Documentary on trains to air on AETN

CONWAY — The premiere of Steel Rails in Arkansas, an original Arkansas Educational Television Network film featuring train action in the state, including in the River Valley & Ozark Edition coverage area, will air at 3:30 p.m. Sunday on AETN.

Steel Rails in Arkansas explores everything railroad in Arkansas, including trains in action, restored railroad depots, train shows and miniature train layouts, said Mark Andrews, producer/director at AETN and train hobbyist.

Among railroads featured in the film are the Dardanelle and Russellville Railroad, Arkansas and Missouri Railroad, Union Pacific Railroad, Little Rock and Western Railroad and Amtrak. Also highlighted are restored depot museums at Morrilton, Russellville, McGehee, Brinkley, Hope, Springdale, Van Buren, Mena and Pine Bluff/Jefferson County and the Arkansas Railroad Museum.

In addition to working trains and historic depots, the film shows several miniature train layouts, including the Faulkner County Museum’s Missouri Pacific and Union Pacific.

Lynita Langley-Ware, director of the Faulkner County Museum, said the model train, which is located upstairs, was the first one filmed for the documentary.

“I was honored [Andrews] wanted to start with us,” she said. A group of volunteers she simply calls The Train Guys keep the model train operational and have spent “thousands and thousands” of hours on the layout, which was built in 2003, she said.

She said volunteer Al Rueck is the “heart and soul” of the group.

“He is here every day to make sure it works, to fix things, to make changes,” she said. “We had grant money, early on, and we’ve had donations. When the guys would run out of money, they would do wild stuff and go dumpster diving and come back with shipping pallets, take them apart and mill them into their own trim. They have really done this on a shoestring.”

When the museum is open, the model train is available for viewing, and it runs for 20 minutes with the push of a button.

Rueck said the model is an HO 187th scale.

“We model Faulkner County on one side, starting in Palarm, go through Mayflower, Gold Creek — the area we modeled was late ’40s, early ’50s, and we run diesels and steam engines,” Rueck said.

“I got my first train when I was 5, and I still have it. Then I went into the Air Force because I was more into planes. I learned electronics in the Air Force, but I always messed with trains.”

Mike Mottler of Conway, secretary-treasurer of the Central Arkansas Model Railroad Club and former AETN associate director, praised the film, which was created by his former cohort. He and other train hobbyists are interviewed in the film.

“It’s well done,” Mottler said. “[Andrews] talks about railroads in Arkansas for real railroading, model railroads and layouts, and some of the guys who have created layouts in their basements or attics, and some early history. … There’s something for everybody.”

Mottler said the documentary is the perfect kickoff for the model-railroad club’s big show, set for 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 5 in the Carl Stuart Middle School gymnasium, where the film will be shown.

Other cities and towns featured include Perry, Judsonia, Winslow, Newport, Adona, Mountainburg, Fort Smith, Austin, Palarm, Dumas, Pickens and Fordyce.

Arkansas has more than 2,700 miles of railroad track operated by 20 railroads, making rail transportation an important part of the state’s history, heritage and economy, according to an AETN press release.

Airing in conjunction with Steel Rails on Sunday is Trains Around North America, at 1:30 p.m., which traces America’s railroad history. A repeat airing of Steel Rails will be offered at 11 p.m. Sunday.

A photo gallery and ordering information for a DVD with bonus features are available at aetn.org/steelrails.

AETN is Arkansas’ statewide public television network. For more information, visit aetn.org, or follow the AETN blog at aetn.org/engage.

Senior writer Tammy Keith can be reached at (501) 327-0370 or tkeith@arkansasonline.com.

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