Jack Hamilton

While Santa’s elves produce a lot of train sets each holiday season, they can’t hold a candle to the quality and scale of the ones on display each year at the Washington State History Museum’s Model Train Festival.

“Railroads have played an important role in our state’s history,” said Jennifer Kilmer, director of the Washington State Historical Society. “The model train festival provides a wonderful opportunity for us to share that history in a fun environment that involves Washington state residents and brings to life their passion for model trains.”

Running the week after Christmas, the 16th annual event will showcase eight model train displays designed and assembled by model train enthusiasts from across the state, including Boeing Employees Model Railroad Club, Cannonball Express, Pierce County Lionel Club, Mount Rainier N Scale, 4D NTRAK Group, 4D PNR HO Modular Group, Puget Sound Model Railroad Engineers, and Washington State Operation Lifesaver. The displays will occupy every floor of the museum and include the largest permanent model train layout in the state.

“The week after Christmas is a time that a lot of families have off from school and work,” said Kilmer. “We’d like to encourage everyone from around the state to consider a day trip to Tacoma.”

As an added attraction, this year’s festival will also feature a presentation on The History of the Great Northern Railroad and the important role it played in the development of the Pacific Northwest. The presentation will be hosted by Randy Dasho Sr., a local railroad historian who spent 43 years as an employee at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. The presentation will run from 1:30 to 3 p.m. on December 28 and December 29 and is free with paid admission to the train festival.

The Facts

December 26, 2011 – January 1, 2012
10 a.m. — 5 p.m. daily
Washington State Hustory Museum
1911 Pacific Avenue
Tacoma, WA 98402
(253) 272-3500
Admission: Adults $8; Seniors 60 and older $7; Students and Military $6; Children 5 and under free; Members of the WSHS free