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Items available from Mark Jacobson collection

Servais cards $12

Ryan card $8

Ryan medal $18

Ruth medal $35

Vaughn cards $5

90 Rookies $14

Yaz/Bench coins $18 each

USA hoops set $75

90 NFL set $20

90 Topps set $25

Wheaties boxes $20 each

Desert Storm cards $20

88 Topps $25

89 Upper Deck $30

Japanese cards $20

Twins cards $10

Score Superstars $8

91 Upper Deck football $15

91 Upper Deck NBA sets $10 each

91 Upper Deck NFL $15

91 Upper Deck MLB $15

91 Fleer MLB $20

91 Upper Deck halos $30

91 Topps MLB $20

Ryan set $10

Bonds, etc. $7

Griffey $3

8 Men Out set $14

92 Stad Club set $17

90 Score MLB $20

90 Fleer MLB $22

90 Score Rookies $18

90 Sky Box NBA $28

87 Topps traded set $8

87 Fleer small box $15

90 Topps traded $10

90 Upper Deck $15

89 NBA set $25

Fleer updated trades $15

89 NBA Hoops set $20

90 Score NFL $16.50

90 Topps MLB $25

90 Score NFL $17

90 Fleer NFL $12

91 Upper Deck NFL $20

92 Astros Yearbook $8

92 Fleer Ultra $15

92 Topps MLB $25

93 Topps MLB $25

91 Leaf Series 1 $10

92 Fleer Ultra $15

91 Leaf Series 2 $10

91 Donruss Rookies $8

92 Topps Traded $10

91 Score Traded $10

91 Donruss Studio $15

88 Fleer stickers/cards $15

87 Fleer MLB $25

92 Stadium Club $15

3 Stadium Club sets $10 each

89 Donruss MLB $25

Desert Storm cards $8

89 Topps Traded $10

Stadium Club 50 pack $7

92 Stadium pack $4

89 Topps football $12

84 Topps NFL $15

90 Pro Set #2 $12

2 Batman cards $7

89 Score NFL $12

89 Topps NFL $12

NFL, MLB, NBA assort $10

Classic NFL draft $8

Stadium Club assort $4

90 Topps NFL $15

83 Topps NFL $18

90 Fleer NBA $18

84 Topps MLB $30

20 All Star coins $40

87 Leaf MLB $25

88 Topps MLB $25

87 Topps MLB $30

86 Topps MLB $30

85 Topps MLB $30 SOLD

84 Topps MLB $12 (water damaged)

83 Topps MLB $19 (slight water damage)

82 Topps MLB $25

T-Wolves first season $5

93/94 Topps w/binder $100 (360 cards in all)

