Faces of the Valley: 12-year-old Harrison boy a model railroad tycoon

A miniature world revolves around 12-year-old Tristan Eberle in the basement of his grandparents’ Harrison home.

His train display fills up half the room, and even then, it’s only just enough space for several circular railways, a turntable and dozens of buildings. The citizens of this shrunken town have access to a fire department, a KFC and other necessities, and can even enjoy the natural beauty of some wooded areas and a lake.

Three bins full of unused locomotives and scenery sit underneath, set to be sold at one of Western Pennsylvania’s half dozen or so annual hobby shows.

Tristan is at the center of it all, playing conductor through a mess of buttons and wires, sounding a whistle here or speeding up a train there.

“I feel like I’m actually driving a train,” he said. It’s what he likes best about the hobby.

Tristan, with ample help from his grandfather, has been building this display since he was 6 years old. Ralph Eberle, 82, is keenly aware of how unusual his grandson’s hobby is, and has a theory of how it came to be.

Tristan’s great-great-grandfather ran a train from Freeport to Pittsburgh in the early 20th century. Two distant relatives also worked as switchmen around that time.

“I think that’s how it got into the bloodstream,” said Eberle, who was briefly into model trains, and gave Tristan his old supplies as a starter kit.

Eberle revolves around Tristan to some extent, too, taking him to the region’s various train conventions and helping fund his hobby in exchange for chores.

One year, Tristan even got permission to set up a booth at the Kittanning Train and Toy Show.

“The people at the train shows started noticing what he’s done for his age, and they said, ‘you’re a lost art,’” Eberle said. “These guys at the shows are really good to him.”

Eberle also is responsible for the homemade display table and much of Tristan’s far-flung train-related travels, like last year’s trip to the Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton.

As part of their visit, the pair took a train ride through the Pocono Mountains, and later watched rail workers rotate a train on a turntable.

“When we got home, he said, ‘Pap, I need to build a turntable,” Eberle said.

Tristan’s prize possession is a model of a pre-war train painted red, white and blue — a rare collector’s item. Now, he has his sights set on a $700 “Big Boy,” a Union Pacific locomotive known for its unusually high number of wheels.

Eberle won’t be able to fund his grandson’s hobby forever, so Tristan has a plan.

His seemingly fated obsession with trains is leading up to a career as an — anesthesiologist.

While that doesn’t have much to do with trains, it does come with a benefit that could keep his hobby alive.

“You make a ton of money,” Tristan said.