Trainfest is a

model railroad Railway modelling (UK, Australia, New Zealand, and Ireland) or model railroading (US and Canada) is a hobby in which rail transport systems are modelled at a reduced scale. The scale models include locomotives, rolling stock, streetcars, t ...

show that takes place annually in the

Milwaukee Milwaukee ( ), officially the City of Milwaukee, is both the most populous and most densely populated city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Milwaukee County. With a population of 577,222 at the 2020 census, Milwaukee ...

suburb

West Allis West Allis is a city in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. A suburb of Milwaukee, it is part of the Milwaukee metropolitan area. The population was 60,325 at the 2020 census. History The name West Allis derives from Edward P. Allis, ...

Wisconsin Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...

. According to the show’s organizers, it is “America’s largest operating model railroad show” and markets itself to both hobbyists and young families.Trainfest
/ref>

History

Trainfest started in 1971 as a one-day show in a Milwaukee Veterans of Foreign Wars hall. Today, Trainfest is a two-day event sponsored by the Wisconsin Southeastern (WISE) division of the

National Model Railroad Association The National Model Railroad Association (NMRA) is a non-profit organization for those involved in the hobby or business of model railroading. It was founded in the United States in 1935, and is also active in Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom ...

(NMRA) and takes over of the Wisconsin Exposition Center during the second weekend of November. Despite a faltering economy, total attendance in 2008 rose to 21,621 from 20,979 in 2007. Trainfest serves as both a showcase for trends in model railroading and a place where model railroaders can connect to share ideas about their

hobby A hobby is considered to be a regular activity that is done for enjoyment, typically during one's leisure time. Hobbies include collecting themed items and objects, engaging in creative and artistic pursuits, playing sports, or pursuing oth ...

. Trainfest features at least 50 operating layouts from Z to G scale, some constructed by hobbyists and some constructed commercially. Over 60 manufacturers (including industry giants such as Walthers,

Athearn Athearn is a United States manufacturer of model railroad equipment, produced and distributed by American hobby manufacturer Horizon Hobby, Inc. of Champaign, Illinois. History In 1938 Irvin Athearn built a detailed O scale model railroad layout ...

Bachmann Industries Bachmann Industries (Bachmann Brothers, Inc.) is a Bermuda-registered, Chinese-owned company, globally headquartered in Hong Kong; specialising in model railroading. Founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the home of its North American headqu ...

, Lionel,

Atlas An atlas is a collection of maps; it is typically a bundle of maps of Earth or of a region of Earth. Atlases have traditionally been bound into book form, but today many atlases are in multimedia formats. In addition to presenting geograp ...

Kalmbach Kalmbach is a surname of German origin derived from the name of a habitation, Kalmbach on the river Enz. Notable people with the surname include: * Al C. Kalmbach (1910-1981), American publisher and founder of Kalmbach Media * Edwin Richard Kal ...

Märklin Gebr. Märklin & Cie. GmbH or Märklin (MÄRKLIN or MAERKLIN in capital letters) is a German toy company. The company was founded in 1859 and is based at Göppingen in Baden-Württemberg. Although it originally specialised in doll house accesso ...

, and

MTH Electric Trains MTH Electric Trains is an American toy train and model railroad designer, importer, and manufacturer. A privately held company based in Columbia, Maryland, MTH was formerly known as Mike's Train House. Early career MTH's founder, Mike Wolf, start ...

) and 50 hobby dealers from across the country showcase their newest products and sample layouts. Since there'll be no event planned in 2020, the 50th was deferred to 2021.

Currently

In 2008, 12 historical groups also exhibited at Trainfest. Some exhibitors featured layouts depicting scenes from historical Wisconsin, including mining and logging, farm, and river and lake scenes.West Allis Now
/ref> In a 2008 West Allis Now feature story, executive director John Tews was quoted as saying, “Some people think Trainfest is just a collector’s event, but it’s an event for everyone.” One of Trainfest’ stated goals is “passing along the traditional hobby of model railroading to a new generation.” The festival offers free admission to youngsters under 14 (with a coupon available on its Web site). Some exhibits are aimed toward children, such as a layout built from LEGO blocks, a kid-sized

circus train A circus train is a method of conveyance for circus troupes. One of the larger users of circus trains was the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus (RBBX), a famous American circus formed when the Ringling Brothers Circus purchased the Ba ...

replica, and interactive racing features. Trainfest has also partnered with Radio Disney to offer a live show and craft booth for the children in attendance.Baird, Laura. "Trainfest entertains the kid in all of us." Lake Country Family, October 2008. p. 16.

References

{{reflist, 2

External links

TrainfestTracking America Episode 1: TrainfestNational Model Railroad AssociationTrainfest 2009 Official Promotion Video
Festivals in Wisconsin Model railway shows and exhibitions

History

Currently

See also

References

External links