Aaron card $10

Old School Collectibles Priced Inventory

7 Down in the Valleys $25 each

Milwaukee Centennial pennant $9

Rainovic NFL coaches 1963 $50

Rainovic Goldwater $35

Rainovic Bobby Kennedy $55

Rainovic Wis HOF $20

2 What You Can Do…. Books $15 each

Packers 1974 Media Guide $20

Packers 1999 Media Guide (slight damage) $10

Pack-Bears 95 Game Day $15

Packers Insider 1998 (Reggie) $20

Return to Glory $20

Pack-Bears 1997 (Favre) $30

Pack-Steelers 1996 $10

Packers 04 Game Day (Favre) $25

Pack-Lions 1996 $10

Pack-Vikings 01 $15

Pack-Rams 1988 $10

Packers 94 Playoff guide $25

Pack-Tenn 02 $10

Pack-Browns 02 $10

Pack-Miami 02 $10

Packers 03 Playoff Guide $20

Mariners Media Guide $8

Cubs Interleague Scorecard 97 $10

Benson’s Fantasy Baseball $10

Seaver’s 90 Scouting book $20

McGwire BBW 2000 $15

Wis BB Yearbook 1993 $15

Butler program $5

UWM-UW 1999 $15

UW FB 1974 program $25

Sportsvue Dec. 83 UW hockey $10

SABR Baseball Research (Wrapper) $25

InsideWisSpts (1st issue) $10

Baseball 50 Greatest Games $15

WIAA Century of Champions $20

95 State Champ FB program $8

Top Minor League Prospects 1990 $10

MU BB program 1995 $15

SABR National Pastime $25

Sports History Mag 1988 $15

SI Tiger Woods Cover 2000 $15

Sportsvue 1984 (Yount on cover) $20

Sportsvue July 1984 (Rollie on cover) $15 and $20

Wis Sports Parade $20

SI Swimsuit 2000 $20

Saga of the Saints book $25

Thurmon Munson photo $8

Brewers 25th anniversary cards $25

Logan-Ueck photo $8

1994 NBA draft picks photos $15

KC Chiefs 1970 team photo $20

Selig pic and press releases $8

Brewers 2000 card set $5

Bucks 98-99 team photo $5

Mantle card plaque $20

Legends card plaque $20

3 wrapped Brewers card sets $10 each

HOF cards (Kiner, Ryno, Brett, Ryan) $20

Oly female stars cards (6) $15

Nolan Ryan Coke card series $25

92 Brewers cards (6) $10

2 sets of 92 Brewers cards (9) $15 each

Brewers WOF, stars cards (9) $30

82 Brewers cards (9) Yount included $25

82 Brewers cards (9) Carlson Travel $15

2002 Brewers cards (9) $10

Milwaukee sports cards (9) Sheffield $20

92 Cubs cards (9) $10

Windy City cards (Ozzie, Ryne, Bears, Bulls) $20

Windy City cards (Cubs and Sox) $15

92 Sox cards $15

92 Twins cards $15

Twins cards (Gaetti, etc) $20

Twins cards (Erickson, etc.) $15

Studio 91 cards (3 sheets) $15 each

Pete Rose and stars cards $25

Peter Rose and stars cards (Hegan, etc) $25

80s stars cards (Ripken, Parker, John, etc.) $36

80s-90s stars cards (Orel, Kruk, etc.) $25

70s stars cards (Lyle, Martin, Pinella, etc.) $25

70s stars cards (Perez, Vida Blue, etc.) $20

Jordan and Bulls cards $27

Jordan and NBA stars cards $40

Jordan and NBA Stars cards (Barkley, etc.) $40

NBA Stars cards (Dominique, Isiah, etc) $20

NBA Big Men cards $18

College stars cards $15

Oly Stars cards $20

Magnetic cards $15

Gridiron Game Cards $10

NFL stars cards $15

NHL players cards $10

Bucks 97 Media Guide (30th anniversary) $20

2 ‘97 NBA Register (Jordan on cover) $25 each

Bucks 87 Media Guide (20th anniversary) $20

Bucks 92 Media Guide (25th anniversary) $15

Bucks 85 Playoff media guide $20

1985 Hoop (Kareem on cover) $25

1986 Hoop (TC on cover) $15

1985 Hoop (Dr. J on cover) $15

Sportsvue (Oct. 94) $10

Courtside Feb 91 $10

Courtside Jan 91 (Reggie Lewis on cover) $15

Courtside March 89 (Inaugural issue) $20

Courtside Dec 90 $10

Bucks 98 Playoff guide $10

Leadoff 02 (Sexson on cover) $15

Sportsvue Aug 84 $20

Leadoff 02 (Durocher) $10

Leadoff 02 (De Los Santos) $10

3 BTL 05 (Damian on cover) $15 each

BTL (Kolb on cover) $10

2 Making of Miller Park $15 each

Little Journeys books $70 for set

Greg Maddux photo $10

Ryne Sandbern photo $10

Gantner Bobble $15

Football Nut $7

Miss Queen Capt Hat $20

Bucks #1 Finger $8

2 Bucks cups (plastic) $3 each

Spahn Bobble $30

Caldwell Auto Ball $45

AL Book $15

SI 35th Anniversary (Ali on cover) $20

71 Brewers program $15

Newsweek (Feller and Lemon) $15

Junior Griffey ball $10

Yount pennant $15

Favre pennant $15

Reggie White pennant $10

Bernie Mac Pennant $8

UW Rose Bowl pennant $8

Nabors album $8

Perry Como album $10

69 Best album $8

New Orleans jazz album $8

Satchmo album $10

Santa Fe train $30

Train signal light $25

Typewriter $40

Lambeau Rededication Program $20

Wizards Media 01 Guide (Jordan) $12

O3 MLB Averages $8

01 Leadoff (Tyler Houston) $8

1999 AL Averages $8

Packers 2000 Guide $20

Stats Inc. MLB Handbook $12

GMO 94 Guide $10

NFL 03 Guide $20

MISL Guide $15

Bucks 01 Playoff Guide $15

Magic 92 Guide $10

Brewers 02 Guide $15

Rinehart Book Set $44

Red Sox 97 Guide $8

Dodgers 97 Guide $8

Yankees 97 Guide $10

Marlins 99 Guide $10

Braves 98 Guide (damaged) $7

BTL Molitor in Cooperstown $20

BTL Kolb $10

2 Making of Miller Park $15 each

All Star Publications $15

Leadoff – Sexson $10

Twins Opener Pennant $8

UW Volleyball Guide $8

Mac-Sosa Spring Mag $15

Benson’s 97 annual $10

Bulls 01 Guide $6

Wolves 99 Hockey Guide $6

Cavs 97 Guide $6

Bucks 97 Guide $8

T-Wolves 96 Guide $8

TSN 97 NBA Guide (Malone) $10

Leadoff 02 (Ochoa) $10

BTL 05 (Capuano) $10

Leadoff 02 (Durocher) $10

Valpo 00 Guide $6

TSN Dec. 00 (Tiger) $5

History Mag (Golden Era of RR) $5

SI Giambi – July 00 $8

SI – Fridge 0 July 00 $8

TSB NBA Guide – 94 $15

Giants 02 Guide – Bonds $10

Brewers 97 Guide $8

MU 75-76 Guide $25

Bucks 90 Guide $15

NPSL Playoff Guide – 98 $10

76ers 97 Guide $8

Rolaids Relief Man – 96 $8

White Sox 97 Guide $8

Twins 97 Guide (warped) $5

Baseball America Prospects – 02 $10

PGA 94 Guide $10

Bucks 04 Guide $8

Lakers 01 Guide $10

