Bill Rawlins

Bill Rawlins

by William Hendryx

"All aboard!" calls the engineer, as passengers take their seats and the old steam engine billows and belches clouds of smoke. But this once-familiar scene isn't happening in some old movie or at Union Station. It's taking place in Bill Rawlins' North Dallas back yard.

Mr. Rawlins is a large-scale model train enthusiast who takes his pastime seriously. So much so, he has laid more than 800 feet of railroad track around the two-acre grounds of his home.

The 10-wheel, 1900 steam engine, two other locomotives and six passenger cars are among the collectibles for which the track was built. When not busy transporting friends and relatives, the machines are stationed in a special drive-through garage.

"I got interested in these trains about eight years ago, through a friend's involvement, but the nearest track was on the other side of Fort Worth", says Mr. Rawlins, a retired computer executive. "I had the space here, so I just built my own. It was a lot of work, but it was probably the most fun thing I've ever done in my life. As far as I know, it's the only working track of its kind around here."

"I'm 58 going on 14," he adds. "Modeling is my way of living vicariously. A lot of people think I did this for my grandchildren, and I don't even have any. I did this for fun."