Online to Jacksonville
By Garrett “IvesGuy” Green, TCA #25-78813 Fall 2025 e*Train
Traditions are what make the model train hobby truly special. They span generations, preserve stories, and define each chapter of our community. And perhaps the greatest author of these traditions is the convention, where we come together to celebrate trains, build friendships, and share our passion.
The Train Collector’s Association was founded in 1954, so the generation who fell in love with the very first electric toy trains could learn and share their passion with a community of like-minded individuals. Naturally, club meetings evolved into equal parts discussion board, marketplace, and a forum in which we can see whose toys are the most impressive.
Today, where most of this can be accomplished at our fingertips, it’s natural to wonder: what purpose does a convention still serve our hobby? I’d argue conventions are more valuable now than ever.
Restoking the Fire
Like many of you, I adored toy trains as a kid, lost interest around middle school age, then dove headfirst back into the hobby once I had a home (and some disposable income) that could support my model train empire.
My renaissance in the hobby began with running the trains I collected in my youth, plus the ones I inherited from my family. This progressed into hunting down the trains that filled my childhood dreams but would’ve drained my parents’ bank accounts.
As my collection grew, so did my questions. I needed a community. Online forums and chat rooms led me to my first real guide in the modern hobby: Larken—known as “Trains of Lark.” Through him, I met people from every corner of model railroading: scale modelers and high-railers, long-time operators and collectors, technical wizards, other newbies like me, and even those who share my love of prewar.
These friendships spanned the country and beyond. Thanks to social media, distance was no barrier—we could share our passion with ease.
A Ticket to Ride
After a year of posting my collection online and building friendships, Larken connected me with George Starz of TCA’s Pittsburgh Division. George invited me to join the social media panel at the Jacksonville TCA Convention, alongside “Caleb Easter’s Trains” and “Peachy’s Trains.”
In preparation, we held video calls and group chats to develop questions that would introduce each of us while sparking meaningful conversations about the hobby. We also organized a meet, greet, and run session, complete with a floor layout where attendees could run trains – a big thanks to Trainz.com for providing essentials and even donating custom giveaway boxcars featuring our panel logos.
Conventional Fun
My anticipation for the convention grew. I first met up with Larken and Caleb at Larken’s home. We had dinner, ran trains on his layout, and railfanned the CSX S line that runs behind his property. We talked trains, life, and everything else. I had conversed with these guys at length online, but the in-person experience we shared is something you can’t recreate in a chat.
Show day brought even more connections: meeting our fourth panelist, “Peachy’s Trains,” Mr. METCA himself, Stu Rankin, and TCA President Kevin Quinn.
The panel went smoothly, with an engaged audience and lively discussion. (Keep an eye on TCA’s social media pages for a highlight reel and the full session.)
What I enjoyed the most was all the TCA members who came up to us afterwards to thank us for helping inspire the next generation into the hobby. Many were eager to hear how platforms beyond forums and Facebook groups could be used to inspire the next generation of hobbyists.
Our follow-up event—the social media meet, greet, and run session—was, in my humble opinion, what conventions should be about moving forward. It became a relaxed hangout where people brought trains from their existing collections and ran new show purchases. I got to match more faces with usernames I’d only seen online, and friendships grew stronger.
For all that social media can do, these in-person experiences create new traditions. And in turn, we capture them in photos and videos to share online—showing others what they missed and hopefully inspiring them to join us at the next convention.
All the Bells and Whistles
Now, I’ll be honest—social media isn’t for everyone. I’m only 30 and I’m sick of it most days. But it’s where our hobby is going, and it brings model train enthusiasts closer together.
To those of you who haven’t ventured into YouTube or Instagram: I hope you will consider it. Your decades of knowledge are exactly what my generation—and the next—want to learn. A fact that “everyone knows” can disappear in just one generation if it isn’t passed down.
If I can figure out how to wire up my Lionel Automatic Gateman through a little research, you can figure out how to post on social media. Our minds are open if yours are too—and we’d love to have you.
Some say the hobby is in dire straits. I think the next great boom is already underway—and the revolution is happening online. The internet helps the hobby grow, but traditions like the convention give it heart.
Change can be intimidating, especially in a hobby we turn to for comfort. But no matter when you joined the TCA, I believe it’s our responsibility to help write the next chapters of our traditions—wherever the tracks may lead.
