Jim Chaney of Danville holds up a vintage Lionel train engine during the Chapmanville Model Train Show at the Chapmanville Community Center on Sunday. Chaney is a member of the Coal River Model Railroad Club of Danville and Madison. The train show was attended by several railroad enthusiasts from all across West Virginia. (Photo | Michael Browning)
The two-day event was held at the Chapmanville Community Center in the old high school and numerous people attended the free show.
Most people who attended are model railroad enthusiasts looking to add pieces to their collections, while some were old railroad employees or people just interested in trains.
The show was a joint effort by the Island Creek Model Railroad Club from Logan County and the Coal River Model Railroad Club from Danville and Madison in Boone County.
Jim Chaney of the Coal River club, had several tables of engines, cars and parts needed to make a train layout.
"This is just a good hobby," Chaney, whose grandfather, dad and uncles were all railroad employees, said. "There's a lot of people around who would like to do this. I've liked trains since I was 3. My grandfather was a section foreman at Madison and my father was a carpenter on the bridge force. I didn't work for the railroad because I didn't like the hours."
Chaney said he loves the Lionel Corporation model trains and pays large sums of money to buy collections. He said he will buy collections and get the pieces he needs for his collection, then he sells the rest to fund more pieces of his model railroad.
"The difference between a man and a boy is the price and size of his toys," Chaney said. "I'm still just a kid. There's no fun in growing up."
Keith Vannatter and his wife, Marquitta, are in charge of the Island Creek Model Railroad Club and they had a large setup at the show. Keith Vannatter said he wants to keep model train enthusiasm high in the coalfields.
The Island Creek Model Railroad Club has a room at the Chapmanville Community Center where Vannatter's trains are set up for people to see. He said he would like to find a bigger building in which to expand the exhibit, which was formerly on display at the Chief Logan Museum In the Park.
Vannatter said he believes he could have a whole new group of model train enthusiasts if he had a bigger place where everyone could come and meet.
"I'm trying to keep the heritage of the railroad alive," Vannatter said. "The kids all love this when they come and see the trains. We've got clubs in George and North Carolina who have run their trains on our layout. I've got all kinds of railroad memorabilia, including railroad lanterns and documents from the C&O Railroad from the 1800s. We want to get more kids involved."
Vannatter said he has clubs in Charleston, Huntington and Williamson wanting Island Creek and Coal River to come to those areas to do shows.
Darrell Thurmond, the president of the Coal River Model Railroad Club, said he got interested in trains because he is disabled and wanted a hobby.
"It gives me something to do," Thurmond, a Bob White resident, said. "I build planes, trains and boats.
Josh Nord, a member of the Island Creek RR Club, brought his trains and set up at the show with his parents, Bob and Janet Nord, all of Oceana.
Josh Nord was selling several pieces including rail cars and engines, one of which was a replica 607 J Class engine that was used to pull N&S excursions back in the 1980s. Josh Nord, who has been involved with the hobby since he was a young boy, said the show is a way to keep train collecting alive in the local area.
"We hope to make this show an annual event," he said. "We are trying to promote the hobby in the area."
Richard Grose, a collector out of Elk View who does shows from Florida to Ohio, brought several pieces from his collection down to Chapmanville to sell and find other pieces he needs. He said he's paid thousands of dollars for pieces in his collection -- including an 80-inch-long engine that he can ride.
"Train collecting popularity comes and goes," Grose said. "It's been down a bit in the last 10 years. But, when I got into it, prices were unbelievable. For the right piece, the price doesn't mean a thing to a real collector."
The two model train clubs have already set tentative dates for another show in Chapmanville in 2012. The dates are tentatively set for Saturday and Sunday, September 22-23 at the Chapmanville Community Center located at 200 Tiger Circle (Vance Street), Crawley Creek Road, Chapmanville.
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For more information on the clubs and upcoming shows, contact Jim Chaney by calling him at 304-369-5081 or 304-784-0205 or email him at jrchaney@frontier.com; or contact Josh Nord at 304-682-4072 or 304-784-5513 or email him at joshnordes_03@yahoo.com. Interested parties can also call Coal River Club President Darrell Thurmond at 304-369-5081.
The Coal River Model Railroad Club currently meets at the Gino's/Tudors Biscuit World in Danville every Tuesday and Thursday at 6 p.m.
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To reach Staff Writer Michael Browning with news tips, questions or comments, please call him at 304-752-6950, extension 309, or e-mail him at mbrowning@loganbanner.com.
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