George,
There are several train shows throughout the year within 100 miles, there is a show in Fletcher near Asheville at the end of February and the beginning of October. Also there is one is Hickory at the beginning of April. And a small show in Gastonia around the middle to the end of June. The Loft is a great train store with a friendly owner located in the Winston- Salem area. If you are interested in Newton, NC is the SE Narrow Gauge & Shortline Museum they have an all scale Model Railroad Center with a large O Scale layout and a large HO Scale in the process of being built.
The Yadkin and Catawba Model Railroad Club is based out of the model railroad center and the have a traveling layout that is set up at some of these shows as well as at other events bunch of great guys in the club.
So come on down to NC we would love to have another train guy. Any questions let me know. Mooreville is not that far away from all this.
