The 20th Annual Train Show and Swap Meet will be going full steam this weekend, as the show keeps adding new models and more hands-on activities for budding hobbyists.
This year, the younger set will have lots of layouts to explore.
There will also be several clinics where visitors can
learn about making scenery and rock casting.
“That’s why this is such a great hobby because there are so many aspects to it, from the train building to the special electronics involved,” show coordinator Susan Evans said. “There is truly something for everyone.”
This year’s show has more than 270 vendor tables and 25 layouts. A number of model train manufacturers will show their trains, such as North American Railcar Corporation, which will introduce one of its new N-scale hopper cars, Evans said.
The show features Thomas the Train wooden track railroads that kids can push around. And this year, kids can play the “switching puzzle” game where the operator must “deliver” cars to different tracks, and place the cars in a specific order before the player’s time runs out, Evans said
Visitors can also sit on a full-size speeder — a two-person vehicle used for railroad maintenance — and simulate running the speeder on a computer, Evans said.
Clinics include making trees, developing a scenic layout for your model set and ballasting track, which is learning how to glue down the ballast or gravel on a model train set.
Visitors can also bring their own model trains from home for the weathering clinic to learn how to make models looks as realistic as possible.
The proceeds of the show will benefit Snohomish County 4-H Foundation. Last year about 4,500 hobbyists attended, Evans said.
The show runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at the Evergreen State Fairgrounds, 14405 179th Ave. SE, Monroe.
Admission is $7 and $5. For more information go to www.unwclub.org.
Theresa Goffredo: 425-339-3424; goffredo@heraldnet.com.
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