Derailed

Model Railroad Club upset by displacement

The Penn State Model Railroad Club has been temporarily derailed due to HUB construction, and President Chris Wolfe (junior-math) said he is not happy about it.

"We had to take down our permanent layout, pack it all up and ship it to the side," he said.

The layout, which is what the trains ride on, was a replica of 1960s central Pennsylvania, Wolfe said, and it had to move in October.

The layout has been temporarily stored in people's basements, Wolfe added.

"Without a layout, we don't have much of a model railroad club," he said.

However, Director of Unions and Student Activities Stan Latta, said because a major utility line passed through the room where the layout was stored, the situation was unavoidable.

"What makes their student activity difficult is . . . they have a permanent display," he said. "When you have a construction project and the contractor says 'I need that space,' you have to give it to them."

However, Wolfe said the layout had to be moved within a month, despite the fact that construction on the club's room did not start until a few weeks ago.

"If we didn't take it apart, then they said that they would take it apart for us and they couldn't guarantee it being safe," he said.

Secretary Shane Binder (freshman-engineering) said it was difficult to move the 20-foot-by-25-foot layout, which was stored in S-5 HUB, in a month because he and the members of the club were hindered by classes, homework and studying.

"I am certain that we lost several thousand dollars in property because we didn't have much time," Binder said.

Also, Binder said it was hard to see the layout go because the members put a lot of time into constructing it. However, the model railroad club is not the only organization affected by HUB construction, which is scheduled for completion in Fall Semester 1999, Latta said. For instance, he said all groups that meet on the second floor of the HUB will have to eventually move their meeting locations.

"There's not a spot in the HUB that will not be affected by construction," he said. "There isn't a group, person or operation that will not be affected by the construction or renovation."

For instance, Student Life Editor for La Vie, Rebecca Bidwell (sophomore-communications disorders), said La Vie will have to relocate in the summer of 1999.

"We're just wondering where we will have to relocate our belongings," she said.

Binder said he is disappointed that the railroad club lost its layout, but said he is hoping the club can start anew.

"It's over with," Binder said. "There's no point in saying what could be."

Although Wolfe said he likes the idea of the HUB undergoing reconstruction, he said it would have suited the group better if a different room was assigned to store the layout.

"I think that it is definitely necessary," he said, "but they should have given us more consideration."