The Allen Heritage Guild presents a free modular train exhibit March 21-22 and 28-29, at the Allen Train Depot, 100 E. Main. Over 100 models of freight, passenger and work trains drawn by steam and diesel engines, representing various railroads including Southern Pacific, Rock Island and Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe will be featured. The trains meander through scenic vistas, bridges and towns—even the Allen train depot. A typical Houston and Texas Central station is represented in miniature, as it appeared in 1942 before it was destroyed.
A traveling exhibit of the Dallas-Forth Worth O Scale Model Railroad Club, this 38-foot modular display is part of their permanent exhibit located at South Side on Lamar in Dallas. This year the DFW Club will be joined by modular layouts in N scale by Roy Durrell of the Allen Senior Center and 3-rail O gauge by the Lionel Modular Group. O scale trains are built to a ratio of 1: 48—a 40-foot boxcar is 12 inches long. HO Scale is approximately half the size of O scale and N is about 30% smaller than HO.
Local Allen resident Stan Schwartz is an active Dallas-Fort Worth O Scale Club member and is organizing the Allen exhibit. Stan has been collecting model trains for over 60 years. In 1952, he bought his first Model Railroader magazine and continues teaching, collecting and having fun with this pastime.
Model train experts will be available during the exhibit for a free model train road show; free appraisals and identification will be given. Visit your closet and attic and bring your trains for a free appraisal or to sell!
Also shown will be the Lionel Modular Group’s 8 x 16 setup. Some of their trains are over 50 years old and still operational. Founded over a century ago by Joshua Lionel Cowen, Lionel is still a leader in O gauge model trains today.
For the youngsters, there will be wooden railways that they can operate. Videos of steam and diesel operations during the 1950s and 60s will run throughout the show and Stan will present a talk on Allen’s colorful railroad history twice during the day.
Exhibit hours: Saturdays, March 21 and 28, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Sundays March 22 and 29, noon to 3 p.m. For more information contact Stan Schwartz at ss124@sbcglobal.net.