Local toy-train enthusiasts keep hobby chugging

Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2000 | 8:57 a.m.

A growing number of Las Vegans have a big interest in small trains these days -- especially the garden variety of bigger small trains that are designed to run outside in all kinds of weather (just like the real thing).

"In the last 10 years interest in 'G' scale model trains has surged," said Charles McManis, spokesman for the Las Vegas Garden Railway Society.

In model railroad jargon "G" stands for "garden," which is where many of the trains are set up. The smaller trains, such as those made by Lionel, are manufactured at a ratio of about 1:87 (one inch to every 87 inches of a real train) while "G" trains are 1:22.5 -- or four times larger.

McManis said the train club, whose local membership is made up of more than 60 families (112 individuals), was formed about 10 years ago and is growing at a rate of about 10 families per year.

"One of the main reasons the larger trains are becoming more popular is that you can pack more details and more realism into them than you can the little tiny ones," McManis, 68, said. "My father bought me my first Lionel in 1936 or '37. When I got hooked on 'G' scale, I sold my Lionel trains and never looked back."

While Lionel has been around for 100 years (it celebrated its birthday last month), "G" trains were first sold in 1968 by German manufacturer LGB ("Lehmann Gross Bahn" or "Lehmann's Big Train").

"Originally, we were locked into the one company, and it was very expensive," McManis said.

While LGB remains the top-of-the-line for "G" trains, McMannis said other manufacturers -- such as American companies Bachmann and Aristo-Craft -- have come along to reduce the prices.

Today a "G" car may cost between $20 and $300, depending on the manufacturer and style. The amount hobbiests may spend is almost limitless.

"You have to have some spare money to throw away to get into this," said McManis, who retired from the Air Force 25 years ago while stationed at Nellis. "It nickle-and-dimes you to death. You buy a car here, a car there. And when you have the cars you've got to put people in them, at five bucks a pop. You put 50 people in the cars and that's 250 bucks.

"One member of the club decided he could make the people and save money and he does, but they're not as durable as the ones made by the manufacturer."

Since the larger trains are made primarily for outdoor use, their popularity, naturally, is greatest in the sunbelt states.

"However, every year some guy (in the north) will win a photo contest who has made a snow plow for his outdoor train set and he runs it to clear the track," McManis said.

McManis says his interest in model trains is casual. Others are fanatics. Most fall somewhere in between, such as Ardel Henrichsen, former president of the train club.

Henrichsen, who moved to Southern Nevada in 1992, lives on an acre of land on the south side of Las Vegas. One corner of his property is devoted to an elaborate train setup he has spent years creating. The 80-by-30 foot desert scene contains 1,800 feet of track.

"It just keeps growing," he said.

Henrichsen has spent thousands of dollars on his pastime.

"The price of a locomotive can range from about $100 up to $4,000 or $5,000," he said.

The 66-year-old man can hardly remember a time when he wasn't fascinated with trains.

"When I was a kid, 6 or 7, I got a Lionel set for Christmas," he said. "The old steam engines impressed me, the noise and mechanics. It fascinated me and I never outgrew it."

He became interested in the "G" scale trains in 1993, after attending a Great American Train Show at Cashman Field.

"I saw the natural setup. And the scale -- there is more detail in larger trains and they run better. They stay on the track better," he said.

When he isn't working with his trains Henrichsen does a lot of volunteer work, much of it train-related.

"I work with Operation Life Safer, which was started by Union Pacific Railroad," he said. "It's all about teaching safety at railroad crossings and on railroad property. We give safety talks to various groups who are interested, such as schools."

Henrichsen also does volunteer work for Opportunity Village, which has a train set considerably larger than the "G" scale. It carries passengers around the property, a popular activity during the Christmas holidays.

"But it's kind of a year-round thing," he said. "We do all the maintenance on the train. And people can charter it for birthday parties. We also operate it around Halloween and Thanksgiving."

The Las Vegas Garden Railway Society meets once a month for a brief business session followed by hours of operating their trains. The meeting, called a "run," is held at the homes of different members who have outdoor tracks.

The meetings are more social than business, with people bringing their trains and covered-dish dinners.

Terry Handy, who also started out as a Lionel fan, was one of the founding members of the train club.

He likes the realism.

"You can do more modeling with bridges, trestles and things," Handy said.

Handy said he spends more time with his trains in the fall and winter months. "In the summer it's too hot to be outdoor."

John French has remained faithful to the smaller scale trains, those that are a ratio of about a quarter-inch to the foot.

He is a director of the Silver State Division of the Toy Train Operating Society, which is primarily for those interested in the small trains (but they do have a few who collect "G" scale). The local club, formed in the mid-1980s, has 78 members.

"We hold five meets a year where people buy and sell (trains and related items)," French said.

French's special interest is in model trains produced before World War II.

"They're all made out of metal," he said. "After the war they started making them out of plastic."

He likes the metal trains because they are more durable and are better for restoration purposes.

"Since they are metal, you can strip them down," he said.

French attributes the growing interest in model trains to advancements in technology.

"It's getting more computer oriented," he said.

Rock star Neil Young, an avid model train collector, helped spark the interest in new technology.

In 1992 he bought an interest in Lionel and then developed digital stereo sounds creating realistic train noises and even announcements by conductors. Young, who declines to speak publicly about his hobby, also helped create all-purpose remote controls for electric-powered trains.

With an emphasis on improving realism in both sight and sound, Lionel reported a 20 percent increase this year in its train sales.

"I think interest in trains is growing here because Las Vegas was a railroad hub and we still have trains running through town," French said.

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