Tiny trains zip through Montreal-inspired city that was handcrafted with ‘artistic flair’
Alex Montagano, a Montreal-born boy, loved model trains as a child, but he was too busy building his family and a career.
Then about a year before the pandemic struck, he rediscovered his old passion and realized that no matter how hectic life can get — how out of control it may seem — he is in complete control of his environment when constructing a cityscape for miniature trains to race through.
In his basement, working away at models for hours on end, he can give residents of his west end neighbourhood of Notre-Dame-de-Grâce (NDG) that outdoor basketball court they’ve been asking for, or sufficient trash receptacles.
He can bring an aging, dilapidated theatre — once known as the Empress — back to life and portray the reality of Montreal life from orange traffic cones and street-clogging protests to the iconic Saint Joseph’s Oratory.
Montagano is active in municipal politics and has run for office in the Côte-des-Neiges–NDG borough.
He said that he has found model building a way to learn history, explore his love of trains, and create his political vision for the borough.
Montagano stated, “It’s also great for me to express myself artistically building like-models Montreal landmark buildings,” and he has opened his home to community events such the NDG Art Hop so everyone can see his creation.
Alex Montagano shares his inspirations and motivations for his intricate model of the city, and some of its landmarks.
Montagano almost exclusively works in N scale. This is a format that can range from 1:148 to 1:60. That means the trains, tracks, buildings, cars, trucks and everything in between are so small that he sometimes needs a magnifying glass to construct and paint them.
He explained that you have to reduce everything and sometimes it is not to scale.
“If I treat this as a science, it doesn’t look right.” It is important to have artistic flair and discretion.
Hours of work
To create his models, he uses a mix of methods that can range from carving plastic and shaping metal wires to printing out intricate building facades, people, signs and statues with his 3D printer.
His most recent addition, the Empress Theatre took 60 hours. He spent about half an hour studying Sherbrooke Street to design the model on his laptop. He then printed, assembled, painted, and wired the Empress Theatre for lighting.
He actually wired the entire train’s structure with tiny LED light bulbs. The structure is covered in a web of wires that runs through it. This creates an unsolvable maze of mild electric current, which illuminates all street lamps, traffic lights and windows.
Montagano, a contractor that restores old houses, said “It’s a complicated process.”
He admits that his hobby of model trains can be costly, but he believes it is beneficial for him. For my mental well-being. It’s a little bit of escapism.”
Thomas the Tank Engine revives interest
Ivan Dow, the organizer of the Montreal Model Train Exposition said that Thomas the Tank Engine’s popularity has revived the hobby among younger generations.
It is multifaceted, and people are drawn to it for many reasons. He said that they may be fascinated by architecture or love electronics.
He stated that there has been a decline of hobby shops over time, but models and trains can be ordered online.
However, hobbyists who are just starting out might be put off by the high price. Dow suggests that people purchase used. He said that used model trains can be purchased for as low as 20 to 50% of their original cost.
Dow stated, “A lot the older generation just wants their trains to go when they are 80 or 90.” “You can get really great deals with that age group.”
Have a look at the photos of the model train.
