Pair brings model dioramas to the Lenawee County Fair

ADRIAN — Two Ohio men with a penchant for model train dioramas brought their hobby to the Lenawee County Fair this week, drawing hundreds to the miniature display in the fair’s southern merchant building.

Dean Snyder and Dave Bachli of “BOo COo Trains” said they were invited by the Lenawee County Fair Board to bring part of their unique display of scale-model train sets.

Bachli said the name is partially derived from the French word for “many” — beaucoup — as well as the abbreviations fo the Chesapeake and Ohio and Baltimore and Ohio railroads that served northwestern Ohio for many years.

The large display — made up of 17 tables — included a diorama of towns, rural areas, train stations and every scene in between. Those who visited were invited to look for 10 details hidden among the tablescape. Two trains ran on tracks constantly. A scale-sized drive-in movie theater in the center of the display streamed “Star Wars Episode 4: A New Hope” Wednesday afternoon.

Snyder said the pair were on hand “to promote the hobby of model trains, to have fun and show what can be done.”

Bachli said they show off part of their collections two or three times a year in the area, and that the 17 tables on display at the fair are only a small part of what they own — about 100 tables’ worth between the pair.

And when they travel to locations, the diorama is always refreshed from the prior setup.

“It’s never set up the same way twice,” Bachli said.