Highlights Archives
Museum to Host Model Railroad Display
All aboard for an interactive experience with an animated model railroad layout at the Wisconsin Historical Museum on Madison's Capitol Square! Buck and Jan Guthrie of Argyle took a barn in southern Wisconsin that was home to a herd of dairy cows and transformed it into a toy train museum called The Toy Train Barn. Operating display layouts range from tiny Z scale to G scale along with tin plate and Depression-era toy trains. The largest layout is the American Flyer S-gauge collection. The Toy Train Barn also features a large collection of photos and railroad memorabilia from Buck's career as an engineer and conductor for Wisconsin & Southern/Wisconsin & Calumet. Buck is a lifelong model train collectors, and Jan has created a game card for visitors to play at The Toy Train Barn.
For one weekend, Buck and Jan are bringing a large, interactive display of model trains to the Wisconsin Historical Museum. The special display includes an American Flyer train, an O-scale Lionel train, and numerous action scenes. On Saturday, December 9, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and on Sunday, December 10, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the Argyle & Eastern Railroad will clickety-clack along the roadbed, over a wooden trestle, through tunnels and historical scenes that recall a much simpler era. Many of the action scenes have hands-on buttons that allow visitors to participate in operating the display.
When you visit, be sure to see the Toy Stories exhibit for a historical look at popular toys and games from the 1940s to the present which includes such classics as Barbie, Etch-A-Sketch, Hot Wheels, Spirograph, Twister, Play-Doh, Tinkertoy, Scrabble, Lionel trains, and Cootie. Also included are toys with intriguing Wisconsin connections, such as the Sno-Coaster, Shrinky Dinks, Trivial Pursuit, Duncan yo-yos, and American Girl dolls. Vintage TV toy commercials add to the presentation, as do memories of favorite childhood toys as recalled by famous Wisconsinites. An interactive area permits visitors to play with classic toys and to record their own thoughts about favorite playthings.
Visitors are encouraged to do their part to make childhood memories bright for needy children in the community. The Wisconsin Historical Museum is a drop-off location for both Toys for Tots and the Empty Stocking Club.
:: Posted December 6, 2006
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