Who knows how, but I have found my way onto the email list of some
model railroad company.
(I don't do model railroads).....

Today they sent a message titled "The Largest Model Railway in the
World", along with a link. I looked, (probably ensuring that I'll get
another 100 messages over the next year).

It seems that some folks in Germany have invested over 7 million USD
developing an overwhelming train layout. They even control daylight and
darkness to scale - apparently a day passes in about 15 minutes.

Next time I think my boat is expensive, I'll remember that it would be
possible to spend $7,000,000
and wind up with nothing more than a glorified Lionel outfit. :-)

As there is some indelible association between model trains and the
holiday season, most boaters like techno stuff, and because it is
useful to realize that other people have obsessions just as compelling
as owning a boat, here's the link:

http://www.miniatur-wunderland.de/data/cms/en/200/