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Valuable Model Railroads Threatened By Flooding At Union Station

DENVER (CBS4) - Many people around the Denver metro area are still dealing with the aftermath of severe storms that hit Thursday afternoon.

Members of the Denver Society of Model Railroaders squeegeed mud and water from their room in the basement of Union Station Saturday. They have tens of thousands of dollars of model trains and terrain set up, most of which escaped potentially severe damage after the heavy rainstorms.

Some members said the severe flooding is because the basement is compromised right now. There's heavy construction and remodeling in the rear of Union Station. With loose dirt and some additional work being done to the boiler room in the basement, water and mud easily found its way there and coated the floor.

Also in the basement is the Platte Valley and Western Model Railroad. Water and mud --- between three and four inches during its peak -- covered the floor. Although the layout isn't damaged, some of the command and control systems were. It will now have to be closed until the end of August for cleanup and repairs.

"Our stuff is pretty okay. We really didn't have any equipment or scenery damaged. We just have inches of mud and sludge on the floor, and so we have to go underneath the layout, and it's humid, there's no air circulation." club member Dawn Lindgren said.

The Platte Valley and Western Model Railroad Club is asking for help with donations to repair or repurchase electrical equipment that was damaged.

The water entered the basement near its storage room, also damaging display materials.

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