Sayre Historical Society will host its annual Model Train Day

On Saturday, Nov. 30, the Sayre Historical Society will host its annual Model Train Day event. A tradition within the society since the museum opened, offering a great family event that attracts people seeking an interesting way to spend the Saturday after Thanksgiving in an atmosphere where stories from days gone by are shared. Grandparents often bring their visiting family members to the museum to recount their experiences growing up in the Valley.

A new exhibitor this year will be Ben Hogben who will lend the society his Lionel Lackawanna passenger set, which includes the steam locomotive and Ithaca, Utica and Binghamton passenger cars. 

The Sayre Historical Society boasts two operating Ho scale model train layouts: one with a background setting of Sayre and a larger layout that features several trains. Both layouts captivate children and adult viewers alike.

Vendors will be in attendance at the event, providing railroad memorabilia, including a variety of history booklets created by the Sayre Historical Society that detail the history of the railroad and Sayre.

Aaron Dickson, a director of the society, will present ‘Perils of a Road Foreman,’ the story of Jim Lathrop and his years at the Lehigh Valley Railroad at 1 p.m. This story, which was recently published in Trains Magazine, was shared by Jim with the writer before his passing. This story gives a genuine insight into the railroad employees, tracing Jim’s story starts with him as a young railroader through his illustrious career. Aaron puts himself into this role and is the perfect person to portray Jim.

Admission to Model Train Day is free. The society will conduct a drawing for the Murtland family quilt and a framed copy of ‘The Black Diamond at Broken Oar’ by William Rau who served as the official photographer for the Lehigh Valley Railroad from 1890 to 1895 at this event.

The Sayre Historical Society Museum is located at 103 South Lehigh Ave, in Downtown Sayre.