With a passion for model trains that began at a very young age, Steve Sanders took that interest and turned it into a 2,500 square-foot G-scale train layout in an entire upstairs room of his home in Dallas. According to his wife, Jane Sanders, “It was his life story.”
Born and raised in Texas, Steve did a number of tours in Vietnam with the Army Green Berets. Jane explained to local news outlets that exposure to toxic chemicals while on tour eventually led to his lung cancer diagnosis, which happened in 2013. He passed away just three-and-a-half months following the diagnosis. “He was around a lot of Agent Orange, and 40 years later he got lung cancer,” his wife explained.
Photo: Facebook/Scott M. Lieberman
Following Steve’s passing, Jane decided to donate the entire large scale and professionally-made layout, as well as the hundreds of trains that Steve treasured, to the Museum of the American Railroad in Frisco. Currently disassembled, Bob LaPrelle of the museum explained that the layout is incredible in its features and elements. “The level of detail is just amazing,” he explained. With the assistance of the City of Frisco, LaPrelle was able to obtain a building to house the set as well as funding for manpower and movement of the pieces, from disassemble to reassemble, for the ultimate layout at the Discovery Center. “Most everything over here has never been opened. It’s all in its original box,” he explained. The entire cost of the project is estimated at $350,000 and the display is anticipated to be complete for spring break of this year. “This was his [Steve’s] world and now everybody gets to share it,” LaPrelle explained.
