|
|
|
Back on May 10, 1869, Union Pacific No. 119 and Central Pacific No. 60, better known as the Jupiter, met at Promontory Summit, Utah Territory, for the laying of the “Golden Spike” joining the rails of the First Transcontinental Railroad across the United States.
The Jupiter and No. 119, in accurate scale models, are on the rails again at Meadowbrook Mall for the Pittsburg Model Train Club show.
“My engines have quite a history,” said Norma Feagins, Pittsburg, owner of the two models. She is one of two women in the 18-member club, and her husband, Bill Feagins, is club president.
The show opened Saturday and the model trains will also be on display from around 9 a.m. to about 4 p.m. today in the mall center court.
“We come to the mall three times a year, usually in March, June and October,” Feagins said. “We were at the Good Ole Days in Fort Scott last weekend.”
Several members displayed their individual layouts, and the club layout was running. Also at the show are an exhibit from Tri-State Model Railroad, Joplin, and a group from Little Rock, Ark.
“Each one of the cars and engines here are scale models of true railroad equipment,” said Dick Holt, Pittsburg club secretary.
They run on miniature tracks through layouts featuring model buildings, towns and country scenes. Some of them are quite elaborate.
“You can buy things ready-made, or get kits and put them together,” Holt said. “Sometimes people build their things from scratch.”
“People ask how long it takes to build a layout,” Feagins said. “There’s no way I can say how long it takes. You might build a mountain smooth, then decide you want a waterfall on it.”
Mrs. Feagins showed a model mountain topped with trees. “I’ve decorated this mountain four times,” she said.
Her layouts feature numerous trees and buildings, including a little church with tiny people in it. “I paid $5 for the people, and you can’t even see them with the roof on the church,” Mrs. Feagins said.
The other woman member of the club is Sari Pouch, Cherokee. Her father, the late Lawrence Wheeler, and her husband, the late John Pouch, started the club.
Wheeler operated a hobby supply shop on Pittsburg for many years.
“Right after Thanksgiving Daddy would put a train in the shop window, and leave it there through the holiday season,” Pouch said. “People could touch a spot on the window and make the train run. I loved to stand by the window and watch the people, especially the glee on the children’s faces. That’s how the club got started.”
Back on May 10, 1869, Union Pacific No. 119 and Central Pacific No. 60, better known as the Jupiter, met at Promontory Summit, Utah Territory, for the laying of the “Golden Spike” joining the rails of the First Transcontinental Railroad across the United States.
The Jupiter and No. 119, in accurate scale models, are on the rails again at Meadowbrook Mall for the Pittsburg Model Train Club show.
“My engines have quite a history,” said Norma Feagins, Pittsburg, owner of the two models. She is one of two women in the 18-member club, and her husband, Bill Feagins, is club president.
The show opened Saturday and the model trains will also be on display from around 9 a.m. to about 4 p.m. today in the mall center court.
“We come to the mall three times a year, usually in March, June and October,” Feagins said. “We were at the Good Ole Days in Fort Scott last weekend.”
Several members displayed their individual layouts, and the club layout was running. Also at the show are an exhibit from Tri-State Model Railroad, Joplin, and a group from Little Rock, Ark.
“Each one of the cars and engines here are scale models of true railroad equipment,” said Dick Holt, Pittsburg club secretary.
They run on miniature tracks through layouts featuring model buildings, towns and country scenes. Some of them are quite elaborate.
“You can buy things ready-made, or get kits and put them together,” Holt said. “Sometimes people build their things from scratch.”
“People ask how long it takes to build a layout,” Feagins said. “There’s no way I can say how long it takes. You might build a mountain smooth, then decide you want a waterfall on it.”
Mrs. Feagins showed a model mountain topped with trees. “I’ve decorated this mountain four times,” she said.
Her layouts feature numerous trees and buildings, including a little church with tiny people in it. “I paid $5 for the people, and you can’t even see them with the roof on the church,” Mrs. Feagins said.
The other woman member of the club is Sari Pouch, Cherokee. Her father, the late Lawrence Wheeler, and her husband, the late John Pouch, started the club.
Wheeler operated a hobby supply shop on Pittsburg for many years.
“Right after Thanksgiving Daddy would put a train in the shop window, and leave it there through the holiday season,” Pouch said. “People could touch a spot on the window and make the train run. I loved to stand by the window and watch the people, especially the glee on the children’s faces. That’s how the club got started.”
Her father and her husband are both deceased, but Pouch has stayed with the club.
“These people are like family to me,” she said. “The club still has Johnny’s module. It’s not out here this weekend, but they do sometimes display it.”
And Pouch still loves trains. “If I’m at a railroad crossing and a train is going buy, I’ll roll down my car window and wave at the engineer,” she said.
“We more mature individuals come and enjoy the trains because we all grew up with them,” Holt said. “Railroads are a part of the history of the United States that needs to be remembered.”
