Karl Shaffer at Morning Pointe of Chattanooga at Shallowford
More and more model train enthusiasts are making their mark on Morning Pointe Senior Living communities. For the second time in as many years, a model railroad is coming to life in the courtyard of a Morning Pointe. This time it’s in Chattanooga at the brand new Morning Pointe of Chattanooga at Shallowford assisted living community. With a Chattanooga Choo Choo mural already on the wall inside the community, a model train station outside just made sense. “It’s like a trip around America but also through time,” describes Karl Shaffer, a Chattanooga Area Model Railroad Club member and lead volunteer on the project. “The train travels through the Wild West in the 1880’s and then to a city in the 1920’s. The next venue will be more of a southern town in the 1940’s to 1960’s and then the mountains will represent national parks,” said Mr. Shaffer.
Mr. Shaffer has worked on the project building it piece by piece for over nine months now. Sometimes he will put in one day a week and some weeks it’s three to four days. “I am happy with the way it is turning out. It’s a nice venue and a nice place to work.”
So far the project is about 70% complete thanks to other local model railroad club members and even some Morning Pointe residents. Lillian Samuel, helped paint the people for the set. “It’s been one of my favorite activities,” said Ms. Samuel as she carefully applies more paint to the small figurines.
The train consists of a steam engine that was popular in the 1880’s to the 1920’s in Southern Railway colors. There is also a tender car, and three passenger cars. One is a combination car that carries passengers and baggage. “I am proud of it,” said Mr. Shaffer. “I think it’s a nice little railroad and it’s gotten a lot of good comments.”
The next challenge is creating the mountains that will offer a dry place to park the train at night along with an easier way to start it up every day. “The train station was a huge hit during our grand opening celebration,” said Holly Metcalf, executive director of Morning Pointe of Chattanooga, “and with the warmer weather, our residents are really starting to enjoy it. We are hoping to have a resident-led model train club here at Morning Pointe before you know it.”
The interactive train station adds to the life enrichment at Morning Pointe. It offers not only the chance to remember a time of long ago but to also connect with grandchildren and students of all ages that visit Morning Pointe, adding to the meaningful days at the assisted living community.