TOY TRAIN ENTHUSIASTS ON THE RIGHT TRACK

SIKESTON -- Casey Jones would have loved it.

It was fun at full throttle at Saturday's Bootheel Area Model Railroader's Show, held at the Wesley United Methodist Church Family Life Center Saturday.

When railroads were enjoying a brighter era in Casey Jones' prime, a youngster could stand by the tracks and watch the big iron monsters belching smoke and sparks as they groaned their way up an incline, or put the brakes on the iron rails.

"It was something to watch, especially the engines," said Jack Clark. "The engines had colorful cabs and tenders, and their engineers spent many hours shining the brass, painting and repainting the cabs."

Clark, who spent many years working on the river, now spends a lot of his spare time attending to railroad engines and rail cars, tracks and other items connected with model railroading.

"It's kind of ironic," said Clark, who was at Saturday's Sikeston show. "There's supposed to be a lot of competition between railroad and river men. "I made my living working on the river, but spent my recreation hours with model railroading."

A total of 57 eight-foot tables contained railroad memorabilia at the show, ranging from the early 1900s Lionel tin plate models to the latest giant Buddy L dragline and flat-car models. Also displayed were numerous other engines, cars, track, rail timetables, and other memorabilia.

"We had a good turnout for the show," said Rev. Jerry Reynolds, pastor of the Wesley United Methodist Church, which hosted the show. "We have 57 tables here, and people were in and out throughout the day."

Clark, president of the Paducah (Ky.) Area Model Railroad Club, and about half of the club's 23 members set up an 18 by 15 foot model railroad display at the Bootheel Show Saturday.

"We have about 10 members and 100 feet of track here," said Clark. "Each club member here has a certain section of the display here. Members of the club work as a group to build these larger and more elaborate model railroads."

"Members build their 2 by 4 foot modules to hook up with other modules," said Clark. "All the scenery is their own ideas."

Clark said the Paducah club had a 55 by 25 foot layout at the "Off-Priced" Mall in Paducah. "We have more than 200 feet of track there," said Clark.

The Paducah display was an attention-getter at Sikeston Saturday, and the 2 by 4 foot module of Ron Stubblefield was a big attraction.

Stubblefield, a member of the Paducah club, utilized his module to construct a small circus alongside the regular track, complete with merry-go-round, ferris wheel, and a miniature train.

"The miniature train is on a Z track," said Stubblefield. "The regular models here are on HO-Gauge rails.

Tom Prewett of Model Trains, Memphis, Tenn., displayed model trains of many vintages, from the teens through the present, including a 1953 Lionel New York Central train, complete with engines, cars, tracks and the original boxes.

"Many collectors are as interested in the boxes as the models," he said. "People can find the models, but the original boxes are scarce."

Other scarce items in Prewett's display were three 1955 extended aluminum, Canadian Pacific cars; a 1936 Red Comet Lionel, with engine and four cars; and an early 1940s Southern Pacific train with cars and engine.

"Model railroad collectors have been around many years," said Prewett, "but the collecting heyday came just after World War II. Now, older model trains are really hard to come by."

Model railroading is a pastime for thousands of people. During the mid-1980s, Model Railroader magazine estimated that over 250,000 people operated model railroads as a hobby, and there's no reason to think that number has dwindled.

Model railroading really caught on following the 1933-34 Century of Progress Exposition in Chicago, when railroad equipment manufacturers displayed models for the public to see.

Public interest was high, and the manufacturers were urged to produce model railroad kits and parts. A year later, in 1935, model railroad hobbyists and manufacturers organized the National Model Railroad Association to established uniform standards for tracks, wheels, and other model railroad equipment.

Members of various railroad clubs work as a group to build larger and more elaborate model railroads.

Fascination with railroads dates back to May of 1869 when officials from the Union Pacific and Central Pacific gathered at Promontory Point, Utah to drive the final "golden" spike in the nation's first transcontinental rail line.

During the long-awaited celebration in Utah that day, the Union Pacific Railroad employed soldiers to watch over their track-laying gangs, who were continuously attacked by Indians.

This was America as it was then known, and since those "Glory Days of Steam," generations have thrilled at the sight of the great Iron Horse and other railroad engines, whether it is the real thing which may be found at a railroad museum, or a miniature that belches out smoke and sparks as it rides along on a miniature track.