VAN BUREN, Maine – Benjamin Scribner, who moved to Van Buren about a year ago, has been fascinated by trains ever since he was 14 years old. This was during the 1970s when he was working as a “candy butcher,” selling candy and postcards on the Wolfeboro Railroad in New Hampshire.
“A lot of the old guys that were working there were restoring these coaches,” he said. “But a lot of those guys had model railroads, too. I saw a few of them, and it got me intrigued enough to want to do it.”
Van Buren is kicking off a series of community-geared programs centered around hobbies and clubs on June 8 with a presentation on how to get into model trains, hosted by Scribner.
Scribner joined the Navy at 17 after which he moved to Idaho and worked as a truck driver. He grew up in coastal Maine, and recently decided to move back to his native state. He said moving back to the coast was not in his budget, but that he loved going into Canada when he worked as a trucker.
Scribner, who is also an author, soon found a house for sale in the northern Maine border town of Van Buren, and jumped on the opportunity.
Scribner’s hour-long presentation will focus on the various scales of trains and how and where people can purchase their first set.
Scribner said the size and scale of a railroad set is only limited by one’s own imagination. Some model train sets are large enough to ride on while others are small enough to fit into a suitcase, he said.
And the materials, like trees, buildings, and factories, can also be made from scratch at home.
“If you look around, you can find stuff that’ll get you in and get you started,” he said. “And if you have any kind of creative mind at all, you can start making your own trees. I have a mountain range on my layout that’s all handmade. It depends on what you want to do, and what your budget allows.”
Van Buren Town Manager Luke Dyer said this will be the first time the town office has held a presentation like this, but that he hopes to continue hosting community programs geared toward hobbies and clubs in the future.
Dyer said Scribner came to the town office several months ago and let him know that he was doing a presentation about model trains at the Fort Kent Public Library. Dyer said he missed the presentation, and asked if Scribner would be interested in hosting a similar event in town.
“I had always had a personal interest in the hobby, and have often said that I would ‘have a train set when I grow up,’” Dyer said. “The years have passed, and I still don’t have that train. However, the interest has never been lost.”
Dyer said he is sure that there are others in Van Buren who are also interested in model trains, but have no idea how to get into the hobby, or what the entry points are.
“With this in mind, I asked Mr. Scribner if he would be interested in doing a presentation in Van Buren to try and draw those people out,” Dyer said.
As part of the town’s recent revitalization efforts, Dyer said the town is emphasizing “community placemaking.” These events bring people together who share similar interests.
“That can be in the form of a ‘music in the park’ night, a community picnic any of our major four community events (Christmas in July, Christmas Town Celebration, Enchanted Forest Walk, and Spring Fling), or even just providing a space for people who have common interests and hobbies.”
Scribner said he is looking forward to showing more people about his favorite hobby, and that it doesn’t require much time or money to get started.
“My layout is pure fantasy; I have no specific [railroad] line in mind,” he said. “I just have fun with it, and that’s the whole point I’m trying to get across to people; this is something you can have fun with.”
The presentation is set for 11 a.m. on June 8 at the Van Buren Town Office on 320 Main Street.
