When the Kanawha Valley Railroad Association moved into its building on Coonskin Drive, members believed they had the perfect location. People driving into Coonskin Park could easily stop by on a Sunday afternoon and check out the model train show either on their way in or on their way home.
Then came the park's new bridge.
With the reconfiguration of Coonskin's access point came a new barricade on Coonskin Drive - where the entrance to the park once was - that has left the railroad association isolated at the very end of newly paved road.
The changes have members worried about their holiday shows, which take place on Thursdays through Sundays throughout December.
"If it doesn't work out then those are experiences that kids will never have," said Mike Reynolds, 65. "We're the only show in town, so to speak."
Usually, the railroad association gets between 2,500 and 3,000 visitors during the holidays. Some of them are repeat visitors and the children usually range from 7 to 12 years old.
"As a child I can remember when I got my first train," said Reynolds, who was 7 years old when he got his first train set. "When these little boys and girls come in here and light up, I know exactly how they feel."
The little building that the railroad association calls home is consumed by their model railroad. It's West Virginia-themed, with structures looking like they did in the '50s and '60s.
The sets are so big and took so much time to set up that if the association were to lose people because of the new entrance to the park, it would be devastating.
"It's designed never to be moved," Richard Boyd, 62, said of the train sets.
As of right now, Coonskin Park has set up the turnaround point for their Lights of Coonskin display right in front of the building. Cars would be able to drive off to the side if they needed to park, but visitors would have to know that the association's building was there to notice it.
"They'll be able to see it depending on what kind of advertising they have down there," said Sarah Menefee, the finance and Human Resources manager for Kanawha County Parks and Recreation.
Park officials are hoping to attract more guests than ever because of Coonskin's new entrance right off Interstate 79, and they're hoping some of the guests find their way to the model train shows. Places from throughout the state are represented in the model.
Reynolds grew up with the B&O railroad on one side and the freight train on the other in Elkview and can point out familiar storefronts on the model of his hometown. He said the memories flood back to him when he watches the headlights on a model train round the corner.
That nostalgia is common with model trains.
"Most people have had or have received a train set for Christmas and will put it under the tree," said Joe Horter, 55.
Horter got into trains with his two sons during one snowy winter when they were tired of playing in the snow. One day, they went out, bought a model train set and put it on a piece of plywood.
"There's a certain romance around trains." Boyd said. "It's still associated with people traveling to see someone."
The men at the railroad association hope that the romance is still enough to bring a crowd.
Reach Daniel Desrochers at dan.desrochers@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-4886 or follow @drdesrochers on Twitter.