What can you build with $3.5 million in donations, two professional model-building companies, and thousands of hours put in by more than 40 artists and modelers, and a score of volunteers? How about The Great Train Story, a 3,500-square-foot HO scale model railroad that includes key features of Chicago, Seattle, and an impressive representation of selected points in between!
The Great Train Story is the newest railroad exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. This miniature wonderland features soaring mountain peaks, deep urban canyons, vast rural countrysides, and more than 34 trains running simultaneously on 17 tracks.
Conceived by museum exhibit designer John Llewellyn and fabricated through the combined efforts of Marc Shellist’s Scenic View Inc. of Chicago, Ill., and Michael Hart’s Scale Models, Arts, and Technologies Inc. (SMARTT) of North Miami Beach, Fla., the exhibit opened to the public November 22, 2002. The Great Train Story replaces the 61-year-old O scale Museum & Santa Fe RR exhibit originally designed by Minton Cronkhite.
Bigger yet smaller
Llewellyn said that the original 2,940-square-foot 1:48 scale layout, built in 1941, “had served the museum well over the years, but had completely worn out and could run only one of its ten trains at a time.” It also no longer portrayed an accurate picture of contemporary railroading in America.
To capture the spirit of modern railroading, the museum changed to HO scale, allowing it to display twice as much railroad in a somewhat expanded amount of space. Museum visitors are now treated to a 2,206-mile journey from the Pacific Ocean port of Seattle to Chicago’s Lake Michigan shoreline on a 1,425-foot three-track main line.
A teaching model railroad
However, the layout was built to be much more than just an amazing 1:87 scale spectacle. Museum senior exhibit developer Jennifer Johnston spent countless hours researching prototype railroads, finding suitable photos, and writing the educational text needed to make The Great Train Story an interactive exhibit. Through 24 information stations and 7 interactive points located along the main line, The Great Train Story tells the historic role railroads played in shaping the United States and their modern part in transporting raw materials, food, finished products, and passengers around the country.
Along the way visitors learn facts about railroad construction, safety, passenger travel, specialized types of railroad equipment, and the iron horse’s active role in commerce. Johnston commented that as a result of the process, “I personally learned a great deal about railroads and hope that visitors to the exhibit are inspired to find out more about them as well.”
Stories in the details
In addition to being a teaching tool, The Great Train Story is also a feast
for the eyes and ears. Displaying a huge diversity of prototypically accurate architectural styles, there are more than 192 custom-built structures making up the cities of Seattle and Chicago, including the Space Needle and Sears Tower.
The layout is populated by 1,485 miniature people, 1,000 model cars and trucks, a container ship, and a Great Lakes ore boat. All are arranged to give viewers a look at normal daily activity surrounding the railroad industry.
A visitor may find some humorous scenes as well. There is a collection of Chicago’s Cows on Parade (eight total), a famous Star Trek captain at the Space Needle, a group of red-capped garden gnomes tending part of the forest, a man on a one-way canoe trip, and several sets of campers encountering skunks and bears in up-close-and-personal ways, to name just a few.
Also, located at various intervals around the layout are 34 speakers providing ambient sounds. They include the crashing surf of Lake Michigan at Indiana Dunes, the hum of grain dryers in the Midwest, busy street noises in both cities, and a host of other recorded sounds, all of which add life and realism to the miniature world.
A museum and its railroad
Model trains have been popular with visitors to the Museum of Science and Industry since 1941. Johnston said that, “people enjoy the model railroad display as it is a way for them to make a piece of the larger outside world their own world.”
Not to disappoint that expectation, visitors to The Great Train Story exhibit will find it a stunning feat of craftsmanship and a breathtaking look at part of the United States in miniature.
Sponsoring the Exhibit
Funding, in part, for The Great Train Story was made possible by the following major donors: the Mazza Foundation, the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Ry. Co., and GATX Corp. Further support has been given by the Ferro family, TranSystems Corporation, TTX Co., the Elizabeth Morse Genius Charitable Trust, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, and the Duchossois Family Foundation.
Want to visit?
Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry, located at 57th St. and Lake Shore Dr., Chicago, IL 60637-2093, is open every day of the year except December 25. Museum hours are from 9:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 11:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. on Sunday. For more information call 773-684-1414 or visit the website.
Inspiring generations
Senior museum exhibit developer Jennifer Johnston called the original layout, the Museum & Santa Fe, “a generational icon.” As I talked to people of all ages during Model Railroader’s coverage of The Great Train Story, most seemed to agree with the statement; they all had fond memories of the old layout and carried lasting impressions of it.
Model Railroader managing editor Dick Christianson believes it was his first trip to the museum with his family in 1950 that inspired his father, who had never before had an interest in model trains, to buy him a train set that Christmas. He remembers the family working together in their kitchen building a papier mache mountain to match those at the museum.
Classic Toy Trains Senior Editor Kent Johnson recalls being impressed by the bird’s-eye view from the balcony. He enjoyed watching the trains pass through the miniature landscape on his visits to the museum as a boy. He returned to share that experience with his own son years later.
In the early 1970s, I too remember standing on that balcony as a child, then returning home with my father hoping we could emulate some aspect of the museum railroad’s grandeur on our own N and later HO scale layouts. Reminiscent of that experience, today my favorite view of the new museum layout is from the rear windows of the Boeing 727 that hangs above it.
Stories just like these are told by thousands who saw the original exhibit during its 61-year life and have since been inspired to become model railroaders, work for real railroads, or have simply grown to appreciate the romantic fascination people have with trains. Through its artistic splendor, The Great Train Story seems a worthy champion to carry on that iconic tradition for generations to come.
