C&R Railroad invites you to a quaint community tucked inside a 57-foot mountain range in the McDill "Huck" Boyd Center where intrigued visitors can watch animated O-scale trains chug through the village, and arrive at Union Station. A freight yard includes a turntable and roundhouse.

The dream of trains began when Bill Clarke was a child. As soon as he heard the nearby whistle or horn from the incoming train, he'd jump on his bike and speed off to meet it at the station. He began buying toy trains in 1966, and his collection has grown steadily. Three decades later, 94 engines, 170 cars, 34 cabooses and 137 railroad lanterns are housed in a room featuring special lighting with day and nighttime effects. More than 1,200 feet of track wind through Clarke's C&R Railroad.

"C" stands for Clarke. Bill owns one of the six best trains in the United States, which he donated to the Huck Boyd Center and the Phillipsburg community for all to see. The "R" comes from his late wife's maiden name, Reiss. Jim Talbott, a model railroad builder and Montana man, took charge of designing a multilevel landscape for the large model railroad. After nearly three months of labor Talbott's largest privately funded project welcomed the whistles of locomotives.

SHOWS

"Reserve your seat" on the C&R Railroad:

• Contact the Bill Clarke Studio at (785)543-5415 or the Huck Boyd Foundation at (785)543-5535. Or by email: huck@ruraltel.net
• Clarke will work around individual schedules for private shows, which last approximately one hour.
• The room has space for 60 people to view the trains.

Groups may contract to use the Huck Boyd Center for railroad conventions and exhibits.

LOCATION

The McDill "Huck Boyd Center attracts visitors from all over the United States with the latest technology - a state-of-the art, multifaceted telecommunications center. It provides a high-tech link with business, educational, and cultural centers for planning, consulting, medical conferencing, and training. Along with the model railroad collection, the center has a completely equipped 500-seat auditorium, a grand piano, and an orchestra pit. These features and conference rooms of varying sizes provide expert facilities for local and professional theatrical, music and educational events.