By ALESHA CAPONE
BURNSIDE resident Joe Saliba is an expert on the topic of trains, tracks and even Thomas the Tank Engine.
As president of the Sunshine Model Railway Club (SMRC), he is looking forward to the group’s 2013 Model Train Exhibition in Braybrook on the weekend.
Mr Saliba has been a SMRC member for 16 years and president since 2000.
The father-of-three was hesitant to tell Star how many model trains he owns.
“I would rather not say because it may incriminate me with my wife,” he said.
Mr Saliba said he became fascinated with trains as a young boy, travelling to the city on the tram with his family.
He would peer through the windows of Flinders St Station to see the “red rattlers” travel past.
These days, he is a bright spark at the Sunshine Model Railway Club, helping members construct electrical controllers for their model train ’layouts’.
“I like to see things working, I don’t like to be beaten. I’m a fault-finder,” Mr Saliba said.
At the SMRC headquarters in Albion there is a layout of the fictional suburb of Chuffington, where trains run through rolling hills featuring hand-made trees, a line of shops and grazing sheep.
“Something like this could be a two-year project, it depends how long you work on it and how much effort you put into it,” Mr Saliba said.
He said it was always enjoyable to see visitors attend the Sunshine Model Railway Club’s annual exhibition and marvel at the trains and layouts on display.
“I just like to see people’s faces happy,” he said.
The SMRC 2013 Model Train Exhibition will be on Saturday 3 August 9.30am-5pm and Sunday 4 August 9.30am-4pm at the Braybrook College Sports Stadium, Burke St, Braybrook. Tickets: $7. For more information, telephone Joe 9360 4125 or Ted 9311 8389.
