By Carol Ann Gregg
Allied News Staff Writer
The only difference between men and boys is the price of their toys. But some men never really grow up when it comes to the holiday season and their toy trains.
Three years ago, as women at Tower Presbyterian Church, Grove City, planned their annual holiday bazaar, someone thought a train theme would be good and the All Aboard Bazaar was created. What would an “All Aboard” theme be without trains?
Ron Churchill and Dave McCreary decided to set up a small train display so guests at the bazaar could spend a few minutes watching the trains.
“Last year, we decided we wanted to do a larger layout to show the public the different styles and sizes of trains,” said Churchill, who is retired from the Bessemer-Lake Erie Railroad.
“The first year, we would run one engine for a half an hour and then get another one out of a box and run it for awhile,” he said. “They never got to see all the different kinds.”
As the display grew in size, it also got more intricate. A town emerged, with a lumber yard with equipment that loads logs onto a railcar and a cattle yard where cows can walk up a ramp onto the cattle car.
This year, Dave Brautigam and Reece Coulter joined the team, which has been working on the project for about two weeks. Brautigam helped lay track and anchor it to the display boards. Coulter brought his train equipment and has been helping with construction.
“Some of us are called tinplaters and others are modelers,” Coulter said. “I’m a tinplater – I just lay down some track and run my trains. Now Dave (McCreary) there, he’s a modeler.”
McCreary likes to create scenes and communities. If you look closely, you can see a deer raiding a garden. Watch for the pickup trucks symbolizing the teams that currently are playing in the World Series.
These men have worked hard and have had a lot of fun dragging out the old engines and putting what they consider the appropriate cars behind them.
“This year we added several sidings where we can park trains and engines for display, but where they won’t be operated on the display tracks.”
McCreary will have his American Flyer, S-gauge train, and an HO-gauge train operating. Churchill will have his Lionel, O-gauge train in operation.
There is a large G-gauge train on display. It is similar to the train that travels around the showroom of Wendell August Forge’s flagship store.
“The only gauge we don’t have displayed this year is N-gauge,” Churchill said. “But we have plans for next year for that train that will include a waterfall.”
McCreary has a permanent display in a room in his basement. Churchill traditionally get his out for the Christmas season and young Coulter gets his out when he thinks about tinkering with them.
These men are enjoying the chance to share their passion for their trains – some of which they have had since childhood – with the community.
The train exhibition will be on display during the All Aboard Bazaar from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. today in the basement of Tower Presbyterian Church, South Broad St., Grove City. Visitors will be able to enjoy a yummy lunch; browse the sale tables; and return for a few minutes to their childhood around the train table.
Published November 7, 2009 in Allied News. Pick up a copy at 201A Erie St., Grove City.
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