Boats, planes, more in store at Mini Model show

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WEST CHESTER TWP. — Steam-powered miniature boats and a hand-cranked Gatling Gun from the Civil War era are just a few of the items that will be on display for the Mini Model Engineering show this weekend at EnterTRAINment Junction.

Train and model enthusiasts are invited to the free 6 p.m. Aug. 28-29 event featuring hand-built mini models of real mechanically engineered equipment from the past. Items will be on display in the indoor Main Street area, and regular exhibits will be open at regular cost.

Expected exhibitors are scheduled to show an entire range of miniatures with mechanically engineered motors and parts, including equipment and models such as an 1800s river steamboat, tractors and other farm equipment, a coal-fired steam locomotive, cars and trucks, pumps, belt machinery, an aircraft engine and assorted other mechanical devices in perfectly scaled miniature sizes. Also included will be 1/6th scales figures, equipment and scenes of World War II, celebrities, historical figures and events.

“The owner’s original vision was he wanted this place not only to educate and entertain, but also to promote the hobby of railroads and miniatures,” general manager Bill Balfour said. “Any time we can help another organization out —give them some space —we say sure,” he said.

Last year was the first time hosting the event, which he said had a large variety of items ranging from tiny to the size of a small child.

“It’s not just restricted to trains,” he said. “There were guys who made actual working little cars.”

Larry Koehl, president of the Greater Cincinnati Garden Railway Society, said at least two-dozen people will present their models.

“The idea is to exhibit products of what people do for hobbies in the way of model building of all kinds,” he said. “We’re going to have model boats, and trains and airplanes and machinery. A man will have a 1/4 size drag racer he built and races. People have modeled just about anything and everything, and it’s very fascinating to see some of this stuff and see what people do. One of our purposes is to bring this stuff out, and bring it into view particularly for young people ... to see if we can get the young people working with their hands again and doing this sort of thing.”