Cass County model railroad club looking for new members 

Several years ago, the Cass County Rail club found itself a perfect location to set up shop in Dowagiac — fittingly, right on West Railroad Street.

In fact, the building was located only a few doors down from the residence of the  head of the club, Carl Biek.

“It’s nice to be next to the train tracks, to be able to hear and see them when they pass by,” Biek said. “When this space became available, there was no question we had to buy it.”

Five years and hundreds of hours of restoration work later, Cass County Rail is looking for another expansion — of its membership.

With November marking National Model Railroad Month, Biek and the other members of the local model railroad organization are looking for some additional hands in building and maintaining its ever-growing miniature system, which spans much of their 30-by-40 foot clubhouse. Made from a combination of model sets and handcrafted materials, its current members have spent thousands of hours creating replicas of regional railroad systems.

While the club may be relatively new to their current digs, Cass County Rail has been active inside the community for nearly 30 years. Started in 1986 by Biek and the late Bill Mersch, the club met at St. Vincent’s de Paul and the industrial park in Pokagon Township for years before purchasing the Railroad Street property.

Meeting twice a week, the five current members spend a few hours working and enjoying the camaraderie among craftsmen and fellow train aficionados.

“It’s something that should be relaxing,” said member Galen Pusey. “It’s a hobby, not a goal-driven job.”

The group also brings their creations on the road with them from time to time, participating in train shows across the Midwest using modular table sets.

“All of our sets are built to national standards, so we can interact with clubs all across the country,” Biek said.

Besides housing their creations, the clubhouse is also home to a collection of actual railroad memorabilia, including lanterns and signage collected from trains and stations over a century old. Biek also has 30 years worth of railroad magazines stored inside the building.

People interested in joining are encouraged to attend one of the club’s meetings, which take place from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. every Monday and Wednesday.

“If you want to work with a group and have some fun, this is the place to be,” Biek said.