Like many of the men attending the model train show and sale at St. Philip the Apostle Roman Catholic Church just outside Millersville on Saturday morning, Karl Meck is graying.

Also like many others, Meck is a grandfather who first played with model trains when he was a kid. His children did not get involved with the hobby, but his 13-year-old grandson, Gabe Miranda, has gone for trains in a big way.

"It's helped him to have a hobby, rather than just video games," observed Meck.

Meck and Gabe displayed one of two train layouts at the Keystone Division of the Train Collectors Association show and sale — one of three held at St. Philip's each year.

Hundreds of Keystone members from eight counties and potential buyers from a larger area gathered to ogle the layouts and merchandise and contribute to the church fund by buying lunch.

They had choices from a wide variety of trains, most old, some new. Lionels were prevalent. So were HO-scale models.

Meck and Gabe ran their HO trains on a 4-by-8-foot table.

Although sharing the assembly of a model train layout was Meck's idea, his grandson has become the chief engineer.

"He's way ahead of me in a technical sense," Meck explained. "He's really good in electronics. He can run multiple trains on the same track. He's lost me. I can't run this anymore."

Gabe is autistic, Meck said, which is a big reason the duo got involved with trains.

"He was so interested in watching trains go by — real trains and model trains," Meck said. "It's part of the autistic thing. They like to watch things go by."

Others in the room would envy Meck. Many have not been able to interest their children or grandchildren in model railroading.

The average age of Train Collectors Association members is over 60, said Jim Potts, of Manheim Township and president of the Keystone Division.

"Trains were Christmas presents for our generation," he said. "They're not necessary Christmas presents for any newer generation."

Slot cars and chemistry sets replaced model trains in the 1960s, added Dan Nettling, of Carlisle, and treasurer of the group.

"Nowadays," he added, "it's video games and computers."

Nevertheless, interest in model railroading remains intense among older men, as well as a smattering of younger people.

One major reason for the continued popularity of the hobby is the increasing sophistication of tiny trains.

"When we were kids, they were toys," Nettling said. "Now the locomotives have sound systems in them. They operate by remote control."

That's how a brand-new Lionel locomotive was running on three-railed tracks of the other layout at the church. A sound system inside included an engineer communicating with a conductor.

Dennis Schlossman, of Maytown, is vice president of the Lower Susquehanna Valley Modular Railroaders, which operated the Lionel layout. Schlossman is impressed by the new trains, but he still likes the old ones.

His first train, a Christmas gift in 1947, has been expanded many times. Meanwhile, family interest in his hobby has skipped a generation.

"My son said, 'I appreciate what you do, but I couldn't do it,' " Schlossman said. "So I got my grandchildren involved. All of them have trains, and hopefully they'll follow through."

Charles Kilgore, of Manheim Township, one of the show's exhibitors, had little luck with that.

"My children were interested for a while," he said. "I tried to get my 12-year-old grandson interested, but he was more involved in video games."

Some younger people are avid collectors. David Martin was shopping with his wife, Jen, and 2 1/2-year-old son Matthew for train parts for the Lionel they operate at their Strasburg home.

"This is something I grew up with," Martin, 38, said. "I asked for my first Lionel in 1984 for Christmas. Now Matthew and I play with the trains in our basement. He already knows a lot about trains, living in Strasburg."

Blake Lehmann, 41, of Philadelphia, bought HO-scale locomotives and cars with his 9-year-old son, Elliott. Lehmann grew up in Lampeter and travels to model train sales here and up and down the East Coast.

The Lehmanns have four different-sized model trains running in various parts of their house.

"It's a good family hobby," said Blake Lehmann, "and coming to these shows is affordable: It's not a cheap hobby.

"There's a whole world of this online, but it's interesting that people come here to connect."