I happened to bump into a volunteer who runs the G Scale trains at the Minnesota Transportation Museum (MTM), Jackson Street Roundhouse, at a garden railroad open house this past summer. He updated me on activity at MTM and I was interested in visiting the museum again for the first time in several years.
The G scale layout a the MTM roundhouse was built in 2016 by a group of volunteers, several of which are still active in maintaining and operating the layout. During my visit, I chatted with Jeff Hunter, George Johnson, and Joe Komarek who were all tending the layout that day. According to the MTM web site, “Our Model Railroad crew includes: George Johnson, Jeff Hunter, Tom Pappas, John Van Arsdale, Matt Pappas, Joe Komarek, Walter Dunlap and CJ Pappas.”
The layout is named Jacksonville, a nod to Jackson County and Henry Jackson who was the first merchant to settle in St. Paul. The layout represents southern Minnesota agriculture on one end, northern Minnesota timber and mining on the other end, and the metropolitan area in the middle. (see more on MTM page)
An additional small circus layout near the original layout is a recent addition. There is a button for kids to push to operate the circus train.
While visiting, I was treated to a tour of the shop by Joe Komarek where restoration of several historical items is under way. These include steam locomotives and very old passenger cars. Much of the machine shop equipment is about as old as the steam locomotives themselves. There is also a blacksmith shop. Since you can’t just buy replacement steam locomotive parts on Amazon, you need to fabricate them on site.
MGRS used to have a fun event at this museum with members running the G scale layout, tours of the shop area, a member swap meet, and of course food! I miss having that event, and look forward to doing it again as Minnesota Friends.
