Tucked away underneath the Student Alumni Union, the Model Railroad Club’s room contains an impressive model layout, which is loosely based on Rochester and the Rochester Yard at Goodman and Main Street downtown. I decided to go downtown to the Rochester Yard and witness firsthand what club members really have in mind when building layouts and operating model trains.

Some in the Model Railroad club have watched trains their whole lives and dream to someday work in the industry. Club member Max Lucieer has been involved with trains and model railroads since he was two years old. He has applied to work at the rail yards several times and hopes to someday work in the railroad industry.

Rochester CSX Train employees on a break at the Rochester Yard.
Joshua Kuckens

Lucieer controls the path of a model train through the layout in the basement of the SAU.
Joshua Kuckens

First year Charles Rothbart examines the wirings underneath the Model Railroad Club’s layout. The layout has existed in its current form for 12 years, with minor additions every year from different members.
Joshua Kuckens

RIT Model Railroad Club members maintain the model train layout in the club room.
Joshua Kuckens

Lucieer sits in a life-size locomotive at the Genesee Valley Railroad Museum in Scottsville, N.Y., where he works on restoring old trains and locomotives on the weekends.
Joshua Kuckens

The Model Railroad club’s layout is loosely based on Rochester, with some fictional variations based on the space provided.
Joshua Kuckens

Rochester Yard Master Dan Manero supervises the movements of trains in and out of the Rochester Yard.
Joshua Kuckens