SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Train enthusiasts rolled into Scranton this week for a convention that celebrates history, craftsmanship, and a little bit of nostalgia.
The Lionel Collectors Club of America wrapped up its 55th Annual Convention on Saturday, hosted this year in the Electric City.
Members brought rare toy trains, vintage artwork, and even one-of-a-kind pieces made just for the club.
Some say the show is about more than just spotlighting, swapping, and talking trains; it's about preserving a piece of history.
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Meanwhile, others say the magic of these trains reaches beyond the hobby and connects with childhood memories for many.
"Well, without them, history will go away; we really need to look more to the future of restoring stuff," Norman Barrett with the Ironhorse of Steamtown said.
"The thing about Lionel trains is even if you're not a collector today, everybody has a memory of Lionel trains, under the Christmas tree, it's just part of the way Christmas always years and years ago, still a lot of people have their Christmases that way," Artist Angela Trotta Thomas told 28/22 News.
The public was invited to visit the trains at the Radisson Lackawanna Station Hotel and Hilton Scranton and Conference Center on Saturday for the final day of the convention, free of charge.