Saw this in person, it's very impressive and worth the trip when you are in Chicago.
A substantial amount of effort was dedicated to "Model Town Building". It would have been better to use the available funds to model more railroad scenes than create a scale model of the city of Chicago. Also, the demo trains sometimes run greater than 100 MPH which gives the effect of a toy train layout. 3.5 million? Not sure the donators got their moneys worth.
I was born 6/11/40 at the Evanston Hospital. From the age of 4 till we left for home (Sarasota Fl.), I visited the Mus. of Science and Industry every other Sunday. The Coal Mine had real working miners and there were locamotive cabs to play engineer. I could just see the ( I also believe it was 'S' scale) workings of the the layout. Mostly from a boost from my father. I think I coasted threw my frirst two grades at Sharp Corner Elementry in Skokie with my Museum education.
I retured for a visit, I believe 2002. The rebuild of the layout was still under construction, never the less, very impressive. However, many of the exhibits that I knew as a child were gone, like the engine cabs, the 'Gay 90's Street, and now a very static Coal Mine. Althouth the animated "Mr. Budd and his record breaking Zephyr were a great exhibit. This museum, along with the Field Museum around the corner has to be two of the finest collections in the world.
This sounds like the miniature wunderland in Germany, If your ever in Hamburg, I highly recommend it.
The layout is so large that the trains look smaller than HO.
It is good to see that even professional modelers can still have a sense of humour regarding the Star Trek captain and gnomes on the layout. This is just a small part of what this hobby is all about, individualism and personality. Unfortunately, in Australia, we do not have these sorts of exhibits, maybe a few dusty dioramas that have been around for years, all static and uninteresting.
Yes, please. A video. Pppllleeaase
I have'nt been to the Museum for almost 35 years now, but have alot of pictures of the old layout that was in place at that time. This new layout is a must see and I'd love to see it before I die of old age.
I was fortunate to have seen the old "Museum & Santa Fe" layout several times, from the 60's through the 80's. I've also been fortunate to be able to take in this new modern layout also! The old layout was part of the inspiration that kept me active in model railroading, and the new layout is having the same affect.
If you have an opportunity to get to Chicago, work in a jaunt over to the Museum of Science & Industry, to not only visit this amazing layout, but to check out all of the other great exhibits there…including the awesome underground Coal Mine where you descend the mine shaft, take a ride on the rails and learn the technology of coal mining. Also, be sure to step aboard one of America’s first diesel-electric streamlined passenger trains, Burlington's Pioneer Zephyr!!! And then there's the steam locomotive of the Empire State Express 999, the first machine to break the 100 mph barrier….and a United Airlines Boeing 727 suspended from above that you can go through and view the layout and the steam locomotive!
In other words…just go ahead and make plans to visit there! You won't be disappointed!!!
Layout looks really neat! I'm heading to Chicago this spring. It beats flying all the way to Germany to see a train layout.
The layout sort of makes my 24'x42' 2 level layout small.
unreal…its awesome….ive only got limited space in my basement for my ho layout//////
I am the outside contractor for the Great TrainStory. I am happy to inform everyone that there is a video/DVD available. It is a professionally produced product from TM Video and is for sale in the Museum's Idea Store. Unfortunately museum policy forbids advertising the video at the layout. The video is lso available direct from the producers.
http://www.tmbv.com/The-Great-Train-Story/productinfo/MSIDVD/
A few years ago I played around with a mini camera mounted on a railcar and produced a few fun videos.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Klw-hTVfVc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJn_Vde6Krw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Txyg1DYSF8s
Oh and I did visit Miniatur Wunderland twice in 2008. Here's my video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kriWZVaZBXg
Have fun, David Harrison
Last time I saw the old exhibit wan in 1947. It was great along with the old coal mine there. Hope to see this new exhibit soon.
We recently stayed at the University Club at Monroe and Michigan, and were amazed to see the accurate model of the Club in the Museum's layout.
I remember the original model from my childhood decades ago. The new is as great as the old, and the Museum can rightfully be proud.
seen in action, in 03, wonderful layout would highily recomend,my family and i spent the better part of a hole day just at the layout,
Needs a video bad.
I lived in Chicago for four years and saw the old layout several times. We visited the Chicago a few years ago and were blown away by the new layout. This is a "must see" item when you are in Chicago.
Why can't you have a video of the exhibit like you had of Wunderland?
I am a Chicago native. I have visited the muesum. It is a very impressive layout to view upclose. They did an excellent job in capturing the feel of both cities. Tell you wife it's an educational trip. There is plenty to see and do in downtown Chicago. My suggestion is let her go shopping on Michigan avenue.
I was always under the impression that the old layout was an "S" scale layout … American Flyer by Gilbert. I guess I was wrong. I'm going to have to get into Chicago to see this newer, better one.
A video of the new layout would be a win-win situation. I remember seeing the old display when I was younger.
The museum sells videos of the layout (manufactured by TM Productions of "I Love Toy Trains" fame) at their gift shop. I've seen both the old Lionel "O" scale layout and just recently saw the new HO layout.
There's no comparison – the new HO layout totally ROCKS!!! If I could do something a quarter as good in my basement, I'd be happy. The new layout will hopefully inspire a new generation of modelers who can grow to be model railroaders of the future.
Iwant a Video
Beautiful layout, a lot of detail and great detail.
Cast my vote with Don Hutchinson's————that Chicago spectacular deserves full video treatment, or is someone already working on a commercial DVD? If so, I can't wait to see it!