I get to know a little about one stranger each week for all of 2024

I’ve never met anyone who had a job that required them to play with model trains, but that all changed today when I met Pam.

One of the first things you might notice about Pam is that she’s wearing a railroad hat. And there’s good reason for that: Pam is a volunteer at the outdoor model train exhibit at the Superstition Mountain Lost Dutchman Museum. It’s a “G-Scale ‘Big Train’ model train exhibit that covers 4,000 square feet and features several steam locomotives pulling rolling stock over 1500 feet of 45-mm gauge track,” according to the museum’s website.

What the website doesn’t say (but is totally true) is that this model train exhibit is kind of amazing. It has bridges, tunnels, towns, mountains, rivers, and even some stock cars full of livestock that say “baaaaa” pretty much endlessly.

Pam knew all about the exhibit. She told me that it’s designed to run in the outdoors, even if it’s raining. But it’s stored away in the summer because the hot Arizona sun would damage it — the exhibit is only out for people to enjoy in the winter months. Pam helps set up and take down the trains and tracks when it’s time to open or close for the season and answers any questions visitors have as they walk around the large platform.

When I asked Pam her favorite part of the job, she said she enjoys talking to the people who visit and telling them about the exhibit. And can I just say that I love her railroad hat?

So if you’re near Apache Junction, AZ, you can visit the Superstition Mountain Lost Dutchman Museum, which has all sorts of educational information about this part of Arizona in addition to the model train exhibit. And if you’re lucky, Pam will be there to tell you all about it.