More than 100 model train builders descended on Goulburn for the national N-scale convention from October 7-9.
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Coordinator Phil Badger said bringing the convention to Goulburn was part of a plan to bolster businesses.
"We felt the country people right over NSW were doing it hard so we wanted to come to a regional centre, everyone is staying in town and supporting local businesses."
Shirts were printed up in Goulburn for the convention, with the added benefit that registration numbers saw a "15 to 20 per cent lift" from previously, Mr Badger said.
He said a large number of the registered convention goers were fastidious in their research and were quite knowledgeable in their preferred era of railway - many even help in other facets of historical research.
N-scale model trains are not the smallest of the motorised railway world, but Mr Badger said they're the smallest common gauge and are around half the size of the popular HO scale you might see in a hobby story.
"It takes up a quarter of the real estate, some people like myself just like the smaller stuff, but some people like its scale to fit into a unit, or others enjoy being able to build an empire in a similar space to other scale layouts," he said.
Mr Badger said that scale train hobbyists can be seen "as a secretive bunch", but said it was the second largest hobby segment in the world and it was the variety of skills you can learn that draw people in.
"You can gain a lot of skills like electronics, engineering, painting and more, I've been in the hobby for 44 years and I don't tire of it."
A great example of pulling those skills and a passion for history together was a showcase layout 'Newcastle 1899' by Bungendore's Ross Balderson who works in Goulburn regularly in his day job repairing copiers and printers.
Mr Balderson hand built every structure and carriage as well as wiring up the circuitry and lighting for the layout which spans about three metres.
He said he felt privileged to have been able to measure the station when it was still operational and had to craft nearby buildings - many of which no longer exist - from reference photos.
"I had a surveyor's wheel and a tape measure and some of the staff helped me, they were quite excited for it to be re-created as a scale layout," Mr Balderson said.
He also hand built a number of boats to populate the harbour that all bear some historical significance to the harbour or Australia.
Mr Balderson said he like many others enjoyed the many skills involved, which included 3D modelling the scene into sections so that they would fit in a box trailer for transport.
Jacob McMaster
I am passionate about amplifying people's stories and trying to do them justice in the written word. I find pressure washing videos soothing. email me jacob.mcmaster@austcommunitymedia.com.au or 0406 212 845.
I am passionate about amplifying people's stories and trying to do them justice in the written word. I find pressure washing videos soothing. email me jacob.mcmaster@austcommunitymedia.com.au or 0406 212 845.
