It’s arguably one of the most iconic things about Wegmans.
The model trains.
And when they break, there’s only one man for the job.
Joe Trafficante is a technician with Adaptec Solutions. He travels to more than 100 Wegmans stores, all the way from Boston down to North Carolina, maintaining and fixing the trains.
“I’m on the road Monday through Friday and it’s three jobs a day, sometimes four jobs a day,” he said.
When he arrives on location, he takes each train apart, cleans them, puts new motors on, and makes sure everything is good to go.
He says it isn't work for him.
“I absolutely love this. I am not working right now,” he said. “I am playing. I am literally having a good time.”
You see, he’s been fixing trains since he was 10 years old and it’s a hobby that literally paid off.
“I was actually told I got hired because they saw it on my resume,” he said. “I put my hobby on my resume that I did model railroading and that’s how they found me. My wife always said you spend a lot of money on this hobby. Now, this hobby is actually paying me back.”
Trafficante says families will come with their kids just to see the trains and he enjoys being able to let the kids see these trains up close.
If you happen to see him at your local Wegmans, be sure to say hello.