BELHAVEN — For Don Stark, it wouldn’t be Christmas without a toy train.
“My parents used to put up trains at Christmas,” recalled the Belhaven resident.
Stark’s love of trains has only grown over the years.
“I like these trains because they are toys they’re meant to be played with. They’re heavy-duty, and they still are running even though the trains they were modeled after are long gone. I find that interesting,” he said.
He and his wife, Marjie, have opened up a Christmas toy-train display on Main Street. The exhibit is located at Belhaven’s old town hall, 210 E/ Main St.
“We had some kids in the site yesterday who stayed for three hours they just had the best time,” Stark said. “They don’t want to leave. We have push buttons for accessories.”
They invited schools and groups to tour it over during the week and open it to the public on weekends.
“There’s no admission,” he said. “I’m doing this just to share this with the community … It’s just our Christmas gift to everyone.”
The exhibit opened last weekend and will open again today, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.; and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. The Starks will open the exhibit for two more days, Friday and Saturday, Dec. 20 and 21.