BEATRICE - A model railroad club in southeast Nebraska held a two-day train show over the weekend. The Beatrice Area Railroad Enthusiasts featured 110 tables of displays with 15 to 20 exhibitors participating.


Saturday’s attendance at the Beatrice City Auditorium was larger than last year. Exhibitors used the auditorium gym floor, the stage and this year, had some overflow space in the former council chambers.


Club President Rich Rischling says the Beatrice Area Railroad Enthusiast, or BARE, has nearly 40 members from regional area.
"The best part is, it's your own world. You can do what you want with it. Some guys are fantastic at scenery, some guys are good at track work, some are good with locomotives. Luckily with our club, we have a combination of all of them. It's just amazing what you can do and how far you can go with it."


Some of the exhibitors were railroad employees and show participants come to Beatrice from several states. "We've got some members out of Kansas, some from Missouri...a lot of them out of LIncoln...and Iowa. So, we get them from quite a few places out of town."


BARE does another show in Lincoln for the historical society….which is held in February. Admission to the Beatrice show was only five-dollars.


"Parents bring their kids in, and as soon as they see the trains, they go crazy. They can't wait to get in here to see them."


The Beatrice Area Railroad Enthusiasts are based on South Fifth Street in the downtown area. Rischling says people can visit and become members, if they wish. The group meets Wednesday evenings and Sunday afternoons.