Strasburg, Pennsylvania is a great destination for train fans, and one of the most popular spots is the National Toy Train Museum.
The National Toy Train Museum is run by the Train Collectors Association and also houses their headquarters. Since 1977, it has been a destination for those that love model railroads.
Its location near other popular train spots in Lancaster County, such as the Strasburg Railroad, the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, and the Red Caboose Motel (which sits next door), make this a perfect spot to visit for train lovers. It’s also just down the road from the popular Choo Choo Barn, another large model train exhibit, but more on that spot later.
The National Toy Train Museum features half-a-dozen large model railroad layouts, as well as a handful of smaller ones. These layouts feature a variety of train scales and settings. That makes each one fun and unique to look at.
Probably my favorite of these model trail exhibits is the Civil War diorama, which provides a unique look at a working model railroad through a Civil War battlefield. Other exhibits feature more traditional displays such as mid-century towns, industrial settings, and more.
The trains are started by pressing a button on the display, and you can also control certain features on them with button presses, as well. This is not only a great way to save energy and some wear and tear on the trains, but also helps the display be more interactive for kids.
It’s worth noting that the displays here are much smaller than what you’ll find at the nearby Choo Choo Barn, even if you combined them all together. So, if you just want to see a great train display, you might prefer stopping there instead.
That being said, the National Toy Train Museum really excels at both the variety of the displays, as well as portraying the history of the hobby. That’s because, in addition to the model railroad layouts, there are also historical displays throughout the museum and videos that offer information on model railroading.
These include model trains and other toys dating back to the 19th century, as well as many pieces from more recent decades. This provides a nice educational component to the space that I haven’t seen at other model railroad displays in Pennsylvania.
I especially enjoyed the section of the museum that was dedicated to what the model train factories made during World War 2. This is a really unique angle that I’d never even thought about before, and the breadth of items made by these manufacturers was truly astounding and fascinating.
It’s worth noting that the National Toy Train Museum only occupies two large rooms. While the displays here are interesting and the model railroads are very well done, if you only have a passing interest in the subject, you could breeze through here pretty quickly.
Of course, on the flip side, for those that love model railroading, you could spend hours here looking at the minute details of each train display. So, your exact experience here will very much vary based on your interest level.
All that being said, for me personally, I enjoyed my visit, but would prioritize the Choo Choo Barn and Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania if you’re visiting town and don’t have time for all of the museums in the area.
That’s not to say that the National Toy Train Museum isn’t incredibly well done and worth your time, but not everyone can spend time at three different museums, so that’s something worth keeping in mind for all but the most die-hard model railroad fans.
Looking for more places to visit nearby? Check out the covered bridges of Lancaster County, President Buchanan’s Wheatland, and the Cartoon Network Hotel.
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