LAKEPORT — The Lake County Fair will feature a display of G gauge backyard model trains from Movie-Mix Productions of Santa Clara.
The garden-scale train layout will cover nearly 2,000 square feet and will feature trains running on more than a half-mile of track.
Replicas of the Southern Pacific, Union Pacific, Burlington Northern and Denver and Rio Grande railroads will run continuously during the fair, according to Richard Persons, Lake County Fair CEO. Various scale-model towns, mountains and people are included in the display, sponsored by Featherbed Railroad in Nice.
The G scale is used for model railways, and because of its size and durability, G scale is often used outdoors. Such installations are known as garden railways, Persons stated. G scale was introduced by Ernst Paul Lehmann Patentwerk under the brand name of Lehmann Gross Bahn (LGB), meant for indoor and outdoor use. Lehmann was, until its recent bankruptcy, the major European manufacturer of G scale trains, and is considered as the company that made garden railways popular, Persons stated.
Lehmann Patentwerk was founded in 1881 and started producing LGB in 1968. It produced models of European and United States originals, of steam, diesel and electric prototypes as well as coaches, trucks and accessories.
Movie-Mix Productions has been running the display for more than five years and some of the trains that will run at the fair are more than 20 years old.
In addition to the G gauge trains, the Lake County Model Railroad Club will have its permanent train display open to the public. The Lake County Model Railroad features HO gauge trains and is open every day of the fair, Persons stated.
The fair will be held today through Sunday and will feature a variety of entertainment, food, exhibits, a carnival and livestock shows. The theme is “Find Great Treasures!”
Regular tickets for the fair cost $10 and $6 for seniors at 60 years old or older and children between the ages of 6 to 11. Children younger than 6 are admitted free-of-charge every day. Children through age 11 are admitted for $3 today for “Kid”s Day.”
A special admission program is in place for Friday as well. Anyone who brings four canned goods to the gate between 4 and 7 p.m. will receive free-of-charge admission. The cans will benefit food pantries through Lake County CAN.
The Lake County Fair is attended by approximately 40,000 people per year, Persons stated.
