End of an era for the largest model railway in southeastern Europe

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Category: Human Interest

Listening

Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. locomotive / ˌloʊ kəˈmoʊ tɪv / (n.) – a vehicle with a machine that pulls trains
    Example:

    The modern locomotive runs on electricity, making it quieter and more environmentally friendly than older models.


  2. for good / fər gʊd / (idiom) – forever or permanently
    Example:

    The athlete retired from playing for good. Now, he started coaching younger players to share his knowledge.


  3. diorama / ˌdaɪ əˈræm ə / (n.) – a model or scene that shows something in detail, often small or inside a box, to tell a story or show what something looks like
    Example:

    The history teacher brought a diorama of an ancient castle to help us imagine what life was like in the old times.


  4. simulate / ˈsɪm yəˌleɪt / (v.) – to copy or imitate something, usually to make it look, feel, or work like the real thing
    Example:

    The video game tries to simulate real-life driving, including weather and road conditions.


  5. heartache / ˈhɑrtˌeɪk / (n.) – a feeling of deep sadness or emotional pain
    Example:

    Losing her beloved dog caused her deep heartache.


Article

Read the text below.

It’s the end of an era for the largest model railway in southeastern Europe. The Backo Mini Express—a 1.5-kilometer model railway with 150 mini locomotives—has its own museum in Zagreb, Croatia. But despite surviving the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, and two earthquakes that shook the city in 2020, the railway’s aging creator is shutting down the museum for good.


Lovingly built by the museum’s owner Antun Urbic and other modelers over the span of some 15 years, the model railway is up for sale. Due to health issues, Urbic is selling his creation and says the museum will close its doors for good unless he finds a buyer for his diorama.


The railway boasts some 150 locomotives that run through a landscape filled with thousands of miniature moving figures and buildings, including entire towns. The diorama also features hundreds of tiny lights, winter scenes complete with moving skiers, and a lighting system that simulates day and night cycles.


The railway was built gradually over many years by Urbic and a few collaborators.


The museum opened to visitors in 2015 and was immediately popular, especially in December, when the city is visited by tourists enjoying its Christmas Market. It was particularly popular with young families.


Davorin Orban, the president of the Zagreb Railway Modelers’ Club, says the museum helped show that train modeling is a great hobby for kids that feeds their creativity and gets them away from screens.


“We are trying to explain to children that building train models requires knowledge from various STEM areas, which allows them to express themselves and be creative, and means they don’t just have to spend all their time with computers,” he says.


The news of Backo Mini Express shutting down has been greeted with heartache in the local train enthusiast community. “It’s an icon in the world of railway models, in this part of Europe. It’s absolutely the biggest, the best made, the best known. And it’s also a very interesting draw for tourists visiting Zagreb, and especially for children. It’s painful to see it shut down,” says Orban.


This article was provided by The Associated Press.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

  • What impact do you think small and unique attractions like the Backo Mini Express have on their local communities? If you visited a city, would you prefer to see major tourist landmarks or smaller, unique places like this? Why? Discuss.
  • Antun Urbic lovingly built the Backo Mini Express for 15 years. What challenges do you think people face when trying to turn their passion projects into something sustainable like a museum? When it comes to pursuing a passion, do you think it’s better to focus on creating for personal satisfaction or for others to enjoy as well? Why? Discuss.

Discussion B

  • Why do you think people are fascinated by miniature worlds like the Backo Mini Express? If you could create a miniature world, what kind of scenes or details would you include? Why? Discuss.
  • Do you think traditional and creative hobbies like train modeling still appeal to children today? Why or why not? What unique skills do you think kids can gain from these hobbies that they might not develop through modern activities? Discuss.