For the ninth consecutive year, in conjunction with National Model Railroad Month, Jack Tingstad will host a model railroad open house in Coupeville.

Tingstad’s impressive layout will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 28 and 29, at 508 Broadway in Coupeville.

Each year this very popular event attracts hundreds of visitors. Singles, couples, and families enjoy seeing the animated display of steam era trains traversing the modeled Colorado Rockies.

“Some folks have been known to return a second time on the weekend to bring others or see what they missed on the first visit or hoping for fewer people in the 12 by 21 foot train room,” Tingstad said.

A favorite feature is a list of objects and scenes that one can locate if they have the time to enjoy the many details scattered around the layout. Since the theme of the layout is Colorado mining, this year you may find many added miners and mining operations.

Model railroading has been dubbed “The World’s Greatest Hobby” by the manufacturers and promoters of hobby materials. Tingstad the point is that within this hobby there are so many areas of creative expression possible. These include carpentry, electricity, electronics, structure building, building and detailing engines and rolling stock, small scene animation, sound effects, scenery, backdrop painting, and operations.

Tingstad’s layout appeared in the national hobby magazine Model Railroad Craftsman for the second time this past June. There had been so many changes since the previous article in the same magazine in 2004 that a “revisited” presentation was in order.

If you’ve never attended or, as several families do, return each year, Tingstad hopes you will stop by and enjoy the years of effort that have gone into this display.

Again this year, if you would like to donate one item of food to the Central Whidbey Gifts From The Heart food bank as you enter, it will be much appreciated.

For driving directions, call 678-5120.