International Model Railroading Day

December 2 is International Model Railway Day It appeared recently, in 2015, but has already confidently declared itself And all because the initiators of the festival are the European Association of Railway Modellers, as well as the Federal Association of German Railway Modellers and other equally reputable organizations Such reputable organizations were pushed to this idea by fans of model railways, who, as it turned out, live most of all in Germany Since then, this holiday has taken root; it can safely be called international It is known that toy railways first began to appear in the second half of the 19th century It is not surprising that German manufacturers came up with the idea to create such toys Quite quickly, this hobby, strange at first glance, became popular Thus, German manufacturers supplied very realistic and impressively large model railways even to the Imperial House of Romanov The last Russian Emperor Nicholas II was very fond of such toys, which inspired him to real ideas regarding the development of railway communication in the vast Russian Empire Since then, thousands of different models and variations have been created, including large-scale intermediate options Of course, they cannot be compared with real carriages, but they also cannot be classified as ordinary models placed on tables or on the floor The height of some trailers reaches 1 meter, and they are placed in open-air museums, gardens, and park areas Their scale is approximately 1:8 compared to real cars, while the scale of a classic model railway can be, for example, 1:22 Today, a museum dedicated to this topic has been created in Germany Yes, these are multi-level objects that are quite impressive in area, with toy exhibits occupying entire halls This is more than just a model railroad, because it comes with numerous accessories: trees, bushes, even miniature lawns, buildings, lanterns, depots, figures of people and animals In this way, it will be possible to create a miniature city, but the main element in it, of course, will be the railway track with very realistic carriages, trolleys, platforms, and locomotives There are many people who devote decades of their lives to this fascinating hobby, devoting numerous rooms in their homes to mock-ups Amateurs are happy to exchange ideas, exhibits, and hold exhibitions It is customary to celebrate the day with creativity, but everything should be subordinated to the general idea Some organizations use this occasion to popularize history In particular, this is a huge layer containing many amazing facts and cases It is known that railways in the “Wild West” were built with great difficulty and for a long time; the construction of the domestic Trans-Siberian Railway was no less dramatic Of course, this day is very important for modeling enthusiasts; they organize various events, meetings, and exhibitions In some European countries, where a large number of fans of this hobby live, the broadcasting network is even changing, and thematic programs dedicated to this holiday appear in it But it is still worth mentioning Germany, where, according to established tradition, numerous international events and exhibitions are held In addition, interest in the holiday is fueled by the fact that many of the models can be called real value; they cost a lot Some of them are not for sale at all, being in reputable museums or closed private collections