THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, January 23, 1997 TAG: 9701230113
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 15 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANK ROBERTS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: 70 lines
Russ Dolbear has been enjoying model trains for more years than he has had years.
``I'm 46,'' he said. ``I've been into trains about 50 years.''
That is the voice of the electric train enthusiast.
Dolbear has lots of company, people who enjoy watching miniature trains toot as they go in and out of tunnels, pass mini-towns, and make gates go up and down.
Nearly 100 such folks will set up shop Sunday at Nansemond-Suffolk Academy.
The trains will be ``parked'' since the gathering is strictly for those who want to buy or sell trains and accessories.
``Enthusiasts will find trains for sale in all gauges. There will be `O' gauge, `S' gauge, HO, Standard and LGB,'' Dolbear said. ``Members of Virginia Train Collectors are bringing their private stock out of their train rooms.''
In his Chester home, Dolbear has one room filled with ``five layouts - all running.''
He shares his hobby every December, opening his home and little railroad to visitors.
``This was our third year. We had a record crowd - 106. The first year we had 70 visitors,'' Dolbear said. ``A lot of people come back to find out how they can get started.''
Every year, more people are getting started.
Membership of Virginia Train Collectors - at 500 - has grown during the last few years, ``by more than 100 a year,'' Dolbear said.
``That tells me,'' Dolbear said, ``that the children of the baby boomers are re-discovering their parents' trains. And, more and more manufacturers are producing and competing.''
Some of the manufacturers represented at Saturday's gathering include Ives, Lionel, American Flyer, Marx, Dorfan, Big, Hafner, and Thomas.
``Visitors can bring their trains if they want to sell them, get them appraised, or get an estimate on repairs or restoration,'' Dolbear said. ``Membership applications for Virginia Train Collectors can be obtained at the meet.''
The group meets the third Thursday of each month at Shady Grove United Methodist Church in Mechanicsville.
``This can be a very affordable hobby. You can also buy high quality, high dollar items,'' he said. ``I have some quality pieces. I also have some that - if I broke them - I wouldn't feel bad.''
Dolbear, a senior designer for Industrial Turnaround Corporation, which makes blueprints and designs for corporations that plan to expand, started collecting `O' gauge trains 10 years ago.
``My dad had trains when I was a year old,'' he said. ``I got into HO when I was old enough to start working on them myself.''
Dolbear is working on the meet. He is chairman of the event which is expected to entice collectors from Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina and Maryland.
``Sunday,'' he said, ``is a perfect day. Trains in the morning, the Super Bowl in the evening.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo coutesy of the Virginia Train Collectors
Bill Yuhase, president of the Virginia Train Collectors, and Russ
Dolbear, chairman of the swap meet, check train cars offered for
sale.
ABOUT THE EVENT
What: Virginia Train Collectors Meet.
When: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday.
Where: Nansemond-Suffolk Academy, U.S. 460, Suffolk.
Admission: $6. No cost for spouses and children under 17. For
information, call 748-2101.