TSN – Favre cover – 7/00 $15

Griffey pin $5

NBA Register 00 $10

Pack Guide 04 $10

Natl. Geog. – 6 mag set – 74 $25

Miller Park hat $10

Bucks OO Guide $10

Twin Towers 00 Guide $10

Brewers cards/holder $15

Bulls 00 Guide $10

Sixers 00 Guide $8

85 NBA Register (Kareem) $20

Braves book $25

Rinehart book $5

Stewart book $5

Short Stories $7

Packers calendar $4

Italian box $20

Archives Features - Scroll Down

Museum Exhibits Include Series Collectibles

Wisconsin baseball fans, and collectors no matter where they are from, are in for a treat if they view exhibits on the 1957 and 1982 World Series in Milwaukee and Madison.

The Milwaukee County Historical Society recently opened, “Major League Milwaukee: Braves, Brewers, Baseball.”

More than 100 items, ranging from bats of Hank Aaron, Robin Yount, Paul Molitor and others, to fans art and photos, are on display. An avid collector will end up salivating over many of the items.

Bob Buege of the Milwaukee Braves Historical Association helped kick off the exhibit with a presentation on Sunday called, “The Braves and Milwaukee.”

Admission is $3 for adults and $2 for children and seniors. Call 414-273-8288 for more details.

At the Wisconsin Historical Museum in Madison, an exhibit called, “World Series Wisconsin,” opened last week and will run through Dec. 1. The exhibit was recently extended through Jan. 12, 2008. Again, fans and collectors alike will drool over the artifacts (luckily they are protected by display cases).

More than 200 items, some very rare, are included in the exhibit at the museum, 30 North Carroll Street on the Capitol Square.

“We worked with the Brewers, Major League Baseball and collectors in Wisconsin and all over the world,” said John Lemke of the Historical Museum. “We purchased some of the items and others are on loan from collectors.”

A signed Hank Aaron jersey came from a collector as far away as Hong Kong. Troy Kinunen, a sports collectible expert from Milwaukee, helped round up many of the items from collectors.

Tapes of the ‘57 and ‘82 World Series run in the background while you view artistically arranged scenes in the exhibit. “You really get a feel for what these teams meant to the state,” Lemke said. “The Braves in 1957 were as big or bigger than the Packers in the 90s, and Eddie Mathews was as big a star as Brett Favre.”

The Evjue Foundation, Chet Krause, Miller Brewing, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. MLB and Red Schoendienst (former Braves second baseman) are listed as supporters of the exhibit. “We contacted Mr. Schoendienst about uniform, and he also sent a check,” Lemke said.

Several programs are planned related to the exhibit. Check the Wisconsin Historical Society web site for dates.

Collectors Can Be Kids Again At Toy & Action Figure Museum

By Gregg Hoffmann

Collectors, and kids of all ages, will love the Toy and Action Figure Museum in Paul’s Valley, Oklahoma.

The mission of the museum is “to educate and excite visitors with a comprehensive collection of classic ‘pop culture’ toys, with an emphasis on the social and historic evolution of the action figure and to serve as a catalyst for the economic revitalization of historic downtown Pauls Valley. It is the goal of the museum to pay tribute to the designers, sculptors, and toy companies that have turned action figures from a child's play thing to a work of art.”

The museum got its start in 2000 during a city-wide process called VISION 2010. In a series of meetings, local citizens identified goals they would like the community to reach in the next 10 years.

With the help of local artist and toy designer (& collector) Kevin Stark, a board was formed to start working on the world's first Toy & Action Figure Museum.

Stark was at the museum the day my wife and I toured and shared his enthusiasm for the project. “We want to show that the making of these action figures is an art,” Stark said. “We also want to have fun, and appeal to the kid who is in all of us.”

With a gleam in his eye, Stark, who has designed the action figure toys for a number of big hit movies, said his work also allows him to remain a kid, although, “my wife says I’m adult and responsible when I need to be.”

Oklahoma turns out to be somewhat of a hot bed for action figures. In addition to Stark, right up Highway 35 in Purcell is Kyle Windrix, a sculptor who designed figures for the characters in Lord of the Rings and other movies.

The museum has several interactive displays so that children can enjoy a "hands on" experience with the exhibits.

From concept through manufacturing, the museum has exhibits on the creation of action figures. Visitors can get a behind-the-scenes look at how toys are made.

The Action Figure Hall of Fame also is housed in the museum. Each year a select few toy lines that have made their marks in the world will be inducted into the hall of fame

The museum is also the home of the Oklahoma Cartoonists Collection, put together by writer Michael Vance from Tulsa. This exhibit features published artists and writers in the comics field from Oklahoma. It features such well-known creators as Chester Gould of Dick Tracy fame, as well as Jack and Carole Bender, who currently work on Alley Oop.

If you have an opportunity to be in Oklahoma, a trip to the museum is very worthwhile. It’s located at 111 S. Chickasaw Street, Pauls Valley, OK 73075

Directions: From Interstate 35 take Exit 72. Go east on Highway 19 into downtown Pauls Valley. On Chickasaw Street turn south and go one and a half blocks. The museum is on the west side of the street in the middle of the block.

