Tyler James was too shy to say a word, but the look in the 4-year-old’s eyes went a long way toward explaining how some people feel about trains.
When railroad audiophile Richard Gray cranked up the volume on his CD of great diesel locomotive sounds, James’ eyes went wide with shock, then pure pleasure.
“He loves trains,” explained James’ grandmother, Barbara Shotton of Elma. “He plays with trains. He makes the sounds of trains. He wears a train hat.”
James had plenty of company Saturday at the Puyallup fairgrounds.
The Great Train Expo, the country’s largest traveling model-train show, is in town through today, and several hundred railroad enthusiasts packed the Americraft ShowPlex Building to check out the latest layouts, buy and sell vintage equipment and talk train.
“This is the biggest show I’ve ever been to,” said Taylor Harris, owner of T’s Custom Trees, an Oregon-based company that specializes in tiny scenery supplies for the model-train makers.
Harris, one of more than 70 exhibitors at the show, was busy selling tiny packages of twigs, rocks, lichens and wood chips to model makers.
He started the business four years ago, while in high school, he said, when he realized the untapped online market for model-train scenery supplies, many of which he could pick up in his back yard or order by the cubic yard and repackage.
“It kind of brings out the kid in everybody,” he said.
Along with the venders are model railroaders who just appreciate the opportunity to have enough space to set up their extravagant layouts.
The United Northwest Model Railroad Club’s modular layout is a miniature wonder, right down to tiny raccoons going through trash.
Debby and Mike Morgan of Spanaway have the largest display by individuals, with a 39-foot layout with HO-scale trains running through farms, a sawmill and a tiny town hosting a circus parade and carnival.
“I build and paint. He makes the trains go around,” said Debby Morgan.
The Morgans’ display includes close to 3,000 tiny human figures, nearly all of which Debby painted.
“We don’t have room for it at home,” Mike said. “This show lets us get it out and see it and play with it.”
Rob Carson: 253-597-8693
rob.carson@thenewstribune.com
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