Tag Archives: show

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!

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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Bellmore Friday Night Car Shows 1

From LONG ISLAND – by Ann Parry (annparry.com)
August 8, 2015

Each spring I look forward to the return of Bellmore Friday Night Car Shows. The crowds bustling around hundreds of classic, custom, and antique cars at the Bellmore LIRR station parking lot have such friendly energy.

    • UPDATE: see 2019 Schedule for Friday Night Car Shows at end
Bellmore, New York, USA. 7th August 2015. Groups of people are at 1957 Chevrolet muscle car, with a blower (supercharger air compressor) sticking out through hole in hood, and American Dream written under the front grill, and parked under the elevated train tracks at the Friday Night Car Show held at the Bellmore Long Island Railroad Station Parking Lot. (Ann Parry/Ann Parry, ann-parry.com)

Bellmore, NY, USA. August 7, 2015. 1957 Chevrolet muscle car is American Dream at the Friday Night Car Show held at the Bellmore Long Island Rail Road Station Parking Lot. (© 2015 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

On May 29, perhaps the hardest-to-miss custom car was a black 1992 Mazda Convertible belonging to PHIL ZIRKULI, a Baldwin UFSD Art Teacher,  who was drawing colorful designs with chalk paint on his car. Zirkuli explained he decorates his car to draw attention to the importance of art education.

Bellmore, New York, USA. May 29, 2015. PHIL ZIRKULI, a Baldwin Art Teacher, is free-hand drawing colorful designs with chalk paint on his black 1992 Mazda Convertible at the Friday Night Car Show held at the Bellmore Long Island Railroad Station Parking Lot. Zirkuli explained he decorates his car to draw attention to the importance of art education. Hundreds of classic, antique, and custom cars are generally on view at the free weekly show, sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce of the Bellmores, from May to early October. (Ann Parry/Ann Parry, ann-parry.com)

Bellmore, NY, USA. May 29, 2015. PHIL ZIRKULI, a Baldwin Art Teacher, draws colorful designs on his black 1992 Mazda Convertible at the Friday Night Car Show held at the Bellmore Long Island Railroad Station Parking Lot.  (© 2015 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com

One of my favorite classic cars that spring night was a black 1965 Shelby Cobra 427 roadster racing car. When I asked why there was a thin wire attaching each Tri-Wing Knock Off to its wheel, I learned the safety wire prevents the Knock Off, aka Wingnut or Spinner, from flying into other cars if it comes off during races.

Bellmore, New York, USA. 12th June 2015. Owner Grey Cherveny, of Bay Shore, is standing at the open trunk of his modified yellow 2003 Corvette 50th Anniversary model, with Lamborghini doors (AKA vertical scissors doors and Lambo doors) and chrome trim added, an award winning car displayed at the Friday Night Car Show held at the Bellmore Long Island Railroad Station Parking Lot. Hundreds of classic, antique, and custom cars were on view at the free weekly show, sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce of the Bellmores. (Ann Parry/Ann Parry, ann-parry.com)

Bellmore, NY, USA. 12th June 2015. Owner Grey Cherveny at his modified yellow 2003 Corvette 50th Anniversary model at Friday Night Car Show held at Bellmore LIRR Station Parking Lot. (© 2015 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com

On June 12th, I enjoyed speaking with GREY CHERVENY, from Bay Shore, about his yellow 2003 Corvette 50th Anniversary model, with Lamborghini doors and chrome trim under the hood to reflect the motor. He proudly told me how, though he’s just recently started going to car shows with his modified Vette, it’s already appeared in Newsday, plus won an award.

Bellmore Friday Night Car Shows are great family fun. In fact, that late May night I unexpectedly ran into my older daughter’s family – including my grandson who excitedly shouted out “Train!” and pointed up from his stroller to the overhead tracks each time an LIRR train roared past.

Bellmore, New York, USA. 7th August 2015. JIMMY STELLAS, of Freeport, is standing in front of his War Bonnet Yellow 1969 Corvette Stingray, at the Friday Night Car Show held at the Bellmore Long Island Railroad Station Parking Lot. Hundreds of classic, antique, and custom cars were on view at the free weekly show, sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce of the Bellmores. In front of Stellas is a Riverside Gold 1972 Stingray Vette. (Ann Parry/Ann Parry, ann-parry.com)

Bellmore, NY, USA. 7th August 2015. JIMMY STELLAS, of Freeport, stands in front of his War Bonnet Yellow 1969 Corvette Stingray, at the Friday Night Car Show held at the Bellmore LIRR Station Parking Lot. At right is a Riverside Gold 1972 Stingray Vette. ( © 2015 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

Because I linger at each car that catches my eye – aiming to learn about the car and capture images that do it justice – I usually have time to catch only a small portion of the classic, antique, and custom cars each visit.

These free weekly shows are co-sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce of the Bellmores and the Town of Hempstead, and run through to the first week in October. I look forward to returning for many more laps around the parking lot.

WEEKLY MEETS:

6 PM–10 PM, early in May until first week of October (weather permitting)  bellmorechamber.com  (516) 679-1875

Bellmore LIRR parking lot on Sunrise Highway (between Bellmore Ave. & Bedford Ave.)


UPDATES – 2019 Schedule

Weekly Friday meets from MAY 3 to OCT. 4, 2019, from 6 PM -10 PM (weather permitting)

Bellmore Car Show posts:  #1  (2015)   #2 • 2017    #3 • 2018


My Auto event galleries: CARS

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