You also can become a member of the museum. Details can be found at http://www.actionfiguremuseum.com.

“In our pursuit to achieve a first-class facility, we need the public's help,” reads the web site. “Take a minute to look at the Membership levels and consider becoming a member or donor today. Any monetary gifts or donations of action figures can help us achieve our goal to not only be the FIRST Action Figure Museum but also the BEST!”

Westby ski jump has long, proud history

By Gregg Hoffmann

Despite the lack of snow for the first couple months of this winter, the Snowflake Ski Club fully expects to hold the 2007 Continental Cup ski jump competition Feb. 9-11.

It’s a tradition that has gone on since 1923, and has put Westby on the international ski jump map.

“I think it has given Westby some recognition and identity,” said Dr. P.T. Bland, who has been a major supporter of the annual event for more than three decades. “Skiers come from 10-15 countries. Since the event has been a Continental Cup competition, we get skiers who are just one notch away from World Cup status and possible Olympians. We have Olympic medal winners jump here.”

The Snowflake Ski Club was organized in 1922 by a group from Westby who thought the community should have such an event because of its strong Norwegian heritage. Organizers first tried to buy some metal jump scaffolding in Eau Claire and St. Paul, but it was too expensive.

So, they decided to build the scaffolding from wood. They ordered 10,000 feet of 1-by-4 and 1-by-6 boards and went to work. “They didn’t really know much about building a ski jump, but just observed the way the hill went and built the jump in the opposite arc,” Bland said. “Some of the supports were tied to trees to help hold them up. They did finish it though.”

By 1923, a scaffold was done and a tournament was held. As one of the organizers reportedly said, “I awoke on Sunday, hoping for a good day and a good crowd. Otherwise, I would be owning a ski scaffold.”

The turnout was good for that first tournament, held on the Holte Farm between Westby and Bloomingdale. Nearly 2,000 spectators showed up. Most had never seen ski jumping before. Every business in Westby closed for the afternoon to allow more people to watch the jumping.

Oscar Villand served as the first president of the ski club and Henry Nerison as the secretary-treasurer. Nerison happily pointed out that the event was paid for through the gate receipts.

Lars Haugen of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, took first place in Class A and was presented the Governor’s Cup by the governor himself.

A second ski jump was located near Seas Branch. In the late 1940s, a 60-meter hill was built on the Anderson farm in Timber Coulee.

Peter Haugstad, the 1948 Olympic champion, jumped on Anderson Hill in 1949. The U.S. Olympic team trained on that hill in 1952 and again in 1960.

Perhaps the finest ski jumper in Snowflake history was Lyle Swenson, who competed at the current Timber Coulee hill. He captained the U.S. Olympic team and competed in the 1964 Innsbruck Games. Swenson also competed with other U.S. national teams. He died at 42 of pneumonia.

Timber Coulee Hill

The Anderson hill jump served well until 1960. It then became apparent that there was a need for a larger and more modern hill. The ski club committee bought the farm of Eugene Volden in Timber Coulee for a 90-meter jump.

Bland, who first started as the ski event doctor in 1953, had become more involved in other aspects of the event by then. “The hill is in a great location with the natural valley. It looks to the east so the snow doesn’t melt as fast, and is protected from the wind by the hill to the west,” he said.

“There was a lot of preparation to do though. It took a lot of work to clear the land and get the hill ready,” Bland said. But, a jump was held in late January 1961.

As time went on, it became apparent that the hill needed modifications to more accurately reflect the flight curve of the skier, allow for better landings and other aspects. Bland linked up with Agnar Renolen of Norway.

“He was a crusty old Norwegian, but was the foremost expert in the world on designing ski jumps,” Bland said. “He helped us make the modifications. I remember visiting him in Norway shortly after we finished (in time for the 1967 competition).

“I told him he should write a book on how to build ski jumps. I remember he told me, ‘you should write a book about how to become a doctor.’ You had to kind of pull information out of him, but he was very helpful.”

Bland pulled enough information out of Renolen and studied on his own to become quite expert on ski jumps himself. In fact, he has served on the international committee for ski jump design and has traveled around the world in that role.

“I have enjoyed it a great deal,” Bland said of his hill design work. “I like the mathematics involved and have enjoyed learning from others.”

Bland has contributed financially to the Snowflake hill, as well as with his design expertise and work over the years, but refuses to take too much credit.

“You can perpetuate the myth that I was a ski jumper, but I have never been and am not even Norwegian,” said Bland, who has practiced medicine in Westby for more than five decades. “When you’ve been in the community as long as I have, you get credit for a lot of things that might not be true. I’m from Ripon originally, but fell in love with this area.”

Bland also emphasizes that dozens of volunteers – those who serve on the ski club committee, work on the hill and other aspects of the annual event, those families who open their homes to host skiers – deserve a great deal of credit.

“This is the only hill and event in the country that are maintained strictly by volunteers,” he said. “Lake Placid receives support. Park City is an Olympic venue and receives support. This community has kept this event going for many years. It takes a lot of dedication and hard work by a lot of people.”

