You can buy kits to help you build scenery and town, Witten says, but most people also get pretty adept at innovations. "You can experiment, invent — what works, works; what doesn't, doesn't. There aren't any formulas. People develop their own techniques." Which is all part of the fun, he adds. "You can get as silly as you want."

Basically, he says, "you can create your own empire. I name buildings and towns after my friends and relatives. My mother's maiden name was Miles, so I have a Milesburg."

At shows, the questions people most frequently ask are: How do you build the trees? How do you build the water? How long did it take? Model railroaders love to talk about those things, he says.

"And then the kids, especially, want to know if that's all the faster it can go," says Witten. "Some kids think they should be like slot cars."

But they are trains. They can take you on a journey to the past; they can give you control over a miniature world; they can provide an outlet for creativity; they can keep you busy forever.

"There's nothing like obsession," says Witten, with a grin. "I love it."

If you go

What: The Hostlers 2006 Model Railroad Festival

Where: Ogden Union Station, 25th Street and Wall Avenue, Ogden

When: Today, 5 p.m.-9 p.m.; Saturday, 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sunday, 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m.

Admission: $5 adults; children under 12 free

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E-mail: carma@desnews.com