 Charlie Comstock from MRH here with Antony of the San Diego Model Railroad Museum. We're standing in the lobby of the museum here that the entrance is right behind us. And Antony, would you tell us a little bit about the museum? Well, the museum has been here in Balboa Park since 1980. We're celebrating our 30-year anniversary, in fact this year. And it's a great place for kids, families, and if you're a model railroader, some people consider it a mecca. Kids of all ages. Kids of all ages, yes. Okay, how many layouts are in here? We have five different layouts. Five, okay. Yes, everything from in-scale, all the way up to o-scale, and then also a three-rail exhibit, the three-rail gallery, and then two HO exhibits. Okay, and what's the typical crowd here for each day? How many people do you normally get? Well, in any given year, I can give you a yearly total. We have about 130, 140,000 people come through the door of the museum. Everything from kids to adults to families to school groups to community groups. Even groups like the Ronald McDonald House come in and experience the museum here. You see lots of return visitors, do you think? Absolutely, yeah. We have a ton of people that come in every single day, bring their kids in every day, or they have a special day of the week that they come in and bring their kids in on a special day. And then we have, of course, our model railroad buffs that come in from time to time and see what's happening as far as the new stuff that they put on the layouts. Now, you've got guests coming from all over the place. We talked to a fellow who's from Germany. Yes. Which countries haven't you had people come from, do you think? You know, I would be hard pressed to say that we've had people not come from everywhere, you know, all over the world. Anywhere from, I know that on our website alone, people that visit the website, we have over 52 different countries, the people that have visited the website looking for information here, and a majority, I'd say. What is that website? Oh, the website is www.sdmrm.org, like San Diego Model Railroad Museum. www.sdmrm.org. San Diego Model Railroad Museum. Yes, yes. Okay. So we have roughly, I think, the last statistic showed, I think, about 26% of our visitors coming from not just out of the state, but out of the country. So about 26% of our visitors are international visitors. Okay. I've seen Japanese visitors, German visitors. We've had people from Australia, New Zealand, tons of different places. Now, where are we actually located here? We're in San Diego, but we're in San Diego. We're in beautiful Balboa Park, right here in the heart of downtown San Diego. Many of the museums here, it's kind of a cultural center. We're in the Casa de Balboa, right? Yes. Downstairs. The lower level of the Casa de Balboa building, so. Okay. Now, how did this museum get started? Where were its roots? Well, it's, actually, there's, it started with several different groups and several different organizations. Okay. Going all the way back to like the 1940s with the San Diego Model Railroad Association, which became the Balboa Park Model Railroad Association, I believe. Now, my statistics might not be completely accurate as far as that goes, but I know that the roots go back all the way back to 1940. And then, obviously, with the La Mesa Model Railroad Club back in the 60s and 70s, what happened is the La Mesa Model Railroad Club used to be in La Mesa in Nebo Hall. When they were, when they lost the building there in Nebo Hall, they were looking for a new place to come. And they partnered up with the San Diego Model Railroad Association here and to create this Model Railroad Museum. And then a few of the other groups, like the San Diego Society of In Scale and the San Diego Three Railers, joined up with the museum to create what you see here today. So, they formed a group and then they talked to the city to, to get the basement here in Casa de Balboa. Yeah, in fact, we just signed another 25-year lease with the city. Oh, that's a good thing. So, we'll be here. After you've built all this stuff, all the lease is up and out you go. Yeah, we've been a good tenant for them. We do all the capital improvements here. And as long as we keep the building up, then we're good to go with the city. So, were there any problems negotiating with the city for this in the first place? I don't believe so. I believe that what, well, there was actually the Balboa Park Model Railroad Club. And they used to be in, I think it was the House of Charm. And so, when it came time for us to negotiate with the city, we already had a connection with them via the Model Railroad Club here in the park. So, when they decided to join forces, I think it was a pretty easy, well, I would say pretty easy because I didn't have to go through it, but I would say that it was a fairly easy process. I was talking to somebody yesterday and they said that this building had burned down and it was in the process of rebuilding it that the space in the basement came open. Is there, do I have that right? The building did burn at, I can't remember exactly when it was, but there was a rebuild of the entire building once the building initially burned down. And I don't know if that was the reason they made the basement available or if it was some other reason, but there was a fire here. Okay. I'm here in the San Diego Model Railroad Museum with Bart, Bart Glenn. That's correct. Yes, and as a