Rod Stewart Took 26 Years To Build A Massive Model Train Set
"If you like my train set, and you think it's sexy, Come on, sugar, tell me so" — Perhaps this is how Rod Stewart's hit song should have gone after he recently revealed he's been hard at work building a model train set for the past 26 years.
That's right, everyone's favorite pop cockatoo and bewildering sex symbol seems to be indiscriminate in his love of locomotion — whether it's between two bodies or miniature steam-powered locomotive wheels and railroad tracks.
According to the BBC, this earthshaking news came out in a monthly British model railway magazine, Railway Modeller, which covers "all the scales and gauges and topics of interest to both ready-to-run enthusiasts and kit and scratchbuilders alike."
The international superstar and British knight has released 13 studio albums and been on 19 tours during the time it took to build the city, which is modeled on World War II-era New York City and Chicago, drawing additional inspiration from the view from his childhood home.
Rod and roll
Given the size of the display, which runs 124 feet long, with "meticulously crafted" skyscrapers more than 5 feet tall with hand-painted brickwork, miniature people walking around, some have alleged that Stewart couldn't have built the darn thing himself. Of course, when you start talking model trains, pride bubbles forth, so Stewart took to to Jeremy Vine's BBC Radio 2 show to hit the emergency brake on allegations that he hadn't put in the work.
"I would say 90% of it I built myself," he insisted. "The only thing I wasn't very good at and still am not is the electricals, so I had someone else do that."
Apparently, Stewart would work on buildings and other scenery during tours, stating that they were his forte.
"We would tell them in advance and they were really accommodating, taking out the beds and providing fans to improve air circulation and ventilation," he said.
The BBC describes photos of his setup showing "dozens of highly detailed buildings plus bridges, ships, vegetation and streets teeming with vintage cars and taxis."
"When I take on something creative like this, I have to give it 110%," he said. "For me it's addictive. I started, so I just had to finish. I'm lucky I had the room. If I'd have realised at the start it would have taken so long, I'd have probably said, 'No! No! Nah!'"
The world thanks you, Rod. And for those who think it's a huge waste of time, know that Stewart's not alone. According to Happy Mag, Eric Clapton, Phil Collins and Neil Young and Peter Snow are all loco for this kind of motion.