Altamont Library Notes for Wednesday, October 23, 2013

It’s a little like looking into two mirrors facing each other – objects keep reappearing.

There’s a railroad train going by out there, and next to it is a station recently turned into a library.  And inside the station/library is more railroad track with another train.

The second train is an HO scale model. It consists of an engine, a caboose and a flatcar. It was installed by its owner, Michael Decker, 16 years old and recently arrived in Altamont with his family.  Michael has been keenly interested in model trains for 10 years.  He is currently setting one up in his new home.  Its layout is 12-by-14 feet.

The Altamont Free Library indoor train runs along the middle of the children’s book section’s back wall. When it reaches the end of the track is stops, reverses, backs up to its starting position, and begins another run. It accomplishes this by switching polarities.  Michael didn’t explain what this meant, and we suspect it’s just as well he didn’t.  We appreciate his generosity and the time he spent laying out the track and overseeing the many test runs.

Best of the rest

Don’t forget next Monday, Oct. 28, is Potluck in Paris.  The lusty dishes will be uncovered starting at 6 p.m.  The signup sheet is rapidly filling. We have a great many French cookbooks at the library to help get you started. 

Haunted side

On Tuesday, Oct. 29,, teens and adults are invited to join the ghost of Jacob Van Aernam for an exploration of Altamont’s wilder, haunted side.  The spirits of many of the village’s more colorful, memorable characters are expected to appear, disappear, appear, disappear, and provide those attending with equal amounts of information and jitters.  Please sign up at the library.