2025 Holiday Train Show
The Union County Board of County Commissioners is pleased to announce the return of Union County’s Model Train Show and Open House this holiday season. For three consecutive weekends, from Friday, November 28th to Sunday, December 14th, this family-friendly event welcomes visitors and train lovers of all ages to explore the captivating world of model railroads, learn about local train history, and appreciate the craftsmanship firsthand through engaging tours and demonstrations. The event will be held at the A. Paul Mallory Railroad Center, located at 295 Jefferson Avenue in Union.
“Our annual model train show is a holiday favorite in Union County; once you attend, you’ll understand why. It’s an opportunity for adults and children alike to take a break from their screens, reconnect, and enjoy what Union County has to offer,” said Union County Chairwoman Lourdes M. Leon. “The Commissioner Board and I are thrilled to continue supporting the Model Railroad Club, who organize the show, for creating this unique and engaging experience that residents look forward to each year. We can’t wait to see everyone there!”
This year’s show showcases the magic of model railroading, where special trains traverse across an expansive 11,000 square foot layout. Families can tour the trains and layout up close, getting an insider’s peek at the ongoing expansion. See how hand-laid tracks and scenery are meticulously crafted, and learn about the planning and engineering efforts that go into the club’s bi-level corkscrew loop. The 2025 show will also feature over 200 model train cars on a 1,600 square foot layout to tell the story of NJ railroads in the 1950s.
In addition to the HO-scale trains featured on the show, visitors can enjoy G-scale and N-scale layouts, a small play area for kids, a snack shop filled with delicious treats for purchase, and a railroad-themed gift shop to take home memorabilia from their experience. Jenny returns to share her story of growing up along the Trenton Northern railroad in a scripted show, “Jenny’s Coming Home”, running at the bottom of every hour.
The 2025 Model Train Show and Open House’s opening weekend will run from Friday, November 28, through Sunday, November 30, followed by a second weekend on Saturday, December 6, and Sunday, December 7. The event will conclude with a final weekend on Saturday, December 13, and Sunday, December 14. Visitors are welcome to attend the event from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. each day.
Tickets are $10 per adult, $5 per child, and $8 per senior aged 60 and older. Children ages 2 and under are free. All tickets to the 2025 Model Train Show and Open House will be sold at the door. For more information, please call 908-964-9724 or visit themodelrailroadclub.org.
The Model Railroad Club, Inc. is a tax-exempt public charity affiliated with the Union County Department of Parks & Recreation. All proceeds support the operations of The Model Railroad Club, Inc., one of the largest railroad clubs in New Jersey. The Club has approximately 170 volunteer members who help to fulfill the mission of the club to educate the general public about the railroads and the industries they served in the New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania areas. For more information about The Model Railroad Club and its activities, please visit themodelrailroadclub.org.
For more information about all programs and activities hosted by the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation, please visit ucnj.org/parks.
The Union County Railroad Club features numerous railroad and industrial exhibits, as well as HO scale and N scale layouts.
The A. Paul Mallery Model Railroad Center is located at 295 Jefferson Avenue, Union, NJ 07083. It is open to the public on Saturdays from 1PM to 4PM.
Union County’s Lenape Park is home to the A. Paul Mallery Model Railroad Center, which showcases a spectacular, meticulously detailed HO-scale layout with a viewing gallery, along with an elaborate N-scale layout, a workshop complex and many displays of railroading paraphernalia.
The Railroad Center was created by the members of The Model Railroad Club, a non-profit organization.
Members of the public are welcome to visit the Railroad Center every Saturday between 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. to see the trains in action, get to know the Club members and find out about becoming a member.
The Model Railroad Club also hosts special events at the Railroad Center. For complete details, directions and contact information visit themodelrailroadclub.org.
The Railroad Center is located on a service road in Union County’s Lenape Park, behind the Home Depot on Route 22 East at Springfield Road.
To reach the service road, use any entrance to the Home Depot/Walmart parking lot from Springfield Avenue or Route 22 East. Go to the western-most end of the Home Depot and continue behind the garden center, where the service road begins. The Railroad Center is just past the Union Township animal control facility.
About the Model Railroad Club:
The Model Railroad Club, Inc. was founded in 1949 by author and Master Model Railroader Paul Mallery. Today it is one of the largest model railroad clubs in North America.
The 11,000 square-foot Railroad Center facility was designed, financed and built by the members of the Club and donated to Union County as an activity under the Department of Parks and Recreation. By arrangement with the County, the Club occupies the building in order to create and operate model railroads and related displays as a public education service.
The Model Railroad Club, Inc. is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and is a registered charity in the State of New Jersey.