Colfax Railroad Museum sponsoring model train show at Stout Field House

By LeAnn R. Ralph

COLFAX  —  The Colfax Railroad Museum will be sponsoring the 1st Annual Red Cedar Train Show at the UW-Stout Johnson Field House January 7 and 8.

The Red Cedar Train Show is actually a continuation of a model train show held in Menomonie for 15 years called “The Happy Grandparents Model Train Show” that took place at the Menomonie Middle School up until 2015.

The Red Cedar Train Show also is being sponsored by Southern Valley Railway, which is a model rail club that will have one of the displays at the show, said Herb Sakalaucks, owner and curator of the Colfax Railroad Museum.

The woman who previously was organizing the Happy Grandparents Model Train Show retired from the Menomonie school district, and it was no longer feasible for her to coordinate the train show, he said.

“The show did not take place last year. A lot of people were disappointed because it was one of the better shows in the area. The museum was contacted by some folks who needed a sponsor. If a non-profit organization was sponsoring it, they would get better discounts. It will now be held at the Stout Field House,” Sakalaucks said. 

“There will be more room (at the field house). Instead of being spread out in hallways and gyms and cafeterias, it will all be in one place. We will have almost a half an acre of ground,” he said.

“You will see a lot of layouts by groups that bring in and display operating layouts. I know there are 15 that have signed up already. And as we get closer to the date and people know what to expect for travel conditions, we will get more. Plus there will be somewhere around 50 vendors,” Sakalaucks said.

Santa Claus

The vendors at the model train show could be carrying just what someone is looking for in the way of model trains.

“This is right after Christmas, so if someone didn’t get from Santa what they had on their wish list, they can probably find it at the show. Or if they want some extra add-ons to go with trains they might have gotten for Christmas, tracks, or accessories or buildings, they will have that available, and a chance to get some ideas on how to build layouts, and a lot of fun watching,” Sakalaucks said.

The model train show will provide some hands-on experiences for children, too.

“Some of the displays let kids operate the larger scale. You will go from N-gauge, which is the really small ones, all the way up to G-scale, and there may even be some ride-on stuff there,” Sakalaucks said.

“It will be a nice outing, too, for people to get out and see something different. It’s right after the holiday season, so families can get out and do something that’s reasonable in cost,” he said.

Admission to the Red Cedar Train Show is $5 per person, with children ten and under free, and the parking is free.

“This will be bringing business into the area. Folks with layouts will be coming in Friday to get set up. They will be staying at hotel rooms in the area. It’s the reason the Menomonie Tourism  Commission was willing to help out,” Sakalaucks said.

The Colfax Railroad Museum received a $250 grant from Thrivent Financial and a $1,000 grant from the Menomonie Tourism Commission to help pay expenses associated with sponsoring the model train show.

“This is an event in the off season. And if this is successful, it will be an annual event. We are hoping that it is well received and that it will be done year by year by year,” Sakalaucks said.

Attendance

The Happy Grandparents Model Train Show typically had between 1,000 and 1,500 people attend every year, Sakalaucks noted. 

“People were disappointed that (the Happy Grandparents show) died, not because it was not well-received because it was, but because of circumstances,” he said.

“If there are funds left over, and we will hold onto some money to do the show next year, but if there are funds left over, the Colfax Railroad Museum will be the recipient of the excess funds, which will help our operating budget,” Sakalaucks said. 

“And if folks have trains they want to get sold, this is a place where you can get a table and have a chance to get them sold,” he added.

The vendor fee is $20 per table.

“We have tried to keep it so folks will be there,” he said.

“There will be a half acre of (model) trains. At real sizes you would be at about 40 acres of trains, or more than that, even,” Sakalaucks said.

Donations and volunteers

Anybody who may be interested in donating items to the Colfax Railroad Museum can bring them to the show.

“We will be able to write tax receipts (for donations) at the show,” Sakalaucks said.

Volunteers also are needed at the Colfax Railroad Museum to help with working on the Main Street depot. 

Sakalaucks is moving books, periodicals and other items from their location at the Railroad Avenue museum to the Main Street depot and will eventually be setting them up for display or putting them into storage. 

For more information about the 1st Annual Red Cedar Train Show, call 715-962-2076 or e-mail ascotvt@yahoo.com.

More information also can be found on Facebook. Do a search for “Red Cedar Train Show.”

The 1st Annual Red Cedar Train Show will be open at the UW-Stout Johnson Field House from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, January 7, and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, January 8.