Who: Chester Coleman, 73, a retired Cincinnati Bell technician who loves collecting and rebuilding model trains.

        On display: More than 500 model railroad cars, engines and accessories.

        Where: Throughout the Mount Healthy home he shares with his wife, Carole.

        The right track: Mr. Coleman's interest in model railroading began at age 7 when his father gave him a Lionel train for Christmas.

        “He bought me the whole set,” Mr. Coleman says, fingering the wheels on the locomotive. “We didn't have a pot to put it in, but he went out and did it anyhow.”

        “Dads tend to do that sort of thing,” he adds with a grin. Even though he now has dozens, that one is still his favorite.

        Choo-choo: Through the years, Mr. Coleman purchased a few pieces, but didn't become a serious collector until 15 years ago. Now, he attends train shows and auctions regularly. He even places ads in the newspaper looking for trains.

        Considering his interest in trains, you would think that Mr. Coleman would have worked for the railroad instead of the telephone company.

        All aboard: “I've only ridden a train twice in my life,” he admits. A World War II veteran, he rode from Cincinnati to California on troop trains.

        Museum quality: The bulk of his collection is displayed in a spare bedroom and the family room. The bedroom walls have been fitted with lighted showcases that reach from floor to ceiling. The family room walls are lined with narrow, glass shelving. A real handyman, Mr. Coleman designed and built the displays as well as the rooms.

        Whistle blowing: The trains are multicolored and made from materials such as sheet metal, iron, plastic, tin and aluminum. They are duplicates of trains dating from the 1800s to modern times, but there is something nostalgic about the collection as a whole. The names on the cars include: Buena Vista, Indian Lake, Indian Arrow, Cape Canaveral Express and Union Pacific Coach Buffet. Every detail is perfect, from tiny working bells to miniature conductors waving from engine windows.

        Surprisingly, none of Mr. Coleman's trains run on tracks. “I don't have enough room,” he explains. “It would take up the entire top floor of the house.”

        Mr. Coleman also has his own workshop where he refurbishes engines, cars and transformers. An electronics expert, he spends many hours “tinkering.”

        “My wife always knows where to find me,” he chuckles.

        Caboose: “The trains are my own little hobby,” he adds. “They have given me a lot of enjoyment and I've met a lot of nice friends. I can't think of a better way to spend my time.”

        Share your prize possessions with Marsie Hall Newbold at marsolete@aol.com.

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