Trains at the Fair

Jim Kluiter of Allison brings a little fun—and a little nostalgia—to the Butler County Fair with his model train layout.
     His love for trains dates back to when he was a kid and first got a train set. But work took precedence till he retired in 2009 and returned this fascinating hobby.
     Kluiter suggested to the fair board they ought to have a train layout like the Franklin and Clay County Fairgrounds do. It wasn’t long before they told him they had a space for his trains.  Randy Moad and Steve Fobian helped sponsor the endeavor, and cousins and friends helped with the layout.
     Kluiter runs a combination of Marx and Lionel trains, some dating back to 1945. The trains are r-gauge. Some have sound effects. There’s a coal loader, elevator that feeds popcorn into cars (reminiscent of Max Folkerts’ seed corn company) and a log loader.

Read more in July 8 Star and Tribune.