All aboard! This elaborate model train display in Pennsylvania has it all
By Chandi Chapman
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CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP, Pennsylvania (WTAE) — This may look like something out of a train museum – but it’s not. The amazing model train set is inside the Cranberry Township home of Rene and Nancy Harms.
“It took off into taking over our whole basement here,” Rene Harms said. “Nancy and I did all of these trees individually. That’s probably hundreds of hours just doing the trees alone.”
“When I was little, we had a little train around the Christmas tree, and that was, like, it, so this is amazing, and it’s fun,” Nancy Harms said.
This elaborate display includes Pittsburgh landmarks like the Duquesne Incline, Kennywood, highways, steel mills and even the iconic Heinz ketchup sign.
Rene Harms pointed out some more highlights: “Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, there’s the Primanti Brothers down here, the William Penn in the back, the grey building is Kaufmann’s, Isaly’s.”
Harms has hundreds of high-tech computerized trains run by voice command.
Even the weather changes!
“We’ve got a storm coming in,” he said, with overhead lights flickering and sounds of thunder playing over the audio system.
The couple can take train enthusiasts from day to night, showing the intricate details and time that’s put into every piece.
“The night scene is a lot more dramatic,” Rene Harms said. “It highlights the buildings. It really gets to show the lighting inside the buildings, which obviously you wouldn’t see during the daytime.”
It’s not just Pittsburgh railroads getting the love here. New York is on the map too.
From a trip to the circus to a scare at the Bates Motel from the movie “Psycho,” this train set has it all — including some life lessons too.
“Doing this, you learn all kinds of crafts, electricity, wiring, carpentry. Just patience. A lot of patience, believe me,” Rene Harms said.
“It takes a lot of talent,” Nancy Harms said. “Rene seems like he can do anything. Just from working on his railroad, he can do anything in the house. It’s just amazing to me.”
In addition to their home hobby, Rene and Nancy like to go on vacation by taking — what else? — train trips. They hope to ride on the Orient Express one day.
Rene Harms said he would also like to develop a train club so others can enjoy his work too
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