Bill Payne says the Nottawasaga Model Railway (NMR) Annual Auction offers collectors and hobby enthusiasts an opportunity expand their projects.

"This is an auction of model railway equipment and a fundraiser for us -- it's the only way we make money for the club," said Payne, past president of the local club.

"If people have stuff they want to get rid of they bring it, but most people come here to buy," said Payne. "The stuff someone else doesn't need anymore might be exactly what someone else wants."

The 18th annual event took place at the St. Patrick's Parish Hall in Stayner on Saturday drawing a full house of bidders from as far away as Brampton, Owen Sound, and Bracebridge. This year there was even a guest from Nova Scotia in the crowd.

The doors opened at 8:30 a.m. for consignment and viewing and the auction got underway at 11 a.m. with Gord Baverstock moving the items quickly and efficiently. The auctioneer, who hails from Owen Sound, is a model railway member of the Boomers of Southern Ontario.

On display Saturday were bundles of track, boxes of landscaping vegetation, little buildings and people, and of course, many different train cars of different size and colour, including engines and cabooses. There are three basic scales of model railways sought by collectors which include the popular 'HO,' which is a 1:87 scale; 'N,' which is scale of 1:160; and '0,' a scale of 1:48.

One table of train parts up for grabs garnered a lot of interest, with bidding wars starting at about $50 per piece.

"There is a whole set of Toronto, Hamilton & Buffalo (THB) Railway being sold here today which is quite a popular HO scale collector set. There are many bidders here today interested in those pieces," said Payne.

"Model trains are still a popular hobby and there are plenty of collectors still maintaining their sets. It is something we try to pass on through our families, but unfortunately young people today don't seem to be as interested," he said.

One enthusiast attending the auction on Saturd ay explained, "there are many ways to be involved with the hobby including having an interest in real trains like I do. I also work part time in a model train store."

The NMR, which has been around for about 30 years, meets every Monday night at the Wasaga Beach United Church at 7 p.m. and has 15 members. The club started in Collingwood, but now resides in Wasaga Beach. Most members live in the Southern Georgian Bay area, with one member from Warren, OH.

The focus of the Nottawasaga Model Railway club is on building and operating both a fixed and portable show-quality HO-scale model railway, and supporting the development of personal skills and experience in model railroading. Initially the club was dependent on the members using their own layouts for regular operating sessions. The club layout was stored in a trailer and was only ever operated at shows.

It wasn't until members moved into a permanent location that the layout could be constructed in a more permanent manner.

NMR members take great pleasure in taking their exhibition layout to various model railway shows within a 125-kilometre radius of Wasaga Beach and proudly maintain a tradition of letting the public, usually children, operate their railroad. This exhibit is always a big hit at the Great Northern Exhibition each year, as well as several annual community showcases and events.

Those interested in joining up or finding out more are welcome to attend.

For more information call Bill Payne at 705-429-2762 or visit the web site: www.nottawasagamodelrailway.com.