Train show arrives for 2nd stop at Eastern States Exposition

By K eith O ’C onnor Special to The Republican

RAILROAD ENTHUSIASTS are getting a return trip this year to the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield.

In addition to the annual Railroad Hobby Show held there each year in January by the Amherst Railway Society, the dedicated group of model railroaders is adding a second showthe Northeast Large Scale Train Show — on Friday and Saturday in the Young Building.

Similar in concept to the January show, this weekend’s event features operating large scale railroads, exhibits by the major manufacturers of large-scale model railroad equipment — locomotives, track, rolling stock, and scenery — as well as clinics on all aspects of large-scale railroad construction, maintenance, and operation.

“We’ve been wanting to hold a largescale show for a while, but logistics got in the way until the folks at the Eastern States Exposition did a lot of schedule juggling to make it work,” said Gregory Maas of the Amherst Railway Society.

“There is no large-scale show in the Northeast. A couple of things were driving the need for a show like this. There are many garden clubs in New England whose members run model rains outdoors and require large-scale models in able to be seen. The other fact is that many people continue to love Lionel models, which are still going strong and will be the subject of a special exhibit at the show,” he added.

For those who know their model trains, large scale includes S-scale, O-scale (Lionel size), G-scale (often found in garden railroads), F-scale, 7 ¼ gauge, and 7 ½ gauge models. Some large-scale locomotives are actually powered by steam.

Maas noted that those who attended the January show might recall stopping into the Mallory Building and seeing a large setup by the New Hampshire Garden Railway Society who will be returning for the new show with a “Live Steam-up.” They will be providing a 44”-by-22” Gauge-1 (45mm) track space for steam-powered trains and space to store and service locomotives during the show.

“When you are running bigger railroads, the sounds are so real with the clickety clack on the tracks and the steam whistles and horns blowing, and that appeals to a lot of people. These trains have their own little boilers and water supply fired with butane capsules which are approved to use indoors at the show” he said.

In addition, the society is inviting anyone with an operating Gauge-1 steam locomotive to bring it to the show and run it on their tracks. However, only propane and butane fueled locomotives will be allowed to run indoors, open flame or coal fired locomotives can be displayed, but not fired indoors.

Maas noted that the show will offer something new that you also don’t see at the January show called “Drag & Brag.”

“Drag & Brag, which is always a popular feature at large-scale shows, gives area modelers working on a project the