In the Dutchess County Spotlight
Train Show is the “laaaast stop” for City of Poughkeepsie Quadricentennial
The City of Poughkeepsie Quadricentennial greets its last whistle-stop event, the Hudson Valley Railroad Society’s 38th Annual Railroad Exposition at the Mid-Hudson Civic Center. The Poughkeepsie show, on Sunday, November 8, 2009 from 10am to 3pm, is will be a hit with kids of all ages.
“It's so fitting we finish this 400-year celebration with an event combining history and fun. We've had thousands of visitors join us as we celebrate the new Walkway Over the Hudson, and this is just the ticket for those who love all kinds of trains, from big to little,” said Nancy Cozean, City of Poughkeepsie Quadricentennial chair.
More than 50 model exhibits greet visitors as they enter the Civic Center's Mair Hall, as well as an enormous model train scene on center stage. Show coordinator Denny Evaul assures us there are plenty of vendors with train-related items, as well as artifacts, highly collectible documents, photos and ephemera.
“The 'white elephant' area is always a big draw,” notes Evaul. “People come to browse and see what pieces they may want to add to their collection, or parts they need, you just never know what you’ll find; it’s kind of a treasure chest for train lovers.”
From toy trains, to scale-model trains for display, train collections continue to be one of the more popular hobbies, especially during the holidays. For those who want contemporary toys and scale model trains, there's plenty from which to choose, along with historic models. Also on sale are books, CDs and DVDs, sure to be on holiday wish lists.
The City of Poughkeepsie has a display of train memorabilia of its own in the lobby. See train stocks and bonds, including some from the Poughkeepsie-Eastern Train Company, plus Poughkeepsie-Highland Train Bridge photos. They also have displays of the cargo, correspondence and other goods that used to ride the rails out of the Poughkeepsie Train Depot.
“Poughkeepsie's had a long history with railroads, and some of the items we'll display go back to the early 1800s,” said city historian George Lukacs.
Admission is $5, students & seniors are $4, and children under 12, $2. The Civic Center is convenient to Amtrak/Metro-North trains and bus services. The Expo is sponsored by the Hudson Valley Railroad Society. All proceeds benefit the Hyde Park Railroad Station National Historic Site. Call 845/97-0901 or visit www.hydeparkstation.com
