GOOD OLD DAYS

It would be great to stop by Rick Trotnic’s service station and buy gas for less than 30 cents a gallon.
Unfortunately, Trotnic’s service station isn’t open for business, but it is a lot of fun to look at.
Trotnic, Parsons, brought his station to the 20th annual Antique Engine and Tractor Show, held Friday and Saturday on the grounds of the Crawford County Historical Museum.
It was right across from his blacksmith’s shop, which has been a popular attraction at the show for the past several years.
Trotnic built the gas station himself, but used some old parts.
“The windows in it are from a station at McCune — I’ve had them for the past seven to 10 years,” he said. “These pumps are from the 1940s. One pump says gas is 27 cents a gallon, and the other says 24 cents.”
Inside the station are lots of authentic items.
“I’ve been collecting filling station stuff since the 1970s, and I thought that building this station would be the best way to display it,” Trotnic said.
On one wall is part of his antique spark plug collection.
“I’ve got some plugs from a Model T that had a primer, in case the car didn’t start off,” he said. “Some plugs were dual-fire. In the old days they tried to make plugs that had some special kind of knack. There were hundreds and hundreds of different kinds.”
Trotnic also has old cans of Mobiloil and an antique Coca-Cola cooler that came from Fort Scott, and an air pump from Canada.
“I traded the air pump for a rock crusher,” he said.
However, he wasn’t able to get everything into the station.
“I’ve got a big neon Mobil horse at home that goes around and around, and a smaller horse,” he said. “I wanted to put the horse in the station, but I just didn’t have room.”
Parked in front of the station is a 1948 Whizzer Motor Bike.
“You pedaled the bike, which turns a belt that makes the motor start,” Trotnic said. “I think this would still work.”
He finished the station last fall.
“It was just in time for the Parsons Christmas parade,” Trotnic said. “I put lights all over it, and won ‘best of lights’ or something like that in the parade.”
He added that there’s a possibility he may store the station here and show it during the Pittsburg Fourth of July celebration.
Trotnic operates a recycling business in Parsons, and used to have a miniature golf course.
“What I’d like to do is put up a big barn and have my displays in it,” he said. “I’d like to have my own village.”