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Wonderland of toy trains beckons visitors
 | | A charming Alpine village is part of the delightful toy train displays Earl Zanone has created in Millboro. Most of the trains are remote controlled and appear to zoom around effortlessly on their mission through various miniature settings. |
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 | | Along with numerous toy trains chugging away on two levels and along the walls inside Zanone's display in Millboro are colorful scenes, such as this carnival, which he has enjoyed designing and building during the 18 years he has delighted visitors. |
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 | | Earl Zanone stands in his yard with a metal train display he has outfitted with 740 lights to glow at night near the entrance to buildings that house his unique toy trains. Visitors come year-round, but are especially drawn here to Millboro around the holidays. (Recorder photos by Gina Hamilton) |
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 | | The guest book in Zanone's twobuilding wonderland of toy trains has recorded visitors from Germany and Switzerland, as well as from U.S. states including Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, North Carolina, Michigan, Maine, Maryland, Washington, D.C., and many from throughout Virginia. Zanone said a lot of guests staying at The Homestead in Hot Springs have stopped by. |
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 | | Zanone credits Clarence Foresight at the Staunton Hobby Shop with helping him secure new model trains. A new display this year is the Polar Express, shown here, which features a car that allows the hobo to escape from the roof. Zanone won trophies for his Christmas displays 14 years ago, when he entered a contest in Bath County. |
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 | | With realistic sounds and lights, the trains chug around inside two buildings on his property. They include NASCAR and logging trains and related scenery, even a replica of the old Staunton Mall before it was enclosed. Free tours are welcome early evenings or on weekends. Arrangements can be made by calling (540) 997-0223. |
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 | | It's easy to find "Earl the train man" in Millboro with this display leading to the home of Earl and Freda Zanone off Main Street, less than a mile from the local general store. The wooden display carved by Don Blanchard is at the entrance and guides visitors to a wonderland of toy trains. |
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 | | Most of the toy trains in Earl Zanone's displays in Millboro are Lionel and Marx models in HO gauge, but an old wooden circus train also shares the spotlight, bottom in photo). There's also a Napa Valley wine train, True Value train complete with 32 Woody Ford the company gave Zanone to add to the setup. He says his favorite is a CXS train his grandchildren gave him. They are: Cassey, 13; Beth, 7; Casey, 17, and Joshua, 16. His daughter, Lynn, and son, Earl T., are big fans of the unique venture as well. |
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