LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — All aboard for the Bluegrass Model Railroad Club's third year of educating and selling model trains and their set-ups at the Oleika Shriners Temple in Lexington.
The club has been around for more than 50 years. The goal? To educate people on the different types of trains around the world while promoting its winter event, Southern Lights for Christmas.
"We had this set up in a day, but we had as many volunteers as we could muster to bring everything in and set everything up. It's a team effort. It takes a lot of work, but we can get it accomplished," said Tony Gutteridge, the president of the Bluegrass Model Railroad Club. We have a mixture of scales. N-scale, O-scale, G-scale and HO-scale. It's fun for the kids to come out, hang out, and watch the trains go round."
"I started with my son when he was about 8 or 9, and it was an activity that we could do together," recalls Kelly Chapman, a board member of the Bluegrass Model Railroad Club. This whole process has just opened his eyes to electrics and motors, and it has just been able to give him something to spark his curiosity and encourage him to work with his hands, learn to solder, and learn all about electrics and circuits."
Chapman says she's a member of the club with the hope of keeping a dying hobby chugging forward.
In addition to looking at cool trains, attendees had the chance to buy one. Trains cost $5 for anyone 12 years or older, while the whole family could buy one or more for $15.
"We actually had one vendor sold out and had to leave early. He sold out of everything he had," said Gutteridge.
Whether you have an interest in trains right now or have been interested your whole life: "He's like a middle school boy out here play with his trains at 97. So it's a life long hobby and passion," said Chapman.
Chapman believes the beauty of the club is merging generations together to learn from one another: "Don't let something like not having the knowledge or the space or the money keep you from helping your next generation, your whoever-it-is."
If you weren't able to attend Saturday's event, you still have time tomorrow from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. at the Oleika Shriners Temple.
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