coincidence we would have it, we both traveled all the way from Portland, Oregon to San Diego, we're standing here in the museum. And Bart, what brought you here? I'm here with my two children, two and five year old as well as my parents and thought we'd take advantage of this damp day to get in here and let the kids see the trains and whole families had a great time. Is there part of the museum that really stands out for you? You know, we've liked all of it really. Just like to see the trains and look at the different landscape characters from the different time periods. Is there something that the kids especially like? Kids really like the room back in the back where all the trains were up close and a lot moving at the same time. Yeah, kids like that. Do you have any trains at home or anything? We do have one train, I think it's the HO scale. Yeah, kids really get a bang out of playing with that. Been told we need to set it back up as soon as we get home. Okay, I bet you will after seeing this. We definitely will. Okay, I'm talking to Klaus, a visitor from Germany. Which part of Germany are you from? In the middle of Germany. So you came all the way across the world to see this Model Railroad exhibit? Not only this one, but when I'm here, I would like to see this. Because I'm just building models. Actually, I build a model of the Topkan house. Lock it in the ocean side. So I have to have to look here and to get new ideas or something like this. Okay, what's your reaction to the museum here? Besides it's big. It's great, it's great, yeah. So especially the different areas which are seen here, you can see. That's a very great job. Are you a model train enthusiast in Germany? Or do you like model trains in general? Yeah, in general, yeah. Have you been to miniature Wonderland? Twice. What's the difference between that and here? I think the difference is the guys in Hamburg have more money, let's say. They are specialized on other features than here. Is there one particular layout here that you like the best? That was the one just around the corner, I think. That was the La Mesa Club. Yeah, so that's what's over here. The green with the green color. Yeah, the models that have to be passed. Yeah, that's very great. I think so too. Okay, any final comments? So there's a second time I'm here in San Diego and a second time I'll visit this exhibition and I think when I come the third time we'll also be here. Okay, I have to see this. Well great, well welcome and hope you have a great time here. Yeah, thank you. We're in front of the San Diego Model Railroad Association layout here and I'm talking with George. Yeah, if you're so. And George, obviously you like trains because you're standing here. Oh yeah, I love trains. Is there anything about this place that brings you here? I just love the La Mesa Model Railroad and that's my favorite layout. The scenery is so realistic and I love HO scale. I love Southern Pacific, SP is definitely my favorite road. Okay, so is there anything else about the La Mesa that really attracted you? I like the people. I met John Rotsart way back when when I first started being part of the club and I just, I love the hobby. So you used to be a member of the club? Yes, matter of fact I'm going to be back a new member again. Of the club. I've been away from the hobby for a while now and I pretty much got back into the hobby. Well, I'm glad to have you back. Well, we migrated over and now we're standing in front of the La Mesa layout, the Hatchby Pass. And this is what you said you liked the best. Yes, this area right here at Caliente, climbing up the hill is just, the scenery is so realistic. I just, this is my favorite part of the layout. And then I just recently moved back home and I had to come down here and see what they've done. It's amazing on the work up at Hatchby. All that up there used to not be there. Pretty much what you've seen was when I was part of the layout, this is what you've seen. Besides a couple yards in the back that were hidden, but this is what when I was part of the club, this is pretty much it right here. The last time I was here, I think maybe nine years ago, this was about it. They hadn't finished the scenery at Cliff yet. They had just finished Ilmen right there and they were working on towards Bakersfield. That was when I left the club. Well, I'm here with one of the younger rail fans in the building. Your name is Izzy? Yeah, and you're how old? Three? Do you like trains? Yeah. Ah, which trains do you like the most? Do you know? Mama, I think we do run in the bathroom. Oh, the trains that are in the gift shop. Okay. Do you have any trains at home, Izzy? Yeah. He has a ton of trains at home. A ton. He loves trains. Rio trains or do you have Thomas? We have Thomas. Do you like Thomas? I think we have nine trains at home. Wow, so you're going to be a model railroad when you grow up, huh? Are you going to play in a model train museum when you're older? Yeah. Yeah, okay. Well, there you have it. Thank you for talking with us, Izzy. Okay. Bye now. Well, this is one heck of a museum. There's five layouts in here. Thousands of square feet of model trains. Unbelievable. The layouts range from the three rail layout, which is for fun to the La Mesa club, which is very serious about accurate prototype modeling. Yes. If you get the chance, I'd recommend that you come down here and check it out. Thank you, Anthony. Well, you're welcome. Come and see us. Bye.