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The Best Model Train Show in Union County is Back!

model train setJust in time for the holidays, the Model Railroad Club will once again open its doors to the public for special holiday shows.

COVID-19 safety protocols apply at this event.

Union County, NJ – A favorite Union County family tradition returns with tours, demonstrations and holiday fun when The Model Railroad Club opens to the public for a new Train Show and Open House series over three consecutive weekends, beginning on November 26 and ending on December 12.

The shows will take place at the Railroad Club’s fully equipped facility and workshop, the A. Paul Mallory Model Railroad Center, located at 295 Jefferson Avenue in Union Township behind the Home Depot off Route 22 East. Visitors arriving from Route 22 East can follow the signs through the Home Depot parking lot to the Railroad Center.

“Sharing the holiday season with the Model Railroad Club has been a favorite tradition for   families and children throughout Union County and beyond,” said Union County Commission Chairman Alexander Mirabella. “The Commissioner Board is been a proud supporter of The Model Railroad Club and we are looking forward to another great year.”

The 2021 Train Show and Open House will showcase special train operations that traverse the Club’s sprawling, 11,000 square foot HO scale layout. Famous trains from the past, such as the Santa Fe Railroad’s Super Chief and the New York Central’s 20th Century Limited will be on exhibit.

Visitors can enjoy different views of the layout, get an up-close insider’s peek at the expansion of the Railroad Center, see how track is hand-laid, learn how mountains and scenery are created, and find out about the planning and engineering that goes into the club’s distinctive bi-level corkscrew loop.

Also on display are G-scale and N-scale layouts, and more. The Railroad Club’s train themed gift shop will also be open for holiday shoppers.

The 2021 Train Show and Open House series will begin on Friday, November 26. It will continue for the weekends of November 27-28, December 4-5, and December 11-12. Hours are from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. each day.

Tickets can be purchased in advance online at themodelrailroadclub.org, or in person at The A. Paul Mallory Model Railroad Center. The Railroad Center will be open on Saturdays from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. for in-person ticket sales.

Advance tickets are $9 for adults (ages 13-59), $7 for senior citizens (aged 60 and older), and $4 for children ages 3 to 12.

Tickets purchased in person are $10 per adult (ages 13-59), $8 per senior citizen (aged 60 and older) and $5 for children ages 3-12.

Tickets are free for children 2 and under.

For more information on ticket sales including discounts for groups of 10 or more, please call The Model Railroad Club at 908-964-9724.

Please note that the Train Show and Open House replaces The Model Train Club’s annual “Sound and Light” show, which continues to be on hiatus due to COVID-19 safety precautions. Visitors are asked to follow all posted COVID-19 safety protocols while attending the Train Show and Open House.

The A. Paul Mallory Railroad Center is wheelchair-accessible and parking is free. It was built by members of the Model Railroad Club and is located in a multi-purpose area of Lenape Park in Union Township, under an arrangement with the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation.

The Model Railroad Club, Inc. is a tax-exempt public charity affiliated with the Union County Department of Parks and 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.

To learn more about The Model Railroad Club and its activities, please visit themodelrailroadclub.org.

More information about all activities of the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation is available at ucnj.org/parks-recreation.

For more information and updates on all Union County services during the COVID-19 outbreak, including free vaccination, free testing, emergency food distribution and other support services, visit ucnj.org/covid19. General information about COVID-19 is available through the New Jersey Department of Health at nj.gov/health.

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For all Union County programs and services visit ucnj.org, call the Public Info Line, 877-424-1234, email info@ucnj.org or use the online Contact Form.

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