By Valerie Franchi, Contributing Writer
Shrewsbury – Each year in early December, Howard Ferguson – also known as “Pop-pop” – travels from Pennsylvania to Shrewsbury to visit his grandsons Matt (10) and Luke (12) Nemsick.
A few years ago, he handed down his original Lionel train set from when he was a boy. Now, on his yearly visits, Pop-pop and the boys spend the week creating an elaborate village in the basement of his daughter Gail and son-in-law Kevin’s home, complete with people, landscape features and, of course, the trains. The village is set up on a large plywood table, which was expanded this year to include a second tier.
The boys and their grandfather add to the project every year; this year they built a waterfall and stream with bridges.
“Luke researched how to make it on the Internet,” said Kevin Nemsick. “They are really involved in creating it.”
After the village is created, the trains, original Lionel trains from the 1920s and ‘30s, are added.
“Every year I’m impressed by these trains,” Kevin said. “They are 60 to 80 years old and receive no maintenance, but run as well today as they did when they were new. Pop-Pop takes great care in handling and storing them.”
This year, Kevin’s father added to the collection by giving them his train set from his childhood.
“The project keeps growing,” Kevin said.
Pop-pop, the grandfather of six, said he loves spending time with Luke and Matt, and seeing their excitement about their yearly endeavor.
“It’s great that we can do something together that we all enjoy,” he said.
He added that the boys are also learning a lot about electronics and circuitry by creating working landscape features and maintaining and running the trains.
Pop-pop recently returned to Shrewsbury to help dismantle the village and put everything away carefully until next year.
