Club Conducting Train Show

Mike Adams started playing with trains when he was 4 years old.

The Brandon resident and retired airline employee never stopped.

Adams is a member of the H.B. Plant Railroad Historical Society, a group that meets a couple of times a week to talk about everything trains. Saturday, the society members present their 19th annual Train Show and Swap Meet at the Trinkle Center at the Plant City campus of Hillsborough Community College, 1206 Park Road.

Adams love for trains dates back to the 1930s, when he was growing up in Tucker, Ga.

"My parents would give me the toy train for Christmas and my birthday. It was the end of the Depression, and they would rewrap the same train each time," he recalled.

At Saturday's show, members of the club expect to entertain model train buffs from all over the state.

Gilbert Thomas Jr., the train show director, said there will be about 100 model railroad vendor tables set up at the event.

"There will be ample opportunities to buy or trade merchandise at the show," Gilbert said. "And there will be food available at a reasonable price in the dining car, as usual."

Vendors' tables will be filled with operating layouts in N and HO scale. Morse code and the history of the telegraph will be told and demonstrated by members of the Florida Morse Code Operators Club. Railroad safety will be presented by representatives of Operation Lifesaver program.

Some model railroad clubs and vendors will come to the Trinkle center as early as Friday to set up tracks and displays. Others will arrive early on Saturday to beat the 9 a.m. starting time.

Last year, which was the first time the show and swap meet was held at the Trinkle center, the event attracted about 550 enthusiasts from as far away as Miami and Jacksonville. This year, even with the economy having a negative effect on almost everything, Thomas is expecting a good turnout.

"For those who have to drive, gas prices are down from last year," Thomas said. "Model train enthusiasts enjoy this show and others like it. We are looking for a good crowd."

Club members will spend about five hours on Friday transporting their variety of gauged railroads from the club's home at the 1914 Plant City High School Community Center to the Trinkle center. Once the Saturday show is over they will dismantle the models and return them to the community center, where the club has them on display. Over the years the club members worked to make much of their exhibit modular so it could be transported more easily.

The H. B. Plant Railroad Historical Society, founded in 1980 and located in Plant City since about 1985, was named for Henry B. Plant, the developer and railroad magnate who brought the railroad to this part of the state in the late 1800s. The city was named in his honor.

The club has its elaborate model train system, with scaled mountains, lakes and towns, set up in several rooms on the third floor of the community center at 605 N. Collins St.

Adams, a retired Delta Airlines jet mechanic, said his lifelong love of trains led him to recently join the club.

"I wanted to build my own set," Adams said. "But model trains have changed a lot over the years. There is more to it than ever. The members in the H. B. Plant railroad club have been very helpful and friendly. I was glad to join the club. Now I'm looking forward to my first show and swap meet. "

The club has about 45 members. They meet at the community center from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays, with a break for lunch. Business meetings are the last Tuesday monthly.

"We are always looking for people who are interested in model railroading," Gilbert said. "We invite anyone who wants to visit our display, those who are hobbyists or just enjoy model railroads to call, come by and visit. Most of our meetings consist of working on the models and sets, or building new ones. Everybody gets to do what they do best."

Annual dues for the club are $60. Winter visitors can pay $5 per month to join.

Thomas can be contacted by e-mail at Thomas_12399@msn.comor by telephone at (863) 412-3090. For club photos and activities, go to www.hbplantrr.org.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: 19th annual Model Train Show and Swap Meet sponsored by H.B. Plant Railroad Historical Society

WHEN: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday

WHERE: Trinkle center at Hillsborough Community College's Plant City campus, 1206 N. Park Road

COST: Admission is $6 for adults; children 17 and younger are admitted free with a paying adult

INFORMATION: Call train show director Gilbert Thomas Jr. at (863) 412-3090 or e-mail him at Thomas _12399@msn.com

WEB SITE: www.hbplantrr.org