Frank Ritter surveyed the room as his 2-year-old son sat on his shoulders watching the trains chug across the tracks.

"Robert likes trains, so we came out," Ritter, a professor of information sciences and technology, said.

Ritter and his son were looking at a little-known railroad Penn State has maintained on campus for almost 50 years, which is now located in the basement of Pinchot Hall in East Halls.

The Penn State Model Railroad Club (MRRC), founded in 1955, held its fall open house Saturday and yesterday.

"I think people think model trains are a little boy thing," MRRC president Dave Guthrie said. "I think once you pay $300, it ceases to be a little boy thing."

The club had about 150 visitors Saturday, and many were expected yesterday.

"I think this is an outstanding success for the club," co-faculty and staff adviser John Spychalski said.

With more space in its new location since its move in 2000 from the HUB-Robeson Center, the club has been able to expand its display.

Former MRRC President Tim Gogle said at the time, members were angry about the move because they did not have a permanent space, but it worked out for the best in the end.

"We never would have been able to have a room this size [there]," he said.

The model railroad winds around a room, complete with mountains, tunnels, towns, shrubs and a train yard that is one-eighty-seventh the size of real track. The model uses a HO scale track, which means half-size.

Work on the current display began in 2001 and has the model size equivalent of about 40 miles of real track.

"We've been told it's one of the largest layouts at a college," MRRC Secretary Steven Kolarz said.

The club has about 30 members and meets twice a week on Wednesdays and Sundays to conduct club business, work on the display and run trains.

"Anybody can come down and run trains and help us build and hang out in general," Kolarz said. "It's a great stress reliever, and it supplements the classroom."

He added that the work, while it appears "nerdy," is actually neat and practical.

"For a lot of us, we're transportation engineers, so it's a good way to see how trains work," 50th Anniversary Chair Mike Breen said.

He added that members communicate by radio, asking for permission and getting clearance to run trains like in real life.

"We try to do it as real life as we can for little plastic toys," Vargay said.

Kolarz said the trains on the track are controlled by a wireless Digital Command Control system, a system that encodes signals into the track that specific trains respond to for directions.

Guthrie said the group has had success with recruiting members and getting funding from the University Park Allocation Committee.

He added that anyone is welcome to join the club.

"It doesn't matter how little you know of model railroading or as much," Gogle said. "If you're willing to learn, we'll teach you."

He added that the club was a great place for students of all disciplines to use their skills.

Gogle said the group could even use artists to help create realistic scenery.

"One of the interesting things about a model railroad is that it is never really done," Kolarz said. "You can always find something to change."