If you look at the events’ programs, Bland’s contention is born out. Names like Erlandson, Lunde, Fremstad, Nelson, Haugen, Hanson, Frydenlund, Jacobson, Hendrickson, Anderson, Dregne and many others can be found as volunteers, former Snowflake queens and even competitors over the years and generations.

One of the highlights of the annual event is the singing of the “Ski Jumpers Song” – often done by students from the Westby High School music programs or local singers. The song echoes almost eerily through the Timber Coulee valley and, as Bland put it, “makes your hair stand up on your back.”

They have been singing that song, and flying through the air, for more than eight decades at the annual Westby ski jump. It’s a tradition to be proud of.

Walthers Is Leading Model RR Distributor

By Gregg Hoffmann

The name William K. Walthers, Inc. may not ring a bell for most people, but it's well-known among hobbyists seeking train whistles, chugging locomotives and railroad crossing bells.

The Milwaukee-based company is the leading distributor of model railroading equipment in the world, with a catalog of more than 100,000 products from about 350 companies worldwide. Walthers also continues to manufacture its own equipment, ranging from trains to scenery.

Founded in 1932, by Bill Walthers, the company is now run by his grandson, Phil. About 140 to 150 people work for the company, depending on the season. The longest tenured employee, Bill Wischer, a product engineer, has been with the company for 36 years. Several others are not far behind.

"Walthers truly is a family business," said John Sanheim, vice-president of marketing and sales. "We are proud of the fact that several of our employees met their spouses at Walthers and continue to work for the company.

"Our product is family-oriented. Our ownership remains in the family. Many of our vendors around the world are small, family-run businesses," added Sanheim, who has been with Walthers for 30 years.

When you put all these businesses into a network, like Walthers has, you come up with a distribution system that has helped keep model railroading a popular hobby for generations. While Lionel and other large corporate companies might actually manufacture more equipment, nobody outdoes Walthers for distribution.

Combined with Milwaukee-based Kalmbach Publishing, the leading publisher in the model railroading field, Walthers also gives Brew City a good argument to call itself the model railroading capital of the world.

Founded in 1932

Bill Walthers could not have predicted the success of the company he started primarily intending to turn his hobby into a business. His first catalog included 24 pages and sold for 15 cents. He also produced a Signal and Control Manual, which sold for a whopping $3.

These catalogs primarily contained designs and parts for electrical controls that turned toy railroads into working model systems. Walthers also advertised in Modelmaker Magazine, and by the end of 1932 his company had $500 in sales.

Five years later, the company had outgrown its home location and moved to a warehouse on Erie Street in Milwaukee. By this time, Walthers was producing everything from milled wood parts to metal castings to decals.

The company also purchased Findex Card Punch in the early 1930s and merged it with the model railroad business in the 1940s. Findex was a mechanical card filing system, which was a forerunner to early computers.

During the war, model manufacturers were ordered to stop production in order to conserve critical metal supplies. Walthers produced what it could from nonessential materials -- a series of ads in 1943 showed Bill literally scraping the bottom of a barrel to illustrate the shortage.

Bill retired in 1958, so he could spend more time with his beloved hobby. His son, Bruce, who had been with the company since 1946, took over as CEO. He added the full line distribution of other manufacturers' products to the business. In 1987, Bruce turned the leadership of the business over to his son, Phil.

"I am proud to be a third-generation owner," Phil said. "When I describe our business and the family legacy to someone I am usually told by them how rare it is to reach this stage.

"There also is a great sense of responsibility to maintain the success and continuity of the enterprise going forward."

The company has had offices, warehouse and a store at 5601 W. Florist Ave. for years. Most of its manufacturing now is done in Europe and China through contract work.

Quality and Innovation

Walthers has always been known for the quality of its own products. It also has managed to remain at the cutting edge of innovations in its industry. For example, in 1985, Walthers became the first to introduce what is known as an HO Scale Code 83 track system -- a track system for smaller models that matched the proportions of the trains. Until that time, bigger track had been the norm, but it made the models look out of proportion.

In the early '90s, Walthers introduced a line of modeler-friendly structure kits. "Model railroaders moved from just setting up the trains or buying trains as collectibles to creating entire layouts," Sanheim said. "They continue to do so."

Walthers' "Cornerstone Series", which features easy-to-build kits of industries that often are related to railroads, has proven very popular. "Out steel industry buildings became a hit," Sanheim said. "So have others."

In 1993, Walthers introduced the "Trainline" series of rolling stock and locomotives. These models featured the details that serious modelers want, at a relatively low price.

The "Gold Ribbon Series" structure kits, introduced in 1999, also have provided modelers with snap-together assemblies for layouts, dioramas and Christmas villages. In 2001, Walthers developed the Cornerstone Series into "Cornerstone Series Built-ups, featuring layout-ready structures right out of the box. Just last year, Walthers came out with Engine Servicing Facility kits that have proven popular.

Under Phil's leadership, Walthers has established a big presence in cyberspace. At www.walthers.com, customers can log on and search over 100,000 products with more than 45,000 pictures.

