By Bob Strohm
bstrohm@wbcowqel.com
Model train aficionados congregated at the Crawford County Fairgrounds on Saturday for the 30th annual Train Show and Swap Meet.
Held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the train show was held in Youth Building and was filled with model railroad retail vendors, customers, as well as window shoppers from in-state as well as some traveling from out of state.
Coming here from Fort Wayne, Gary Ferris was selling the leftover stock from his model train store that he owned in the Hoosier State.
“I had a store for 25 years I just closed it two years ago and this is what I have left over from the store,” Ferris said. “I still have a nice layout at my home though. I have a 30-feet-by-40-feet room. I am filling it, and when I get everything going they all have sounds, and I can barely hear the phone ring.”
Dan Coleman traveled from Columbus to the show to purchase more pieces for his collection. Coleman shared a few of his finds.
“I found some excellent books on the railroad, and a General Electric demonstrator engine,” Coleman said.
Some of the vendors at the swap meet built custom cars for the model railroads. Brent Bowman traveled to the show from Lucas. Bowman explained that most of the cars he had for sale were custom built and painted by him.
“It is your railroad you can do anything you want with it,” Bowman said. “It starts with an idea and a train car.”
Bowman explained that he tends to sell more military and circus themed rail cars.
While the swap meet took place inside the youth building, the Bucyrus Model Railroad Association had its building open to the public with numerous train collections riding on the railways of the association. Gene Blair had two of his trains from his collection traveling down the tracks at the fairgrounds.
“I got Southern Pacific and Canadian National. One is a grain train the other is a stack train,” Blair said. “My favorite pieces are the two that I have on display. I also have a bunch of cars to make a few freight trains. I also have four sound engines that I had on display earlier.”
Bucyrus Model Railroad Association member Dave Moore explained that while he has slowed down in purchasing for his collection, the show featured something for every collector.
“I have been in this hobby for 53 years so it is kind of thinning down with my purchasing,” Moore said. “Everything is pretty wide spread we got pretty much everything that everyone would want or what that they think would fit their collection.”