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Model railroader guest speaker at Saluda Train Tales

Larry Morton speaks at Saluda Train Tales at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 18.

Larry Morton, president of the Apple Valley Model Railroad Club will return to Saluda Train Tales on Friday, Oct. 18, to describe how he used all the tricks of model railroading to fit miles of trackwork and scenery into very confined space and make it look convincing.

Saluda Train Tales will bring you the story of how the diorama was built. Morton’s talk is at 7 p.m. at Saluda Historic Depot, 32 W. Main Street, Saluda.
As a young boy, Morton was fascinated with toy trains and then model railroads. When Larry retired in 2002 he discovered the Apple Valley Model Railroad Club in Hendersonville and was hooked. Through this club he became involved in the project in the Heritage Museum in Hendersonville and designed and managed the construction of the “Coming of the Railroad” project at the museum in the Historic Courthouse.
“The Saluda Grade deserves this recognition because it is well known among railroad fans across the country and it is the steepest mainline railroad grade in the USA where 27 men were killed by runaway trains in the early days of its existence,” Morton said. “The financial and engineering struggles make for some very interesting stories which have led to several books and magazine articles over the years. The towns of Tryon and Saluda would not exist if it hadn’t been for the railroad coming through the area. Today it sits dormant but the entire track is still in place.”