Not knowing what to expect, I was absolutely floored when I walked up the narrow staircase and through the door covered in railroad signs. The HO scale railroad doesn’t take up much space square-footage wise, but the level of detail is staggering. Every inch of the diorama, set in a depression era New England, drips with attention to detail.
I was told to go check out the Franklin & South Manchester Railroad in nearby Peabody, Massachusetts, when giving a clinic on 3D printing at the Fine Scale Model Train Expo last week (more about that here). Created by George Sellios, this HO scale railroad has been a work in progress for over 30 years.
The well weathered, HO scale kits have remarkable realism. Every figure–and there must be thousands of them–is busy engaging in their lives, working, playing or relaxing. They appear to be interacting and as I looked closer, I started to find wonderful little narratives. The more time I spent wandering the layout, the more I noticed clever little details, humorous characters and Easter eggs (yes, dyed Easter eggs). George has artistic touches sprinkled throughout his railroad, some for fun and some deeply personal.
After seeing the Franklin & South Manchester Railroad, I completely feel the passion that our community has for model railroading. This work is a lifetime achievement. Check out the video below for a short interview with George Sellios and a look at the full railroad set-up.