Thousands attend popular Train & Toy show in Monroeville

Michael DiVittorio
Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018 8:03 p.m. | Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018 8:03 p.m.

Greenberg’s Great Train & Toy Show pulled into the Monroeville Convention Center for a two-day stop Nov. 10 and 11. One of the layouts featured a patriotic theme honoring America’s veterans. Lillian DeDomenic | For The Tribune-Review

Harris Craig, 5, keeps a close eye on the two trains passing each other. Lillian DeDomenic | For The Tribune-Review

Roger Schneider, of Murrysville, talks about the many different coupling systems of the S-Scale models. Schneider is an active member of the Pittsburgh S-Gaugers. Lillian DeDomenic | For The Tribune-Review

Greenberg’s Great Train & Toy Show pulled into the Monroeville Convention Center for a two-day stop Nov. 10 and 11. The event has become a tradition over the years for families and train enthusiasts throughout the tri-state area. Roger Schneider, with the Pittsburgh S-Gaugers, shows young Liam Herrmann, 6, of Plum, how trains made stops at the station to pick up mail bags. Schneider is a resident of Murrysville. Lillian DeDomenic | For The Tribune-Review

Greenberg’s Great Train & Toy Show pulled into the Monroeville Convention Center for a two-day stop Nov. 10 and 11. The event has become a tradition over the years for families and train enthusiasts throughout the Tri-State Area. Jules Kirsch and her daughter Olivia, 10, watch as two Incline cars pass on the track. The layout was part of the Pittsburgh LEGO User Group exhibit. Lillian DeDomenic | For The Tribune-Review

Greenberg’s Great Train & Toy Show recently rolled through the Monroeville Convention Center.

It’s one of the largest and longest running model train and collectible toy shows in the country, and typically comes to Monroeville three weekends a year.

Onsite manager Joe Ellenbecker said the Nov. 10 and 11 stop featured eight operating train displays and more than 100 vendors. Between 3,000 to 4,000 people attended.

“Parents hand down their experience to their children,” Ellenbecker said of the visitors. “It’s always a great crowd.”

Jarod Craig of Pittsburgh’s Franklin Park area said he brings his sons — Harris, 5, and Elwyn, 7 — to the show every year.

“The boys like coming out here for the displays,” Craig said. “We put trains up for Christmas. Not quite this elaborate, but we do pretty good.”

The family adds to their own display with items from the show.

Harris said his favorite trains are diesel engines.

Steel City LUG, a Pittsburgh adult Lego user group, had several displays including a Lego model of the Duquesne Incline.

Some displays featured a North Pole Express or a Santa Express complete with a winter scene.

Pittsburgh S-Gaugers had an interactive train display with buttons children used to activate whistles, catch a mail bag, dump lumber and load coal.

Mike Taylor of Taylor’s Toys & Trains in Dayton, Ohio, has been a vendor of the show since the 1970s.

“It’s a nice family-friendly environment,” said Taylor.

Vendors also featured Army and Western figurines, Matchbox cars and other classic plastic pieces.

Some train sets come with painted aluminum cars while others include wooden cabooses.

Ellenbecker said a good starter set costs between $150 to $300, but some sellers offer brass engines that go for as much as $700 each.

“It depends on what you want to go with,” he said.

The train and toy show is expected to return to the convention center Jan. 5 and 6.

More information is available at trainshow.com/monroeville.

Michael DiVittorio is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Michael at 412-871-2367, mdivittorio@tribweb.com or via Twitter @MikeJdiVittorio.

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