Alva Trook

Alva B. Trook was a live steam enthusiast in Lafayette, Indiana. He built a large 3/4 inch scale layout on his farm south of Lafayette, Indiana. It was the second largest such layout in the United States in 1956. Alva also built locomotives and equipment.

1952
From The Miniature Locomotive, Volume 1 Number 1, May/June 1952:


 * NEWS FROM INDIANA: C. L. Hurst, Robert Bates, and Alva Trook were building three 3/4" scale Hudsons and were running monthly on Alva's track at Lafayette, Indiana.

1956 Meet
The North American Live Steamer, Volume 1, Number 6, 1956

Attention All Midwestern Live Steamers

Come out to Alva Trooks

October 6 and 7

1200 foot loop 3/4 inch scale. Steam bays for 30 locomotives. Rest rooms - Meals served. Everything for a wonderful two days.





Bill Yoder posted on Chaski.Org:


 * This brings back memories. I was at this track for the summer meet in 1958, I believe. That was along with my Dad, Enos Yoder. He should still have an 8 mm movie of that visit. The scenes included a spiffy, C&NW-style 4-4-2 as well as a PRR K4.

"Pre-Season Get Together", Farm Collector, July/August 1956:


 * Alva Trook, who invited everyone to his tracks for model steam locomotives the last Saturday and Sunday in May and October. His tracks are the second longest in the United States and are located south of Lafayette, Ind., on State Road 43. All those who owned steam engines were introduced, and they told what kind they had. One of the wives who was introduced said, 'I don't care anything about steam engines, but I think that steam engine people are the nicest in the world.'

From "Mud Ring Monthly", Cinder Sniffers, November 2014:


 * Larrick pointed out that the Cinder Sniffers didn't just appear in 1956 with a “big bang”; there were, in fact, fellow live steamers nearby in 1952, and maybe earlier. There was the Lafayette Indiana group with its cast of characters: CL Hurst, Robert Bates and Alva Trook.


 * I have in my possession the partially completed 3/4" Hudson begun by Clarence Hurst (or was it Hearst). I saw Alva Trook's track in a derelict state when I went up to Lafayette to get the Hudson from Clarence's widow. We drove by the house. The site was all overgrown something like my garden railway now. That was somewhere around 1980 maybe

1957 Meet
Model Train Meeting

The Times, Hammond, Indiana, Friday, 23 August 1957

Lafayette, Indiana (UP) -- Scores of model railroad enthusiasts from 10 states and Canada were expected today for a three-day invitational "live steam" meet. The coal-burning models of famous steam engines will be run on a 1,200-foot track on the Alva Trook farm south of here.

1972 Meet
Denis Larrick wrote in Mud Ring, October 2014:


 * I remember meeting Alva during my first visit to our track in Dover. It was a Lafayette Bunch reunion in September 1972.

Machine Shop
The following information is from "Railroad Magazine", April 1959, Volume #3:


 * Trook & Hurst Machine Shop; Lafayette, Ind.; Alva B. Trook; Clarence Hurst; William H. Dempsey; Ward B. Kilby

Personal Info
Alva B Trook was born on August 24, 1907. Alva married Dorothy DeLong 25 June 1937. He died on December 13, 1991 at 84 years old. Alva B Trook's last known residence is at Lafayette, Tippecanoe County, Indiana.