Meanwhile, the company has continued to produce annual catalogs, called Reference Books, which are considered bibles by modelers and collectors. They include trains and accessories ranging from G to Z -- the letters used to denote the two ends of the model railroading size spectrum.

In addition to these vehicles, which bring the products directly to the consumer, Walthers sells to thousands of retail stores in the U.S., Europe, Australia and elsewhere.

Evolving Hobby

"We have evolved with the hobby," Sanheim said. "We get new ideas from customers, from our employees, many who are model railroaders themselves, and from the general public. In fact, we get more suggestions for new products than we could possibly produce.

"Plus, we have a great new product development team that does a great deal of research. We know our markets."

Many people might have had trains as kids and consider model railroads toys. Walthers does everything it can to attract kids to model railroading, but knows from that research that its main customers are primarily adult males, most often from Rust Belt urban areas where model railroading can make the winters more bearable.

"About 99% of our customers are males," Sanheim said. "The typical customer is in his early 50s. He likely was introduced to trains as a kid.

"We encourage those customers to introduce children – their kids, their grandchildren – to trains. Trains make great gifts. Kids love the motion of trains. Model railroading also can be a family thing. Kids love computers these days and become computer literate at an earlier age, but they can't be at them all the time. We can offer an alternative for those kids."

Sanheim said many modelers like "creating their own worlds."

"You can create your own world in miniature, but it also is reality based," he said. "Many create re-create a historic event, or a certain period in history. Inter-modal transportation, which has revitalized the railroad industry, also is reflected in more model railroad layouts."

Because the company is privately held, it does not release revenue figures, but it is a thriving business. And, while Walthers is the type of business that could locate almost anywhere in the world, it remains in Milwaukee, helping make that city a capital of model railroading.

"Our family has deep roots in Milwaukee, and we are pleased that we can provide jobs in the area," Phil Walthers said. "It is especially nice that we can provide jobs that are a short bus ride or walking distance of people's homes.

"We have been located on the northwest side of Milwaukee for 27 years and find it a very good place to be."

So what do you do in Green Bay between the end of the football season and the start of Packers' spring camp? You might want to check out the National Railroad Museum.

You can see Lambeau Field in the distance to the west from the museum's site at 2285 S.Broadway. Established in 1956, the museum has developed into one of the largest and oldest facilities for the preservation of rail history.

Interest has remained high in trains, even though they play a much smaller role in most of our overall transportation plans than they once did. Model railroading remains very popular. Shows in Milwaukee, Madison and elsewhere in the state pack people of all ages into their venues.

The Green Bay museum has some outstanding features. You can see the largest steam locomotive in history, the Union Pacific Big Boy. It truly is a monster.

Weighing 1.2 million pounds itself, the Big Boy line of locomotives was built to pull 3600 ton trains through the Wasatch Mountains in Utah.

You also can tour Eisenhower's WWII command train, and the Aerotrain, which in the 1950s was considered a futuristic form of rail transportation.

These, and many other train cars, are displayed both indoors and outdoors. You once had to brave the Green Bay winters to see some of the cars in a shelter that had a roof, but no heat. But, now some of the most historic locomotives and cars are housed in the Lenfestey Center, a climate-controlled building.

It's better for the preservation of the trains and spectators. Groups up to 400 also can rent the center for special events.

When the weather warms up, you can take a train trip around the 32-acre grounds of the museum, which sits on the Fox River. On certain weekends, steam locomotives pull the train. The first this year is on May 1-2.

Inside the museum, you also can trace the development of rail from the early years through the building of the nation years and into the future. The museum truly has a wonderful collection of memorabilia and artifacts, most of which have been donated over the years.

If model railroading is your passion -- like it is mine -- you can see a great exhibit that is maintained by local clubs in a side building to the main museum.

The museum also holds several special events during the course of the year. A model railroading clinic was scheduled in March. On April 3, its Spring Gala will be held.

In October, the Great Pumpkin Train takes passengers to an area pumpkin patch. A haunted train also brings Terror on the Fox to those who want a few thrills and scares for Halloween.

Museum officials once tried to organize a special train between Chicago and Green Bay for the Bears and Packers game, but it never materialized. It seems like a unique idea to this writer, and any potential sponsor out there can contact the museum about possibilities in the future.

Some other facilities around the country also claim the title of the national museum for railroading, but the Green Bay museum has sustained itself as long, or longer, than most of the others.

The Green Bay museum also is not Wisconsin's only strong tie to railroads and model railroading.

In Fennimore, the Railroad Historical Society Museum houses The Dinky, a replica of a 1907 Davenport locomotive.

The Mid-Continent Railroad, located in North Freedom, offers a seven-mile scenic trip through the Baraboo Hills, starting May 8.

Walthers, located on the west side of Milwaukee, is the biggest distributor of model railroad equipment in the world, with 85,000 items from 300 manufacturers around the globe. The company has been in business since 1932.

Kalmbach Publishing in Brookfield publishes Garden Railways, Classic Toy Trains, Model Railroader, Classic Trains and Trains magazines and is considered the leading publishing house in the nation, if not the world, on the hobby.

