Night Trains is now a winter tradition

The three largest layouts in the museum feature model trains built on the “O Scale.” This is the scale commonly used for toy trains and rail transport modeling. In the “O Scale,” which is pictured here, 1/4’ is equal to 1’. Other museum layouts feature a wide range of scales and gauges, both larger and smaller than the “O Scale.”

Article and photos by MARGIE O’LOUGHLIN

The Twin City Model Railroad Museum is running its Night Trains exhibit at full speed right now. In its still new location at 668 Transfer Road, Suite #8, the railroad museum will be dimming its lights every Saturday night from 6-9pm through Feb. 24, 2018, to create a winter wonderland. Santa Claus is scheduled to make guest appearances on Dec. 16 and 23.

Photo right: “Train Doctor” Peter Southard used a pair of needle-nose pliers to wire a passenger car. The University of St. Thomas professor said, “I really like fixing things, and it’s more fun doing that here than at home.”

The Night Trains exhibit has been part of St. Paul holiday tradition since the 1990’s. The museum’s large display of vintage trains, period streetscapes, and buildings glow warmly on Saturday nights—creating a sense of stepping back in time. Small-scale holiday lights and decorations adorn the Night Trains exhibit, adding to the festive spirit.

The Twin City Model Railroad Museum has been a proud part of St. Paul since 1934. Current president Oscar Lund, a retired economist and self-described train nut, has a passion for railroad history and train travel. “This event is our main fundraiser,” he said. “We get a lot of repeat customers who enjoy bringing their families to see the Night Trains. The response that we get from visitors is that this exhibit is just magic.”

The Museum settled into its current location on Transfer Road in May of 2016, just south of the former Amtrak Station along the Minnesota Commercial Rail Yard. Before that, it had long tenures in both Bandana Square and the St. Paul Union Depot.

Photo left: Barry Krelitz, one of the museum’s 150+ volunteers, interpreted the Orient Express exhibit for visitors. The non-profit railroad museum could not exist without its strong volunteer base.

According to Lund, the Museum is at a time of critical growth. “We’ve relied on income ‘from the gate’ for so long, and not enough on donors and corporate sponsors. We received a tremendous amount of support from the community when we had to move from Bandana Square, and now we’re in a space where we see even more potential for expansion. We’ve managed to operate for 83 years with a staff of volunteers, but we will soon need to hire permanent staff. This is an exciting time for our museum.”

Volunteer Paul Gruetzman also has a long view of the Twin City Model Railroad Museum. He started building exhibits more than 30 years ago when the museum was housed in downtown St. Paul. Along with his father, his wife, and their children, Gruetzman has made significant contributions of time and talent to the museum over the years. One of his greatest contributions has been completing a scale version of the Stone Arch Bridge across the Mississippi River at St. Anthony Falls. “I like building things and sharing my hobby. The level of fellowship that we enjoy here is something really special,” Gruetzman said.

The museum features more than 11,000 square feet of interactive train layouts. The exquisitely rendered “O Scale” panorama shows railroad life in the Twin Cities during the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s. This was a time when both steam and diesel engines shared the rails.

To learn more about the Twin City Model Railroad Museum’s regular hours of operation visit www.tcmrm.org or call 651-.647-.9628. The museum is also available on a limited basis for special sponsored events.

Photo below: An estimated 7,500 visitors will come to view the Night Trains this season. The cost is $15 for visitors five years and older, and those under four are free. To make it affordable for families and groups, the cost for the third and subsequent visitor is half price - up to a group size of 10.