby players in Kitten Bowl III – visited the party with his new family, Charlie Brown and Melanie Benedetto. The now 7-month-old celebrity sported a fur-ociously cute harness with skull and crossbones, and after graciously allowing his fans to see him up close, jumped on top of a nearby tall cage.

Wantagh, New York, USA. February 7, 2016. Tiger the tabby cat, one of the team players in the Hallmark Channel Kitten Bowl III, is with his new family, CHARLIE BROWN, who's holding the star whose new name is Yogi, and MELANIE BENEDETTO, of Massapequa, at Last Hope Animal Rescue's Open House, where the adoption center's volunteers and visitors watch the game on TV and cheer on their team, the Last Hope Lions. Over 100 adoptable kittens from Last Hope Inc and North Shore Animal League America participated in the taped games, and the Home and Family Felines won the 2016 championship, which first aired the day of Super Bowl 50. (Ann Parry/Ann Parry, ann-parry.com)

Wantagh, NY, USA. Feb. 7, 2016. Player Tiger in Hallmark Channel Kitten Bowl III is with his new family, L-R, MELANIE BENEDETTO and CHARLIE BROWN, at Last Hope Animal Rescue’s Open House, where guests  watched the taped game on TV. (© 2016 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

Though Kitten Bowl victory escaped the grasp of Last Hope Lions’ tiny paws, the cute catheletes feel like winners, since they and all 100+ kittens in the game have been adopted.

Adoptable (as of 2/23/16) cats & dogs in my Last Hope Open House gallery:

  • ALEXANDER the Mayor of Last Hope
  • WOODBURY the calm, sociable tabby
  • HALLIE the affectionate white & orange beagle
  • FORD the friendly gray pit mix

Official site of Last Hope Animal Rescue

  • My photos of Last Hope’s Open House:   Gallery

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Interested in ADOPTING a cat or dog on Long Island, or learning ways you can help ones without furr-ever homes?  Visit:  LastHopeAnimal Rescue.org