We have friends who live in Indiana who we are planning on visiting next summer. On the way there we're planning on stopping at Mr. Muffins trains in Atlanta, IN as they seem to have a nice layout in their shop. We enjoy seeing a nice train layout. I'm an O gauge guy, but enjoy seeing a nice layout regardless of gauge, O, HO, N, etc.
So, the question is where are there good public train layouts that are open year round?
Thanks
Replies sorted oldest to newest
The Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh is a must see! It does close for maintenance for a period of time I believe.
Not in Indiana, but Roadside America in Shartlesville, Pa has got to be the "granddaddy" of them all. A classic O-Gauge setup.
Other Pa layouts include the ChooChoo Barn in Strasberg, Pa and the Model Train Exhibit in Allentown, Pa
www.choochoobarn.com
The Edgerton Model Railroad Club in Rochester, New York is caretaker of the old PAL "Model Railroad Heaven" Layouts. The four layouts were built in 1950 by Lionel and the City of Rochester as a way to keep kids occupied after school. Located at 41 Backus St. the layouts are open to the public the last Saturday of each month year round. Admission is free.
In Griffith Indiana is a group called the HiRail Modular Train Club,They have a 60ft long by 29ft wide layout.It also has a 3 track mainline.There is a very nice model of a steel mill in there.They are open the first and third full weekends of every month year round.Admission is free.They have website and are on facebook.
Oglebay Park in Wheeling,WVa is great. Not near as large as Carnegie, but worth it. And not that far from Pittsburgh.
I too travel to central Indiana on occasion. There is the National New York Central Museum at Elkhart. Check with them for operating hours as I have been in the area and they were closed that day. They have a nice layout in "o gauge" that was showcased on I love toy trains. They also have an f3 that you can explore and blow the horn!
Cincinnati Union Station has a beautiful "layout" depicting the city in the early 20th century.
There is also a world class On3 layout in the original UP station in Cheyenne, WY along with fine museum of the railroad.
The Medina RR museum in Medina, NY has and HO layout measuring over 200 feet long along with many RR artifacts.
Pete
If you want to see the rr's of the Leigh valley, there is a "world Class" HO layout in Bethlehem, PA- The Leigh & Keystone Valley
Also another "World Class" Ho Layout resides in the BAsement of the Roberson Science Museum in Binghamton, NY. an HO layout of the Railroads in Broome County, NY and includes Starucca Viaduct.
http://www.roberson.org/exhibi...-model-train-layout/
Thank you for your excellent suggestions. Though I live in NC we'll be driving to northern Indiana, Chesterton.
My thinking for this post was should we be traveling in the neighborhood of say Shartlesville or Cincinnati or Wheeling we could stop in. I always enjoy watching a nice train display.
trainman129 posted:The Edgerton Model Railroad Club in Rochester, New York is caretaker of the old PAL "Model Railroad Heaven" Layouts. The four layouts were built in 1950 by Lionel and the City of Rochester as a way to keep kids occupied after school. Located at 41 Backus St. the layouts are open to the public the last Saturday of each month year round. Admission is free.
Here is the 2016 holiday week open house schedule for the historic Edgerton-PAL-Model Railroad Heaven display as featured in the Bantam Books of the 1950's:
Friday , December 23 , 2016 11 AM through 2 PM
Monday , December 26 , 2016 11 AM through 2 PM
Wednesday , December 28 , 2016 11 AM through 2 PM
Friday , December 30 , 2016 11 AM through 2 PM
MR-150 posted:In Griffith Indiana is a group called the HiRail Modular Train Club,They have a 60ft long by 29ft wide layout.It also has a 3 track mainline.There is a very nice model of a steel mill in there.They are open the first and third full weekends of every month year round.Admission is free.They have website and are on facebook.
Here is a link to the club mentioned by MR-150.
Dear Alan:
We, The Glacier Line, is NOT a "public" layout. However, we have hosted others from time to time; including the Board of Directors from the LCCA.
This layout was featured in OGR Great Layout Adventures #13 (released October 2016) and also in the August/September (2016) edition of OGR Magazine.
Check out The Glacier Line's Youtube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channe...ZxPaCIdEq3ajqVTUO6lw
NO PROMISES...we are physically located in Avon Indiana. It is located immediately west of Indianapolis. When you are in/near this area you may contact me to see if we are available. We may be in the real Glacier Park in the summer.
The "best" nights are Sunday evenings as every other week "The Crew" is present operating the Glacier Line.
A bit out of the way for your trip but Northlandz in Flemington, NJ is well known.
Tony
You living in NC, I am sure you have seen the O-gauge layout in the Great Smokey Mountain Train Museum, at Bryson City, NC. But I had to ask.
Tony_V posted:A bit out of the way for your trip but Northlandz in Flemington, NJ is well known.
Tony
If you're more than within comfortable driving distance save your gas. While I do appreciate all of the work the owner put into Northlandz, my visit there was very uninspiring.
If you can get over to New Jersey near Allentown PA is a place called Northlandz Trains in Flemington N.J. www.northlandz.com it is mainly H.O. but has a small room with O gauge and a few other sizes as well. It has a small section that has a doll house area as well. Make sure you are prepared for a 2 hour walk around the whole place.
Lee Fritz
The Paradise and Pacific located at the McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park in Scottsdale Arizona is open 363 days a year if I am correct. We have people running every day and when someone is not there a lot of the layout is set to run on automatic. It along with the HO and N gauge club layouts are all designed with the public in mind. Of course the O scale is the most public friendly. 
Newest video of Glacier Line, taken last night 12-19-2016....
Within a reasonable distance from local shortline Black River & Western and the local Big Little Railroad Shop, Northlandz is the place to go. A massive HO layout that has been built by a man who is basically a master at his craft.
If you are going through Cincinnati you should make a stop at Entertrainment Junction. It is worth the time and price of admission.
Steve
Thank you all for your suggestions. Hopefully some day my bride and I will be able to visit some of these train displays.
John Coy: Thanks for the offer concerning the Glacier Line in Avon, IN. We have yet to decide when we're going to make the trip to Indiana, but when we get more clear on the dates of travel I'll let you know. Possibly we can also get to a Cubs game (wish me luck getting tickets for that!) and work in a visit to the Chicago Museum of Science to see their trains.
No I've not been to Bryson City NC.
Thanks,
Alan
As told me once you a member of the TMB RR club out on Long island, you see each layout yourself then make a judgement call. Fwiw, about an hrs drive from Northland is the Bethlehem ho club of the Leigh and Keystone Valley. If you are disappointed about Northlandz, the Leigh and Keystone Valley is with the trip! Two words, Museum Quality!
AlanWSNC posted:Thank you all for your suggestions. Hopefully some day my bride and I will be able to visit some of these train displays
No I've not been to Bryson City NC.
Thanks,
Alan
As close as you are to Bryson City, you should pencil that is as a must see. Purchase the train ride and get complimentary entrance into the museum.
Hobbit posted:If you are going through Cincinnati you should make a stop at Entertrainment Junction. It is worth the time and price of admission.
Steve
I second that....been twice....always great......
Dave, thanks for the photos. Looks really good. There are so many excellent suggestions. Gives me fodder for future trips.
Access to this requires an OGR Forum Supporting Membership
