The Press-Dispatch
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/232947
D-2 Christmas Greetings Wednesday, December 25, 2013 The Press-Dispatch A hobby worth sharing The Richardson family: Lori, Chandler and Donnie are big into trains. Saturday they had a train show to show off their train hobby and meet other train people. In front of them is the most recent creation, an O gauge layout. From a single train engine, Richardson's passion grew into an entire show By Andy Heuring Twelve years ago, Donnie Richardson bought a single inexpensive O gauge train engine. "I bought it as decoration for my son's bedroom," said all the way around his room. But it didn't stop there. He next decided he wanted to get one of every caboose Marx made. " I thought it would be easy. It won't be hard to get all went, what he repaired and how much money he made each day." Learning about her grandfather and appreciating his work helped fuel her interest in trains. She now has an N gauge rail set under construction. Chandler shares the Richardson interest in trains, except with a slightly different twist. He had a Lego train. It includes a five building downtown strip. He said each building took between two and four days to build. The latest addition to the Richardson collection is a set up for their O gauge trains, which are what Donnie first started collecting. "We just put it together about two weeks ago. I was dying to get a set up to run my O gauge trains on. About two weeks ago, we decided if we are going to have train show, we need a set to show them," said Richardson. So they worked night and day getting up and going in time for the show on Saturday from noon to 6 p.m. Despite torrential rains most of the day, there was a steady stream nie and Clarabell. It also includes a Roger train, a Henry, Gordon and Harold the Helicopter." "I did the Thomas set because Chandler was small. He also had a wood Thomas Train set." Donnie laid out the routing of the rails on the HO scale set. But Lori, an artist, got inParker Mikels shines a big smile as a train volved with the goes by. Parker and his father A. J. visited landscaping. "I the train show Saturday at Richardson's Pike love working on Collision. the landscapof people going into his ed trains," said Richarding and trying Pike Collision building son. So many so, they are to make it look to see the four different planning on having anothas close to real as possible." gauge train sets. er show next year that is She gets "When I was getting bigger and better. "We her interest in out all my trains for the had several people tell us show and saw just how they would like to bring Donnie holds the train engine that started it all. He trains from her first bought this little red Marx train engine, which grandfather Nemany I have, I told Lo- their sets to display," said spawned all the engines seen behind him. al Hockenberri I think I have a prob- Richardson. So they are lem. This is an addiction. hoping to have more of ry. He worked Richardson. A few hun- the cabooses." for the Pennsylvania RailAt least it is something their own and several othdred train cars, caboosStanding next to a 10 road. When he died, Lori good," said Richardson. ers to display with them es and engines later, Rich- foot long rack of sever- found a large cache of re"Trains are kind of next year. a closet hobby. There ardson, his wife and son, al shelves high all filled cords he kept while work"I would love for it to be were so many people so big we have to get the each with their own set, with cabooses, Richard- ing on the train. "He kept had a train show. who came in I knew, but old Petersburg gym," said son says, "I didn't real- a daily log of what he "After I bought the first ize how many caboos- did each day, where he I didn't know they collect- Richardson. one, I did a little research es they made. Several about it and started get- of them look a like but ting interested in it." there small differences." What he found was the He pointed out several extrain engine he bought amples, such as the same was a Marx. In the 1940s caboose with slightly difand 50s they were the big- ferent shades of red paint; gest maker of toys in the or two orange cabooses world, as big as Mattel that are identical, except and Hasbro. the wheel sets, one had "I liked them because black wheels, the other they are simple and inex- orange. pensive to buy," said Rich"I'm probably about ardson. two-thirds of the way He decided to add more there." trains for decoration by His first set up was a Richardson's first big layout was an HO gauge Thomas Train theme. Donnie did the routputting a shelf around the Thomas train set on a 4x8 ing of the tracks, while his wife Lori meticulously crafted the landscaping. It includes Thomtop of his son Chandler's board. It isn't just any set as, Edward, Henry, Harold the Helicopter, Spencer and more of the beloved train characters. room and stringing trains with Thomas pulling An- Your Friendship... Makes It All Worthwhile! Here's hoping your holiday season is programmed with loads of harmony and joy and a minimum of glitches. It's been a privilege serving you this year, and for your business we are truly thankful. 109 SOUTH 6TH STREET PETERSBURG 812-354-9633 Expressly For You Bertram Feed & Supply 789-2728 Dealer for Nutrena Feeds and Victor Dog Food Distributors of Pride Dog Food Hours: Monday, Wednesday and Friday 10am - 6pm; Saturday 10am - 2pm bertramfeed_supply@frontier.com Ralph & Jeanette Bertram ~ Owners Mac's Heating & Air Conditioning