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Neighbors | Submitted.Pictured are two original trains in Mamone's collection, including the 1952 Santa Fe (top) and the 1964 Southern train (below).
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Neighbors | Submitted.Dennis Mamone's personal train collection has five running tracks, with a number of trains that he started seriously collecting about 10 years ago.
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Neighbors | Submitted.The Youngstown Sheet and Tubing replica trains were on display in Dennis Mamone's personal collection.
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Neighbors | Submitted.A replica of an old McDonalds building stands behind a model of the Youngstown Sheet and Tubing train cars in Dennis Mamones personal collection.
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Neighbors | Submitted.A number of trains run on five tracks which are on display at Dennis Mamone's house, which features a number of historical pieces from the Youngstown area.
By JESSICA HARKER
A local retired teacher discovered a love for model trains, connecting the present to the past.
Dennis Mamone, a Youngstown City School Social Studies teacher for 35 years now spends his free time collecting model trains, both new age and vintage.
“I would recommend it, it’s a great hobby,” Mamone said. “It’s a stress relief it’s nice, it offers piece of mind.”
He said he even used the trains in his classes, using them as a learning tool for his students.
“It really helps to engage them when they can see something, and hold it in their hands,” Mamone said.
He received his first train set in 1954 as a Christmas present, a 1954 Southern Train. “Back in the 50’s, unlike today, that’s what we had, trains, soldiers that kind of stuff. Nothing like the technology we have today,” Mamone said.
For years, he said that he kept it in a box, taking it out for Christmas decorations but keeping it stored a majority of the time.
Then, thanks to a gift from his cousin of a 1952 Santa Fe, Mamone’s interest was sparked again.
Today, he keeps a 10 by 12 foot set up in his house which includes a variety of running train sets and decorative pieces.
Along with his personal set up, Mamone travels to train shows around Ohio and Pennsylvania, collecting and selling train sets.
“We buy and we sell and we collect,” Mamone said. “But unfortunately some of us, myself included, buy more than we sell.”
Expanding this interest Mamone will be hosting a train show at the St. Lucy Palermo Banquet Center March 31.
The show, called Iron and Steel, will focus on the trains that showcase the history of the Valley.
This includes trains from Mamone’s personal collection, including a few models based on Youngstown Sheet and Tubing.
Mamone currently has seven sets, which encompass the locomotive, rolling stocks, and more depending on the set type.
“It’s a good hobby it keeps you moving it keeps you communicating with people, it keeps you traveling too,” Mamone said.
Mamone’s show will have 80-90 tables of vendors, selling a variety of products including but not limited to model train sets.
“It’s not just trains, it can also be match box cars, parts, old toys and other vintage items,” Mamone said. “It can be really interesting.”
“Its pretty unique hobby,” Mamone said. “It has a lot of variety within it, a lot of things for younger generations as well as older ones.”
He explained there are three major sections of model trains; pre war metal trains from before 1945, 1945-1972 post war trains and modern trains which are 1972 to present.
“A lot of the modern area trains, they are all remote control, many have bluetooth and you can run them on your phone,” Mamone said.
He said he hoped to see more people from a younger generation find an interest in this hobby. “If you have a son or daughter, the technology part would entice them because they are technology orientated,” Mamone said.
The train show at the Palermo Center will be from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. on March 31.