There are other train attractions around the state and Midwest. But, the Green Bay National Railroad Museum offers perhaps the best experience in one place for somebody who is enchanted with trains. It also gives you something to do in Packerland when the Packers aren't there.

Two brightly decorated Holiday Trains – one in Canada, the other in the U.S. Northeast and Midwest - will again be collecting food and money, as well as raising awareness for local food banks.

In the U.S., the Holiday Train will embark on its two-week journey Dec. 1 in Scranton, Penn., finishing Dec. 16 in Minot, N.D. where it continues into Saskatchewan. The Canadian Holiday Train begins its trek across Canada on December 2 in Montreal, Quebec ending in Porty Moody, B.C. on December 17.

This year, both Holiday Trains will glow even more, as each train will be decorated with hundreds of thousands of LED Christmas lights to help shine an even brighter focus on this important initiative.

Since its launch in 1999, the Holiday Train program has collected close to 378 tons of food and taken in more than $1.9 million CDN for North American food banks. Canadian Pacific Railway also makes cash donations to local food banks in addition to the food and money collected along the way.

All donations remain local. “We have local people from local food banks collect donations at each stop, so we don’t even take anything on the train with us,” said Laura Baenen, Midwest communications manager for CPR.

On the U.S. train, Celtic-pop recording artists the Ennis Sisters and Canadian Country Music Association Hall of Famer Tracey Brown will be onboard the 2005 U.S. Holiday Train. They will be joined by Nashville recording artist, T. Graham Brown, Minnesota's John "the voice of new folk" Gorka and Wisconsin folk-rocker Willy Porter.

The Canadian Holiday Train will include recording artist Amanda Stott, International recording stars the Moffatts, and Wayne Rostad. John Landry will be making a special appearance in Montreal.

“It’s wonderful to see the train go through the fields and into towns,” Baenen said. “It really is part of Americana. In Mauston (Wisconsin) a couple years ago, Santa got off the train to mingle with the crowd. He got lost and we had to send a couple railway police out to get him so we could move on.”

The performers do live holiday music shows outdoors at night from a boxcar that converts into a stage. The shows are short -- 20 to 30 minutes long – in part because of cold weather.

“The Ennis Sisters do some step dancing, which is a challenge in the cold,” Baenen said. “I think they’ve learned to wear boot warmers.”

Porter plans to do some of his own works and the Chuck Barry tune, “Run, Run Rudolph.”

“How can you not have a good time doing something like this?’ said Porter. “It’s another whistle stop tour. Those are part of our history with political candidates campaigning from trains and other events.”

Karen Ennis of the Ennis Sisters said the group will perform some Celtic music. “Whatever it is about Celtics songs, they get people moving,” she said. “If it’s cold they will give people a chance to jump up and down and stay warmer.”

For information on when the train arrives closest to your location, go to www.8cpr.ca and click on Holiday Train.

Christmas trains have been a bit of a tradition. For information on a video about them, OSC recommends going to www.pentrex.com. The site traintraveling.com has a listing worldwide of holiday trains. Walthers and Historic Rail offer models and books about holiday trains. Links to both can be found on the OSC site.

The Fennimore Railroad Museum closed daily operations for the season on Labor Day, but you can see The Dinky outside its doors any day of the year and tour the museum on weekends only in September and October.

What was known as a narrow gauge train, The Dinky operated from 1878 to 1926, far longer than most 3-foot gauge lines in Wisconsin.

Both narrow gauge and standard gauge trains ran daily between Fennimore and Woodman in the Green Valley of southwest Wisconsin. Their routes meandered for 16 miles and connected with railroads that traveled elsewhere, to more distant destinations.

Narrow gauge tracks once were scattered across the country. They provided economy in construction and equipment costs to reach remote areas often in heavily-forested, mountainous or hilly areas.

At the peak of narrow gauge operations, Wisconsin had 150 miles of such track. Some were used in logging operations around the state. All have been abandoned, but the heritage lives on with The Dinky in Fennimore.

The narrow gauge line that included Fennimore was known for a horseshoe curve that made it possible to climb a steep slope from the Green Valley to the ridge west of the town

In its day, The Dinky was known for its versatility. It carried farmers, fishermen, salesmen, school children and other passengers, along with the mail, milk, livestock and other freight.

The narrow gauge line was a remnant of a 92-mile line that ran throughout southwest Wisconsin, owned by the Chicago and North Western Railroad. All but the Fennimore-Woodman line were converted in 1882 to standard gauge (4-feet, 8 ½ inches).

After its “retirement,” The Dinky sat unused for years. Then, Dwight Baumgartner, a local historian, approached Chuck Stenner, who was mayor of Fennimore at the time, about purchasing the engine and establishing a museum.

“My first question was what was the Dinky,” said Stenner, who still serves as secretary-treasurer of the museum board. “We formed a group, with Dwight as the first president, and went after a state grant.

“Our legislators at the time were very helpful. We were able to use all the work we did on the museum as part of our contribution. So, we established the museum, and it has just take off since that.”

The Fennimore museum includes much more than just The Dinky. An exact replica of the original water tank in Fennimore stands near The Dinky.

