Milford couple revives 1950s railroad track

Over the past 16 years, Milford couple Brook and Jay Qualman have turned their passion for railroading into a masterpiece. They have been creating a scale replica - a model railroad with all the details.

The couple notes that model railroading is more than just a hobby, as it is a fascinating project dedicated to their past. The fact that the couple is creating a model railroad from the early 1950s adds to the project's peculiarity, according to the CBS article.

What began as an intriguing retirement challenge for this duo has now grown into a locomotive landscape in their home. After all, each building and part of the landscape is a giant puzzle created by hand.

According to them, making individual parts is a very painstaking process. It takes about a week or two to make the basic building, and then probably another three to four weeks to make all the details: painting and finishing.

It is emphasized that the first miniature was the Potter Street Station in Saginaw, the town where Jay's family had lived since the 1800s. And now, the model railroad is a meticulous display that showcases nearly 15 Michigan towns, including the one where Jay started his career.

Key childhood memories have also been brought to life. "The White House at the end is in Grosse Pointe, and I was there at the age of 14 until I got married. Most of the buildings in Milford are still here, so it was very easy to copy. I went downtown with a box of paints to match all the brick colors because the buildings are still there," said Brook.

At the same time, the Qualman couple notes that since they started this project, they have opened their home nearly two dozen times for visitors to enjoy their model railroad. They say that about 1000 people have passed through over the years. They plan to hold the next Open House in the spring of 2024.

The Milford couple hopes to have the model railroad completed by July 2025, just in time for the annual National Model Railroad Association convention that will be held in Michigan at that time.