COLORADO MODEL RAILROAD MUSEUM IS FUN FOR EVERYONE!
A Love Your Parks Tour Story of Excellence, by Lisa D. Smith and Nancy J. Reid assigned Bobbi DePoter, President of Quantum Learning Network.
Journalist and newspaper publisher Dave G. Trussell’s lifelong passion for trains and model railroads led to the creation of the Colorado Model Railroad Museum in downtown Greeley, Colorado.
Michelle Kempema discusses on Big Blend Radio, what visitors can experience at the Colorado Model Railroad Museum in Greeley, a 5,500 square foot museum focused on railroads with artifact displays, a massive 3D model railroad exhibit and a 1919 C&S Caboose!
It all began in the small town of Shelbina, Missouri where his granddad worked as the station agent for the Burlington Railroad. He was just 3 years old when his father died during the Battle of the Bulge in World War II, and it was only natural for him to hang out at his granddad’s depot and watch the coming-and-goings of the trains. From hopping trains to creating scale structures, his big dream was to build the ultimate model railroad layout. He also wanted to give something positive and purposeful back to his local community.
Colorado Model Railroad Museum
Upon his retirement, with the help of many friends and volunteers, Trussell’s dream became a reality. In 2002, he broke ground for the museum. It then took seven years of construction, some of it at an intricate inch-at-a-time pace, to create the now complete 5,500 sq. foot HO scale model railroad layout of the Oregon, California and Eastern Railway that boasts hundreds of railroad sceneries, more than 500 scale locomotives, 80 scale miles of train track, and thousands of other handmade artifacts including around 28,000 handmade trees. The museum features a unique open-air design with broad aisles and theatrical lighting, and also utilizes a dispatcher for train operations,
The museum also houses thousands of artifacts such as the Post-War Lionel Collection of rare locomotives, and a 1919 Colorado and Southern Caboose that you can tour. Other highlights include the Department 56 Christmas Villages Exhibit that features the complete collection of Heritage Villages – including Dickens’ Village, North Pole Village, Christmas in the City, New England Village, Alpine Village, and Seasons Bay Village.
The 8 Keys of Excellence Character Education Program embraces the challenge of bringing excellence to 50 million children and young adults. This free program builds excellence in communities by guiding young people and families, toward a positive future full of confidence, motivation, creativity, teamwork, leadership, and valuable life principles. The 5th Key of Excellence is “Commitment – Make your dreams happen. Take positive action. Follow your vision without wavering.” A visit to the Colorado Model Railroad Museum proves that dreams can come true if you commit to them. Kudos to David G. Trussell whose commitment to fulfill his dream and give back to his community has brought joy to over 150,000 visitors of all ages, and from all over the world.
For more information about the Colorado Model Railroad Museum please call (970) 392-2934 or visit https://www.cmrm.org.
For more about the 8 Keys of Excellence Character Education Program, please visit https://www.8keys.org/
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