Coming round again, like the trains they run, is the North Olympic Peninsula Railroaders 10th Train Show and Swap Meet.

Club members feel humbled to be around for a decade.

"It’s rewarding to do a hobby for so long," said member Pat Furey.

Furey has been collecting G and HO scale model trains for 35 years, with the latter being the most popular in the club.

"The availability is just enormous. You can order anything," he said.

"It’s 100 times more available now than ever before."

Club members agreed they’ve never had such flexibility to choose any imaginable item for their railroading worlds.

"It’s a good time to be in railroading," Furey said.

High on high iron

Even though there’s no longer an active railroad on the peninsula, the club stays consistent with 20-25 members.

"A lot of people have a love for railroading even though they aren’t from here originally," said club president Lauren Scrafford.

"Many don’t know about the old railroad that used to run through here, so that stimulates interest in the local history."

Members try to pique interest in new and younger members with wooden trains and bigger and more diverse displays.

Furey said they want to keep the hobby alive through children’s early interest.

"The experience now gets you into electronics and building and so much more," he said.

"In the last 10 years, the electronic aspect has exploded."

For more outreach, the railroaders hosted their first exhibition at the Clallam County Fair.

"It’s neat to see people come up of all ages at the swap meet and the fair," said member Steve Stripp, a train collector since he was 2.

Their display was so well-received, they were invited back for next year.

10th train show

This is the fifth year for the railroaders to hold their annual show at the Sequim Prairie Grange. It started in 1999 at Greywolf Elementary School.

"The event has grown each year," Scrafford said.

Train layouts of different scales, from G, the largest, to HO, the most popular and Z, the smallest, will be displayed.

The HO modular display is the whole club’s effort, which they’ve worked on for the past eight years.

Larger clubs usually are strictly one scale, but peninsula railroaders focus on flexibility.

"We have a smaller club, so it doesn’t really matter what scale you work on," Lauren said.

"We just want to get together, visit and enjoy the hobby."

Hands-on display

Normally trains are hands-off, but the club puts together a wooden train display for children and adults to use.

About 20-25 vendors will be selling trains, displays, tracks and accessories.

Railroaders have put together complete train set giveaways and gift certificates too.

"If someone wants to come in and browse, it’s free, so it’s worth a look," Scrafford said.

Taking pictures is welcomed.

For more information on the train show or North Olympic Peninsula Railroaders, contact Lauren Scrafford at 379-3280 or e78milrd@q.com.

Reach Matthew Nash at mnash@sequimgazette.com.

What: North Olympic Peninsula Railroaders

10th annual Train Show

and Swap Meet

When: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17; 10 a.m.-

3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18

Where: Sequim Prairie Grange, 290 Macleay Road, Sequim

How much: Free admission and parking; door prizes

both days