Jason Lantz, of Williamstown, and son Zackary, 6, looked at model train merchandise Saturday at the Mid-Ohio Valley Model Railroad Club’s 23rd Show and Sale at West Virginia University at Parkersburg. (Photo by Wayne Towner)

PARKERSBURG — Model train and railroad enthusiasts gathered by the hundreds Saturday at West Virginia University at Parkersburg for the Mid-Ohio Valley Model Railroad Club’s 23rd Show and Sale.

The event featured more than 94 vendor tables featuring model railroad equipment in HO, O, N, S and G scales and various other train-related items.

Tom Ratkovich, show chairman for the MOVMRC, said the number of vendors sold out the available spaces and is the largest turnout for the event last year. The 2017 show was canceled as a result of the IEI Plant fire but this weekend’s show came back as strong as ever, he said.

During the show, dealers and hobby shop owners from four states had modern and vintage and new and used model railroad locomotives, cars, buildings, accessories, track and other items for sale as well as railroad lanterns, railroad-used equipment, antiques, books and memorabilia.

The MOVMRCC had several operating train layouts running in multiple scales on Saturday. Ratkovich said the number of layouts displayed by the club was lower than normal to accommodate all of the vendor tables.

The Mid-Ohio Valley Model Railroad Club held its 23rd Model Railroad Show and Sale at West Virginia University at Parkersburg. With a few finished displays on exhibition, the primary draw of the event was over 90 vendors from several states. (Photo by Wayne Towner)

Ratkovich said the club started the show just over two decades ago in the gym at the Boys and Girls Club of Parkersburg on Mary Street. The event has continued to grow and expand, moving to WVU-P several years ago as more space was needed.

Charles Willey, of Teays Valley, W.Va., has been participating in the MOVMRC show for about 20 years. He owns a pair of hobby shops in Teays Valley and Nitro and travels to about six shows a year, including the one in Parkersburg.

“The people, absolutely,” Willey said of what brings him back to the MOVMRC event. “Great people, good show, good environment, just good to deal with, good to be here.”

Willey said interest in model railroading is cyclical. Most of the people he sees are older, but they will often get their children or grandchildren involved in the hobby at some point, bringing in new people to keep it going. Many of the younger ones may lose interest as they get older and involved in other things, but a large portion will often return to the hobby later in life, he said.

“Right now it’s an aging hobby, but we’re ready to get back in the cycle bringing the young ones in,” he said.

Williamstown resident Jason Lantz was attending Saturday’s event for the first time with 6-year-old son Zackary. Lantz said his son has a strong interest in trains and he was looking at ideas for growing from the Thomas the Train type of toys to model electric sets.

Lantz said he has never been involved in train collecting, but his father was and he is now interested in getting involved in the hobby to some degree. He has an old electric train passed down to him by his father he hopes to get repaired and refurbished so he can pass it on to Zackary.

Ratkovich believes model railroading is a good hobby because it can always grown and expand in various ways based on the hobbyist’s interests.

“You can always add more train cars, more engines or make a bigger layout. It’s a good hobby for kids to get into,” he said.

Saturday’s Show and Sale is the largest event put on each year by the MOVMRC. The club’s final event of the year will be its annual Holiday Open House from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Dec. 1 and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Dec. 8 in the rear basement of NOE Office Equipment, located at 610 Green Street in downtown Parkersburg. More information is available at www.movmrc.org.