Small Wonders Weekend

At this celebration of toy trains and scale model railroading, guests will “marvel at the minis” while exploring the Museum’s impressive small-scale railroads, including the extensive on-site layouts operated by the Denver Garden Railway Society and the Denver HO Model Railroad Club.

For this special weekend, the High Plains 3-Railers will set up a modular O gauge layout in the Museum Pavilion, bringing even more miniature trains to life. This means there will be O gauge, HO, and G gauge trains in operation all weekend long! Both days, there will be opportunities for guests (under supervision) to participate in actually operating trains on the Garden Railroad layout! And, live operators will staff the HO model railroad layout in the Museum Depot basement both days, allowing guests to see the entire layout in action and to ask questions.

Videos highlighting the history of both layouts will air on the Pavilion’s video wall throughout the day, and live, narrated presentations in the Depot Upper Gallery will showcase how Toy Trains and Scale Models differ from each other, and the differences between Scale and Gauge in miniature railroading. And, in addition to the small trains, there will be big rides! Steam train rides will be offered on Saturday, and Galloping Goose rides on Sunday. Whether you’re a longtime train enthusiast or just discovering the world of model railroading, this event is perfect for all ages. All Aboard!