(File Photo) The Mid-Ohio Valley Model Railroad Club’s Christmas Open House will be held from 10 a.m.- 6 p.m. Saturday in the basement of NOE Office Equipment, 610 Green St., Parkersburg. Prize drawings for “Polar Express” items will also be held during the event.

PARKERSBURG — The Mid-Ohio Valley Model Railroad Club will keep the tradition of toy trains at Christmas alive with two family-oriented events this month.

First will be the club’s annual Christmas Open House set for 10 a.m.- 6 p.m. Saturday at its facility in the rear basement of NOE Office Equipment, 610 Green St., in Parkersburg. The open house is part of Downtown PKB’s Winterfest celebration that leads to the lighting of the Parkersburg Christmas Tree.

“This is our biggest open house of the year,” club President Jonathan Insley, owner of Insley Plumbing in Marietta, said.

“We want to put our best foot forward and show our guests what our club is all about,” he said. “It’s also important for us to showcase the new scenery and operations of our new O scale layout and the rebuilding and upgrading of our HO scale layout.”

The club also will run trains on G and N scale layouts amid realistic scenery in a festive atmosphere complete with Christmas music and lights.

(File Photo) An N-scale diorama at the Mid-Ohio Valley Model Railroad where its annual Christmas open house will be held from 10-6 p.m. Saturday in its headquarters in the basement of NOE Office Equipment at 610 Green St., Parkersburg.

A prize drawing for “Polar Express” items will be held during the open house. The movie also has become a Christmas tradition and children attending the open house will receive “Polar Express” golden tickets while supplies last.

“We are going to be open longer than usual for the Christmas Open House, so our guests can enjoy the Parkersburg Christmas parade, and then stop by before going to the Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony,” Insley said.

Visitors can also attend the open house before the start of the parade, he said.

The second holiday event by the club will be a visit by the Belpre Industrial Parkersburg Railroad’s sixth annual Christmas Train on Dec. 14.

The model train club will be open from 3-7 p.m. that day with another open house before Santa and Mrs. Claus arrive aboard the Christmas Train at the Sixth Street railroad crossing located across Sixth Street from the club. A Belpre Industrial Parkersburg Railroad diesel locomotive will be decorated with Christmas lights and offer guests an up-close look at real railroad equipment.

Guests attending the Belpre Industrial Parkersburg Railroad Christmas Train Open House are asked to bring canned goods and pet foods, toys and supplies that will be donated to local food pantries and animal shelters.

Prior to its arrival around 7 p.m., the Belpre Industrial Parkersburg Railroad will stop from 5:30 to near 7 p.m. at Depot Street Park in Belpre. The Christmas Train is also scheduled to appear from 6 – 8 p.m. Dec. 12 near the feed store in Waterford and from 6 – 8 p.m. Dec. 13 at the former depot at 315 Market St. in Marietta.

The Mid-Ohio Valley Model Railroad Club is among the largest clubs in West Virginia and will celebrate its 45th anniversary in the coming year. The club, having recently grown to 68 members, has been housed at NOE Office Equipment for more than 25 years and hosts five open houses and a large train show each year.