MONROE - Budding model railroad enthusiasts can get an inside view at the Green County Model Railroaders 32nd annual Model Train & Swap Meet Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 25 and 26 at the State Line Ice & Community Expo in Monroe.
Members of the Green County Model Railroaders Club have put together a 4-foot by 4-foot railroad display platform showing new builders how easily they can construct their own railroad layout.
The display model has a Plexiglas piece so viewers can see the wiring beneath the frame and a cut-away section showing the foam layers that build up a mountain.
Kevin and Justin Johnson of Monroe, co-chairmen of the Green County Model Railroaders club, said the display was assembled in about five evenings, with the help of three to five club members.
The display was planned especially for children who are interested in model railroading.
"Kids can sign up for train sets being given away (at the meet)," said Kevin Johnson. "The display will show them how easy it is for them to build a display to run it on."
Members of the club will be near the display to answer questions.
"We will also have pictures of the building process and instructions," Kevin Johnson added.
Johnson's son, Justin, now 27, started in model railroading when he was in grade school.
"He wanted to buy a train set with his (aluminum) can money," Kevin Johnson said.
Justin Johnson displayed his first layout at a show when he was in his early teens.
"I can't even remember how old I was," he laughed.
Justin's interest in the hobby revived his father's interest.
"I wanted to know how things had changed since I was a kid," Kevin Johnson said.
Today the father and son team is designing a 12-foot by 29-foot layout in the basement of their home. They are using portable modules, which they take to shows, integrated with permanent pieces.
"Our layout follows the hobby's standards, but we modify it make it our own and to cut the cost down," Kevin Johnson said.
The Johnsons' layout is for model trains, smaller than the old-time train sets originally sold as toy trains for children.
"We tease the guys who run the big trains," Kevin Johnson said.
The Model Train and Swap Meet will have a little bit of everything for enthusiasts of model trains of every size.
"We have a lot of model railroads beyond the toy category," Kevin Johnson said. "Exhibitors will completely fill the whole SLICE Center, well over 15 to 20 layouts of different sizes of trains and vendors where railroad builders can pick up supplies."
The Green County Model Railroaders 32nd Annual Train Show and Swap Meet runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 25 and 26 at the SLICE arena, 1632 4th Ave. West, Monroe.
More information is available at www.gcmrrinc.org
Members of the Green County Model Railroaders Club have put together a 4-foot by 4-foot railroad display platform showing new builders how easily they can construct their own railroad layout.
The display model has a Plexiglas piece so viewers can see the wiring beneath the frame and a cut-away section showing the foam layers that build up a mountain.
Kevin and Justin Johnson of Monroe, co-chairmen of the Green County Model Railroaders club, said the display was assembled in about five evenings, with the help of three to five club members.
The display was planned especially for children who are interested in model railroading.
"Kids can sign up for train sets being given away (at the meet)," said Kevin Johnson. "The display will show them how easy it is for them to build a display to run it on."
Members of the club will be near the display to answer questions.
"We will also have pictures of the building process and instructions," Kevin Johnson added.
Johnson's son, Justin, now 27, started in model railroading when he was in grade school.
"He wanted to buy a train set with his (aluminum) can money," Kevin Johnson said.
Justin Johnson displayed his first layout at a show when he was in his early teens.
"I can't even remember how old I was," he laughed.
Justin's interest in the hobby revived his father's interest.
"I wanted to know how things had changed since I was a kid," Kevin Johnson said.
Today the father and son team is designing a 12-foot by 29-foot layout in the basement of their home. They are using portable modules, which they take to shows, integrated with permanent pieces.
"Our layout follows the hobby's standards, but we modify it make it our own and to cut the cost down," Kevin Johnson said.
The Johnsons' layout is for model trains, smaller than the old-time train sets originally sold as toy trains for children.
"We tease the guys who run the big trains," Kevin Johnson said.
The Model Train and Swap Meet will have a little bit of everything for enthusiasts of model trains of every size.
"We have a lot of model railroads beyond the toy category," Kevin Johnson said. "Exhibitors will completely fill the whole SLICE Center, well over 15 to 20 layouts of different sizes of trains and vendors where railroad builders can pick up supplies."
The Green County Model Railroaders 32nd Annual Train Show and Swap Meet runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 25 and 26 at the SLICE arena, 1632 4th Ave. West, Monroe.
More information is available at www.gcmrrinc.org