An operational 15-inch gauge rail with 700 feet of track sits to the south of the museum. Scale buildings complete the miniature layout. Rides are available on this system on weekends and holidays during the Memorial Day to Labor Day season.

All outdoor exhibits can be seen year around. In the museum itself, you can find pictures and information tracing the history of narrow gauge railroads. Two sets of G-scale model railroads with replica buildings are housed in the museum. Also included in the museum are a replica ticket booth, telephone switchboard and blacksmith shop, all done in amazing and accurate detail of their period.

Fennimore has capitalized on the railroad museum to bill itself as “The City On The Move,” and includes a graphic of The Dinky with the slogan. There are other attractionsi the town and surrounding area.

The Fennimore Doll & Toy Museum is an attraction that rivals the railroad museum. An annual Farm Toy Show is held in September.

The countryside around Fennimore offers great opportunities for sight-seeing, hiking, camping and trout fishing.

Founded in 1849, the town was named after John Fennimore, who settled near the Old Military Road that leads to Prairie du Chien. Fennimore mysteriously disappeared during the Black Hawk War.

Fennimore is located at the crossroads of Highways 18 and 61 in Grant County. More information can be found at www.fennimore.com.

Gregg Hoffmann took a look at the Empire Builder train and its history while riding the train from La Crosse, Wisconsin, to Chicago.

That’s Amtrak’s Empire Builder, as it crosses the bridge from Minnesota over the Great River into Wisconsin.

The train has already come a long way by the time it reaches that point; all the way from Seattle, with stops in places like Minot, Whitefish and Fargo along the way. Its final destiny is Chicago. The Empire apparently ended or started there when this train line was completed 76 years ago.

For the next couple hundred miles, the train will run through Wisconsin. The stretch through the state is one of the most beautiful of what overall is a wonderfully scenic trip.

This trip is in jeopardy, as is all of Amtrak service. We’ll look more at that later, but first let this writer, who recently took the Empire Builder through the state, finish the trip for you and look at some of the history of the train.

After dropping off some people and picking up others at the historic depot in La Crosse, the Empire Builder heads east, first through the wet lowlands of the Scenic Rivers area, then through the hills and valleys of the Coulee Region of the state.

It only slows for some towns. Kids wave to the passengers. Even older people stop to watch, and sometimes wave too. But, their towns no longer are stops along the way.

For much of the route, bicycle paths run where a second set of tracks once laid during the peak years of railroads. Some former depots now serve as museums, gift stores, ice cream shops and other businesses in these towns that no longer are stops.

Some of the small towns still have wonderful old, historic looking depots. Portage is one of this writer’s favorites. So is Wisconsin Dells.

The Tomah and Columbus depots need a little work, but have potential. Pewaukee has one of the nicest looking ones, but Amtrak doesn’t stop there.

The land starts to flatten out around Columbus, sprawling in broad farm fields of south central Wisconsin. Those fields become dotted with more development as you approach southeastern Wisconsin and the Milwaukee Metro area.

When you get to Milwaukee, you can’t help but feel that there is untapped potential for trains here. You can’t see much of downtown when you enter the city from the west, but you do get a good view of downtown and the Third Ward when you come up from Chicago.

Once we head south of Milwaukee, you get the feeling Racine and Kenosha counties have done some things to appeal to train transportation. You see the backside of most communities from a train, and like it is with humans some backsides are appealing to look at and others not.

You can say the same for communities. In Racine and Kenosha counties, recreational facilities and renovated businesses face the tracks in many areas and make better-looking backsides.

The line is Amtrak’s most scenic, with the possible exception of the California Zephyr, which runs through the Rockies, according to Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari.

“Certainly, it is one of the most scenic and historic we have in the west,” he said, adding that the stretch through Wisconsin features classic Midwest scenery.

In its 76 years, the Empire Builder has traveled through ever changing scenery and communities. It has endured ever changing economic conditions.

The Empire Builder celebrated its 75th anniversary last year with events in the Northwest, Chicago and numerous places in between. Milwaukee was one of them. The line was named after James J. Hill, who founded the Greater Northern Railroad in the 1800s.

That railroad played a key role in linking Chicago and the Midwest with the Pacific Northwest and places in between. It was the only rail line to go to Glacier National Park, stopping at Whitefish, Montana. The park tourism took off because of the service.

The Empire Builder line officially started in 1929, after passage routes through the Cascade Mountains were significantly improved. Running several trains, it became quickly known as a classy way for tourists to travel the country in virtual luxury.

During World War II, part of the train was used to transport troops around the country. After the war, significant upgrades led to tall windowed observation cars, and Ranch Car lounges, made to resemble a ranch chuck wagon and give great views of the scenery.

In 1971, Amtrak took over most of the nation’s passenger trains, including the Empire Builder. The line remained one of the premier sightseeing trains in the U.S., but over time the number of trains and runs has been reduced.

Today, the line still features popular, double-decked observation cars, classy dining facilities and ample sleepers. The Empire Builder also is linked with the National Park Service’s Trails and Rails program, through which you can take the train to Glacier and other historic and scenic trail areas. For example, one of the recent packages included part of the Lewis and Clark trail.