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(Photos by Marilyn Horne)
A group of dedicated model railroad enthusiasts known as ECHOES (an acronym for East Coast HO Exhibitor’s Society) builds, displays and operates HO scale model trains in Miami-Dade County. They meet at the Cornerstone Church in Cutler Bay.
Their group layout is inspired by the Florida East Coast railroad and HO (1:87) is the scale of their trains. The name also suggests “echoes of the past” because it explores Florida’s railroad history through its buildings and trains.
There are between 16 and 20 members in the club. Each member may — although they don’t have to — build modules. There are a number of club modules which are the corners, the end loops, and the train yards, that are club property. Then the other individual modules are owned by the club’s members.
Each module has two tracks that are in the exact same spot, so that they all match up and fit together with other modules. Individual members may add other things to their modules such as rail sidings, buildings, landscaping.
Herb Ford, who organizes the group’s events, used to buy many of his trains at the Hollywood Hobby Shop in Cutler Bay before it closed.
“I have been involved with trains since the first set given to me as a 1-year-old in 1941,” Ford said. “I have ‘played’ with trains continuously. In 1966, I built my first of five HO scale layouts in my garage. I have a 12- by 15-foot layout in a room that I built specifically to house my current model railroad. In 2013, I met and joined the members of a local model railroad club called ECHOES. We meet every second Monday of the month at Cornerstone United Methodist Church for business and to socialize.
“I enjoy the fellowship from building and running model trains with other people who share my interest. Being in ECHOES is also a learning experience. When we have a set up, I enjoy meeting the visitors who come to see what we have created.”
Rick Diaz is the president of the club that formed in 1985 and Herb Ford serves as the recording secretary.
“Approximately every two months we display our full layout at Cornerstone United Methodist Church for a weekend,” Ford said. “Our next scheduled display will be from Nov. 1 to 3 at Cornerstone United Methodist Church at the corner of Marlin Road and Old Cutler Road in Cutler Bay. The hours are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Attendance is free, although donations are appreciated. We do have expenses for maintenance and occasionally renting space. Many of our members are knowledgeable about the different aspects of model railroading and are more than happy to answer questions about the hobby.”
The club has a YouTube page to learn more about the group:
www.youtube.com/@ECHOESTrainClub.
Cornerstone Church is located at 20740 Old Cutler Rd.
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