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Train club passes tradition

Charles Heistand, 17, standing next to one of Bob Guckian's control panels with some of the roundhouse and service facilities in the background. Contributed photo

Handout Charles Heistand, 17, standing next to one of Bob Guckian's control panels with some of the roundhouse and service facilities in the background. Contributed photo

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By Shirley Belcher, Contributing Writer 2:32 PM Wednesday, December 9, 2009

EATON — The Miami Valley S Gaugers have been showing others how much they enjoy their hobby since the 1980s.

In the summer of 1987, the club put together a 12-by-16 foot layout they exhibited at Hara Arena in Trotwood.

“Now our layout is 20 feet wide and 32 feet long,” said member Bob Guckian.

This layout is displayed throughout the year at various Southwest Ohio train shows.

Founding member Tom Hartrum said, “We used to keep the modules in our homes, and everyone would bring them in his car, but now we have a trailer where the modules are kept when not at a show.”

Hartrum said there are many sizes of model railroads. “Perhaps “HO” is the most popular. Our focus is on “S” gauge trains. There are models today available from many manufacturers, but when we were all kids there was one manufacturer, A.C. Gilbert’s American Flyer trains. Most of us grew up with an AF train set, and are reliving our childhood. Some of the members just collect the old AF trains.”

Some members have extensive railroad layouts in their basement and like to run their trains in a realistic fashion.

Charles Heistand, 17, junior at Valley View High School in Germantown, son of Mark Heistand and Karen Carmickle, is one of the newest members. He has been interested in trains and model railroading since preschool. Then mutual friends of his parents gave him an electric train in 1999 and revived his interest.

His interest waned for a while until last year when he built his 8-by-12 foot train display above his parents’ garage.

“One day when I was planning my 8-by-12 layout; I wanted S Gauge accessories and Bob (Guckian, his mentor) told me they wouldn’t look good with HO, which was my original plan,” Heistand said. “So I just made all my plans in S Gauge. So after that, I just joined the train club.”

His collection includes trains in O gauge, HO scale and S gauge. Because of the amount of detail involved, as well as the expense, he does not anticipate completing this larger display for years.

Inspired by the club, Heistand completed a 4-by-6 foot train display exhibited at the Historical Society of Germantown museum, along with other trains of various scales through early December. He built his display as a 4-H project for the 2009 Montgomery County Fair.

The display depicts a 1970s-era working farm and includes an S gauge train, barns, crops, handmade trees and static grass. The backdrop was painted by an Eaton artist.

Other club members include; A.J. Back, of Germantown; Larry Beam, of Dayton; Robert F. Bernard, of Beavercreek; Norman Brown, of Troy; John Clifford, of Englewood; Jack Dieckman, of New Richmond; Tony Garza, of Sidney; Joe Green, of Huber Heights; Jon A. Goins, of Sharonville; Richard Hagler, of Lakeview; Tom Hartrum, of Huber Heights; Charles Henry, of Springfield; Mike Lewis, of Eaton; Jan Mason, of Eaton; Wendell McChord, of Centerville; Mike Mitter, of Fairfield; David Naas, of Huber Heights; Tim Quinlan, of Bellbrook; John (Jay) Reese, of Fairfield; Paul Rinehart, of Dayton; David Schmehl, of St. Marys; Rick Smith, of Casstown; Dennis and Margo White, of Xenia; Kirk Williams, of Dayton; and Dan Yett, of Dayton.

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