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Railroad Fans Get On Board

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By GEORGE WILKENS, The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 20, 2008

PLANT CITY - The H.B. Plant Railroad Historical Society's model train show, an annual event that draws hundreds, is scheduled for March 15 at the Plant City campus of Hillsborough Community College.

In addition to more than 120 vendors offering model railroad items, club members will be operating model railroad layouts in HO, N and O-27 (Lionel) scales.

"It's a fair-sized show," drawing model train enthusiasts from as far as Orlando, Fort Myers and Citrus County, said the club's show chairman, Gilbert Thomas Jr. of Lakeland. "We had about 700 people last year."

Participants in the 18th annual show include members of the Florida Chapter Morse Code Operators who will demonstrate their skills and relate the history of the telegraph and Morse code.

The Greater Florida Lego Train Club will operate Lego trains and provide a children's area featuring the popular plastic building blocks.

Railroad illustrator Robert West is scheduled to attend the event and sell signed prints of "Plant City Memories." His newly released artwork depicts downtown Plant City during the mid-1950s with an Atlantic Coastline Railroad diesel locomotive, the historic State Theatre and period hot rods.

Also, railroad safety presentations will be given throughout the event.

Thomas said the historical railroad depot in downtown Plant City, west of the train show, is open on the day of the event, and admission is free.

The train show will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the John Trinkle building, 1206 N. Park Road, Plant City. Admission is $6 for adults and free for ages 17 and younger accompanied by a paying adult.
Food and beverages will be available at nominal cost, Thomas said.

For information about the club or the event, visit www.hbplantrr.org or e-mail Thomas_12399@msn.com or call (863) 412-3090.

Reporter George Wilkens can be reached at (813) 865-4433 or gwilkens@tampatrib.com.

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