Keystone Model Railroad Historical Society
Our Modular / holiday Layout
The Keystone Midland, in conjunction with Friends of Fort Hunter, sponsors a three weekend display each year in Harrisburg, PA during the holidays called The Toy Train. As part of educating the public and preserving railroad history in the area, a traveling modular layout is set up and run by club members.
The display at Fort Hunter serves to channel interest in the club which also holds a two-day open house on weekends during the holiday time period. Many visitors to The Toy Train also visit the club’s 20x50 foot layout in its Mechanicsburg location.
CLICK HERE For our Holiday Exhibition Schedule.
For 30 years, children of all ages have delighted in seeing our passenger trains, freight trains and scenes reminiscent of Pennsylvania attractions and countryside. The magic of model railroading even shows Thomas the Tank and other character rolling stock and engines highly recognizable by toddlers who enjoy the TV series of the same name.
While not specific to any one attraction or locale, the modules are recognized by the association of childhood memories to a type of terrain or a particular building or amusement park ride. There is something for everyone as lights flash, burning buildings glow, sirens sound, cattle moo and Ferris wheels turn. So much is packed into the huge display that many visitors come back on successive weekends to try to capture what they might have missed. Each weekend, more than 1,000 people visit the free-to-the-public layout and many purchase a raffle ticket for a train set given away on the last weekend.
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Each year, something new is added to the display, keeping it fresh and exciting. Publicity from local newspapers and radio and TV help promote the display and the hobby to the general public. Club members make contributions to scenery, staffing and rolling stock. It takes five members to assemble the modules and two members several additional days to hook up connections and test all the operating lights, rides and trains.
