NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Center of the Nation Model Railroad Expo is this weekend at the Pride of Kansas building on the Kansas State Fairgrounds. on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
"One of the layouts we have at the show this weekend is an S-gauge layout," said Javen Schmucker with the Kansas Central Model Railroaders. "A lot of people will remember that as an American Flyer. It's 3/16 scale to the inch. That layout is brought to us from Wichita with the Wichita Toy Train Club and Museum there. That's just one of the eleven layouts that will be at the show."
There will be layouts for everything from Tiny Z-scale all the way up to Lionel trains.
"My layout will be a Lionel layout with six lanes of traffic for children to run with their parent's assistance," said club member Lonnie Demoret.
The goal is to get new kids interested, so all children 12 and under are free to attend with an adult admission. Admission for over 12 is $7 a piece. There will be vendors from across the country there for train enthusiasts to buy from, too.
"You will have people there in the know, that have learned from experience," Schmucker said. "What you want to do is ask as many questions as you can, especially if you're getting one of your children involved in it. What would be best for them? Different scales are better because of how much room you have, how they are able to handle things, take care of things and it's a great learning tool."
The local club has a regular clubhouse at 16 East 3rd in Hutchinson and is open on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of the month from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and the third Thursday of the month from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. For more information, go to kansascentralmodelrailroaders.com.