Visit the Masonic Village & Elizabethtown Model Railroad Club, and you'll step inside another world. "It's taking the world and putting it into miniature," said John Monti, club vice president, describing the 1,600 feet of track in seven display areas. "You could look at the same scene six times and see something new every time." The club will hold an open house from 2 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 5, and Sunday, Nov. 6, at the club building on Freemason Drive on the grounds of Masonic Village at Elizabethtown.

For 25 years, the club members have been sharing their passion for trains with the community. The display features seven gauges, ranging from standard scale to Z scale. The latter layout is so tiny, it's housed in an open briefcase. "It's very unusual to have seven scales under one roof," said club treasurer Bill Fishel.

Although the club is housed on the grounds of Masonic Village, its 50 members are about equally split between residents of the retirement community and the wider region, Monti said.

The elaborate layouts fill the building, with scenes of northwest, southeast and central Pennsylvania, as well as local attractions such as the Star Barn. A working replica of a Pittsburgh incline operates in one area, while another area features holiday scenes that change throughout the year. The club members note that the layout is always evolving, with plans for redoing a warehouse district and swapping out a cityscape with an HO-scale amusement park.

"It's never done," said club president Gary Latshaw. "This is 25 years of work, and it's always changing."

Most of the club members have been into trains since their youth, said Latshaw. The club provides members with a space to indulge in their hobby without having to set up an elaborate layout in their home, but it also serves another purpose.

"I have learned so much from these guys," said club member David Newhart. "The club has kept me busy, and it's created a group of friends."

At a typical open house, eight or nine trains may be running at one time. "When you see this layout running, you can't believe it," said Monti, who noted that visitors should look out, down and up, because trains run overhead the display as well. "We've even gotten down and looked at the layouts from a child's point of view, so we know there are things they can see from their vantage point," he shared.

Club members will be on hand at the open house to answer questions, fix derailments and promote the club, which is always looking for new members. The group meets on the first Tuesday of each month, and club applications will be available at the open house.

Admission to the open house is free, but donations will be accepted to keep the display running. Additional open houses will be held on Saturdays, Dec. 3, 10 and 17; on Sunday, Dec. 4; and on the first Saturday and Sunday of the month from January through April. Times vary, and a complete schedule may be found at http://www.mvetrainclub.com or by following the club on Facebook at "MV&E Model Railroad Club."