A room filled with tiny delights

St. Paul museum will expand your train-lover’s horizons

STORY AND PHOTOS BY KATHLEEN MURPHY

Every train-loving kid knows they are lucky to live in the Twin Ports. Our modest little city boasts not one, but two scenic railroads, along with an outstanding railroad museum and summer visits from the most famous train of them all, Thomas the Tank Engine.

At some point, they’ll want to expand their train universe. The Twin City Model Railroad Museum in St. Paul is centrally located in the Twin Cities area, a little over two hours from Duluth, and is the perfect starting point for your family train-cation.

“The best thing about our space is you can spend as much or as little time as your family needs,” said Brandon Jutz, the marketing and public relations manager for the museum. “If you or your child is really into trains, you can spend hours. If you just need a breather between events, you can spend an hour. It’s really open-ended.”

A recent visit made me a believer. The museum is housed entirely in one expansive room, but each exhibit is so engaging and detailed, it is hard to imagine seeing everything even in a day. One of the train tables (though table is an inadequate word here) boasts both the St. Paul and Minneapolis skylines, including notable landmarks such as the Stone Arch Bridge, St. Anthony Falls, the Mississippi River and the St. Paul Streetcar lines. And these are just the big-ticket items. Small details are a delight to notice, like the tiny, well-dressed people in the dining car that just clickclacked past, or the numerous vintage automobiles to be found along the main street of their tiny, rural Minnesota town replica of Mattlin.

There are more types of model trains than the average person knows, and it appears this museum has a train table for all of them. Most of the exhibits are interactive in some way, offering enthusiasts the opportunity to operate the trains. One exhibit offered a model train weaving through an amusement park setting. Every amusement park ride on the table — such as roller coasters and ferris wheel — had a corresponding button that set the ride into motion. Toddlers and adults alike seemed enthralled with this simple set-up, the table was constantly busy.

The Greater Midwest Lego Train Club has a large exhibit in the museum, offering something for not only train fans, but Lego fans. Duluthians will be proud to see that one of the most prominent structures on the Lego table is our very own Endion Depot. Sharp eyes will spot several other Duluth landmarks dotted throughout the museum.

Not forgetting that small hands need time for constructive play, the museum has a large Brio Train play area, as well as an area for kids to play with Legos. Both offer benches nearby for any weary parent who needs a few moments to catch their breath. A small gift shop is on premises, as well as an extensive library with tables so that patrons can leaf through books. Nestled behind the gift shop, a model railroad repair center is open for guests to ask questions of “The Train Doctor.”

“Some families like to take advantage of our family admission rate and let the smaller kids run in between sporting events for their older kids,” said Jutz, “but there are so many train-related things to do in the Twin Cities, you could start with us then spend all weekend checking out trains.”

Right behind the museum sits the Minnesota Commercial rail yard — not a tourist attraction in itself, but a nice background setting for a model train museum. The Minnesota Transportation Museum is a short drive away, and features the Jackson Street Roundhouse, one of the last operating roundhouse turntables in the country. A 15 minute train ride is included in the price of admission.

Also in St. Paul, pay a visit to Choo Choo Bob’s Train Store. They sell all types of play wooden train sets, but also have an interactive play area for kids and host events such as a story hour. There is a Choo Choo Bob Show that runs on cable channels, but can more easily be found through a quick YouTube search.

During the summer months, historic streetcars give public rides at both the Excelsior Streetcar Line in Excelsior, MN, and Como-Harriet Streetcar Line in Minneapolis. A streetcar from Duluth’s olden days makes its home at the Excelsior station. If it is a more modern ride you’re going for, the Minnesota Light Rail has stations throughout the Twin Cities and is not expensive to ride.

The Union Depot in downtown St. Paul is home to both Amtrak and the Light Rail, as well as several other transportation options. “It’s a great place for a train enthusiast to have a picnic in the summer months,” said Jutz. “The Rail View Picnic Area looks over a set of tracks that carries 5 percent of the nation’s freight volume.”

If you need a place to eat in, Can Can Wonderland is just minutes from the Model Railroad Museum. It has food, but also a mini golf course and boardwalk arcade, all within an old can factory that now makes it a mission to support the local arts scene. It’s not train-related, but you’d be hardpressed to find a more interesting place to eat.