Thousands flock to railway fest in Manassas

Many of those who attended Saturday’s Heritage Railway Festival in Manassas got to experience firsthand the power, noise and speed of a train during on-the-hour trips to Clifton and back.

Still, many other got to take a trip down memory lane to places like Wallace, N.Y., circa 1936 or through a dairy farm in a small Illinois town south of Chicago where Rod Bohlmann of the Northern Virginia NTRAK club grew up.

“We got a little bit of everything here,” said member Colton Bowen, who is currently working on an N-Track model train scenario depicting Japan’s famous bullet train.
On a glorious Saturday afternoon,  train enthusiasts and families descended on Old Town Manassas like bees to honey. For those interested specifically in trains, there were a plethora of options.

Tours provided by a Virginia Railway Express train transported more than 3,000 riders to Clifton and back with three of the designated five rides sold out. And under the cover of the Harris Pavilion, people of all ages crammed around model train sets designed by the likes of NTRAK, Prince William County Model Railroad Club, Atlantic Coast S Gaugers and the Washington, D.C. Metro Area LEGO Train Club.

Jason Sealy, 4, had his eyes riveted to one particular set of tracks in a tent across the street from the pavilion. A big fan of the “Thomas the Tank Engine,” Jason can tell you the trains by number and distinguish the “good” trains from the “bad” trains, said his father, Jim.

Even big sister, Jessica, 6, enjoys the locomotives, especially the yellow-hued Molly Engine.

On the street, vendors hawked their wares like Maryland residents Theresa and John Weigel of Unique Trading LLC. The Weigels, which sell primarily children’s Thomas the Tank engines, said they were delighted to be back at the festival after a couple of years hiatus.

John Weigel, 60, remembers his experiences as a youngster fostering his passion for trains.

Weigel recalled visiting his relatives in Louisville, Ky., where he got to do some work on the old Southern Railroad for his cousin’s grandfather. Bowen, who re-created the miniaturized Wallace, N.Y., said trips with his mother to the Kensington, Md., station on the Baltimore & Ohio line inspired his love affair with the industry.

And for those who wanted a little variety, there were musical acts, children’s rides and even an antique car show — something Jim Sealy wanted to check out later that day.

In all, the 15-year event was a huge success, drawing nearly 15,000, said Historic Manassas Inc. spokesperson Steve Urry.

Due to the unusually hot weather last year, the only people who left after 1 p.m. were those still riding in the air-conditioned boxcars to Clifton, said Urry. But Saturday’s weather was picturesque, with temperatures in the high 70s with low humidity.

“We were still booking vendors at 5 p.m. last night,” said HMI Executive Director Patty Tracy.

Staff writer Kipp Hanley can be reached at 703-878-8062.