BERTHOUD, Colo.—Sterling Myers’ first toy train chugged into his life about 50 years ago when his father bought him a Lionel electric engine.
The toy cost almost more than the family could afford, he said. But for young Sterling, it was well appreciated—so much so, it sparked a lifelong passion and collection.
Today, the Berthoud resident still has his first treasured locomotive, along with a freight of other antique trains and accessories he’s found along the way.
While the collection could be found in a museum, Myers still uses his trains for their intended purpose: bringing joy and wonder to children.
For a few months each winter, Myers sets up his miniature train and village at his home so the youths of today can enjoy all of its bells and whistles.
“They built trains so kids could have fun,” Myers said.
“I love to see the look on kids’ faces. They’re mystified.”
Myers begins setting up his village each November, spending more than 50 hours creating the layout of buildings, tracks and toys, and connecting two miles of wiring to about 13 transformer boxes.
It’s time-consuming and intricate, he said, but it pays off.
“Lionville,” as Myers calls it, has enough animation to capture anyone’s attention.
To start, a miniature train, which was made in 1947, toots around the tiny village and carnival, complete with tiny puffs of smoke coming out its stack.
Each car behind the locomotive has a purpose in the village, connecting with accessories that are stationed along the way.
One cattle car stops at a miniature stable. With the press of a button, the cows move through their pen into the car, later coming back out into the stable on the other end.
Another car connects to a sawmill, where tiny pieces of wood are seemingly cut before your eyes and loaded onto the train.
With about 24 accessories stationed around the tracks, there are numerous stories that come to life with the push of a button.
They may have been made for children’s amusement, but these intricate electrical toys were created by some of the finest engineers of the time, Myers said.
“It’s amazing the engineers came up with these ideas,” he said. “It’s ingenious.”
And even with the technology of today, these toys from the first decades of the 1900s continue to amaze children.
Myers and his wife often invite youths from church and the neighborhood to see the train and village, press the buttons and watch the little world come to life.
“It’s just fun for them,” Myers said. “And it’s a lot better than playing video games.”
