Strathroy kids train 'back on track' by weekend says founder

Volunteers vow they will get a children’s miniature railroad back on track despite its station being struck by a car.

The Sleepy Hollow Railway House on Metcalfe Street next to the West Middlesex Memorial Centre was hit at about 3:30 a.m. Monday.

A photo posted by the Strathroy-Caradoc Police Service shows a vehicle inside the museum and rail car storage area of the building. Officers have charged a youth, under the age of 18, with impaired driving.

The railway has been operated by the Strathroy Model Engineers (SME) for the past five years providing up to 10,000 rides a season.

Surveying the damage, founding member Anthony Clark was in disbelief.

"Shock! Definitely a shock," he told CTV London. "Just unreal what could have happened. Luckily, it was during the middle of the night and none of our guys were here. And, I mean, it could have been much, much worse."

Clark stands outside the museum on Tuesday (Sean Irvine/CTV News London)

Clark is thankful the crash did not happen during the day when as many as two trains carrying children are in operation.

He and other members face the long task of repairing multiple cars damaged in the collision. Many are handmade, and among them is a caboose made by Clark's father Anthony, which took six months to build.

"Nothing that we see so far is beyond repair. It's going to be a lot of work and imagination for doing some of this. But yeah, like I say, I thought I expected to find a total loss."

Damage is estimated at up to $15,000, but Clark says the good news is the 900 ft. of track and the primary engines were not damaged. He predicts trains will run again this coming Saturday, albeit with far fewer riding cars for children.

That reality is hard to take for SME member Alan Johnson.

"There's a real personal attachment to a lot of the cars in here. So, that really hurts. And we just we just love running them. So, not being able to run when we want to, that's tough."

Still, SME members are thankful the municipality is stepping in to secure the station quickly.

Johnson aboard one of the museum's model trains (Sean Irvine/CTV News London)

"We'll have this building repaired, that is the outside of the building repaired, by the end of the week", said Rob Lilbourne, the community services director of Strathroy-Caradoc. "It will be to the point where you probably won't even notice that something happened if you come this weekend for rib fest."

That's welcome news for mother and care provider Tanya Cook. She was among the first members of the public to see the aftermath damage Tuesday morning.

Trying to find a positive in the loss, she pointed out that the attention gained from the crash would increase its popularity in the region.

"But I mean, it's good that people can see that we have this here. I'm sure they'll rebuild, and, you know, it'll be back better than ever!"