Model Train Clinics at Spiegel Grove Aid Visitors, Prepare Trains for Holidays
Veteran modelers staffed two clinics at the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library and Museums to help visitors troubleshoot and prepare trains for the holiday season. The bonus clinic ran Saturday, December 6, and an annual clinic is scheduled for Saturday, January 3, providing hands on help, running time on the Hayes Train Special, and family friendly holiday programming.
Model train volunteers gathered at the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library and Museums at Spiegel Grove to offer hands on help and troubleshooting during a bonus train clinic that ran from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, December 6. The clinics welcomed visitors who needed repair tips, setup advice, or simply a place to run their trains on the museum display as part of the museum's A Presidential Christmas programming.
Veteran modelers examined trains brought in by guests, offering practical diagnostics and guidance on mechanical and electrical issues. Visitors who brought locomotives and rolling stock also had the chance to run them on the Hayes Train Special model display track, which accepts standard, O gauge and G gauge trains. The display is a multi tiered 12 foot by 24 foot Victorian holiday scene where visitors can push buttons to operate trains, blow the train whistle and interact with animated elements.
Admission for the clinics was five dollars per person ages six and older, and free for children five and younger. Tickets were available at the museum front desk on the day of the events. The low cost and walk in ticketing kept the clinics accessible to families and collectors seeking quick fixes before the holidays, or a place to test new purchases without bringing a full layout.
The museum will host the annual train clinic from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, January 3, offering another opportunity for visitors to have trains checked, to run equipment on the Hayes Train Special, and to pick up seasonal tips before winter operating season ramps up. The clinics serve both casual visitors who want a festive hands on experience and local modelers seeking practical troubleshooting support.
Bring trains that need attention, note the gauge of equipment, and plan for a brief inspection window when the museum is busy. The combination of volunteer expertise and the interactive Hayes Train Special makes these events useful for getting trains ready for holiday displays and ongoing layouts.
