By MADDY VITALE
At the tender age of 8, Zacherey Moriera, of Downingtown, Pa., already owns two train sets.
He had his sights on two others at a train show Saturday at the Ocean City Music Pier that featured an elaborate miniature train town, which took up nearly the entire stage, and an interactive train that was a favorite among the kids.
“It’s my birthday!” exclaimed Zacherey.
Although he would love a new train set to go with his Polar Express and Peanuts trains, his mom, Lindsay Moriera, just chuckled.
Then his 5-year-old twin sisters, Megan and Gracelyn, chimed in.
They each said they liked trains and Megan went so far as to say she wanted a train – rounding up the sets to three in the home.
“We have to look around,” said Zacherey after watching, along with his sisters, the train chug around the Christmas village.
The annual event by the South Jersey Garden Railroad Society boasts all sorts of trains and plenty of vendors for the train lovers to chat with. Train hobbyists could also purchase trains, parts and display pieces.
Al Schmidt, a member of the Railroad Society, said a lot of work went into creating the train town. “It took us about four hours. There were eight of us,” he said.
By 4 p.m. Friday they were done setting up the eye-catcher that attracted show patrons to line the stage and get a closeup view of the workmanship.
But the interactive display really seemed to amaze the children.
Michelle Hayes, of Absecon, sat with her toddler, Noah, as he pushed the button and watched the interactive train glide around a small track.
“Wow!” Noah said excitedly.
South Jersey Garden Railroad Society member Bob Moffit said watching the kids amuse themselves with the interactive train is worth all of the hard work it takes to set it up. It takes nearly double the time of the train town, he noted.
Rob and Jenna Velazquez, of Ocean City, brought their three children, Bradley, 5, Claire, 2, and 1-year-old Audrey.
“I’m looking at the Lionel train sets,” Rob said.
“We come every year. It really brings the community together and it is something we really enjoy to do as a family,” Jenna said.
The kids’ “pop-pop,” Jenna’s father, owns train sets and comes down from Carlisle, Pa., to enjoy the show with the family.
For Bradley, there was one really good reason to be at the show: “There are so many trains,” he said as he marveled at the displays.
His next stop, with his little sisters and parents, of course, was to the interactive train set to try his hand at being an “engineer.”
While children seemed to love the show, the spirit of child-like joy from seeing the trains whiz by on the make-believe tracks is nostalgic for some adults, too.
Ocean City Director of Community Services Michael Allegretto said the show reminds him of when he was a child.
“My parents always had trains,” he said. “It really makes me feel like a kid again.”
He noted that the popular show is a big draw during an already busy holiday season in Ocean City.
“This is a tradition, something some of the vendors do year after year. It really gives kids a good look at trains and plays into the spirit of Christmas in Ocean City,” Allegretto said.
The train show continues Sunday, Dec. 8, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cost is $3 for adults and $1 for children.
For more information about events in Ocean City visit at www.oceancityvacation.com.
