Father and son Kevin and Roy Highman, of Graysville, have been coming to model train shows since Kevin was 5 years old, when he dressed up like a conductor and was featured in The Parkersburg News and Sentinel. (Photo by Maria Rutherford)

PARKERSBURG — The Mid-Ohio Valley Model Railroad Club held its 27th annual Fall Train Show, on Saturday in the Student Activities Center on the main campus of West Virginia University at Parkersburg.

Event-goers tracked along the many displays, which told stories of the railroads’ significance throughout the history of the local area.

The club welcomes vendors and enthusiasts to set up their collections at the event.

“This gives our club the opportunity to gather all of us together, to appreciate one another’s collections, but also to enable the trade or sale of items at ‘face’ value,” longtime club member and show Chairman Tom Ratkovich said.

“The area in which we live, would not be here, if not for the railroad’s influence,” he said. “Everyone here at this event is highly knowledgeable about the history of our railroads and can tell you anything you want to know about every model in each of their collections.”

Former Parkersburg resident Mark Suek and his wife Dreama have been a huge part of the Mid-Ohio Valley Railroad Club’s model train shows. (Photo by Maria Rutherford)

“It just makes you feel like a kid again,” Ratkovich said.

Model train collecting has always been a popular hobby in the United States and any age group can participate.

Jaybird McGee, of Belpre, is a fellow member of the model railroad club and is anticipating his very own upcoming event Nov. 19-20 in Midlothian, Virginia.

“It’s called Jaybird’s Junction,” McGee said. “It will feature approximately 75 tables, with a full-scale operating layout, so it’s pretty exciting for those who appreciate the effort that goes into all of this. It’s extraordinary.”

The local club will host an open house during the first Saturday in December at the same location. For more information about upcoming events or to contact members regarding model trains, people can visit the club’s Facebook page or website, www.movmrc.org.

The tables were covered from end to end at the 27th annual Model Train Show Saturday at the Student Activities Center at WVU-Parkersburg. (Photo by Maria Rutherford)

Maria Rutherford can be reached via mrutherford@newsandsentinel.com.