The Model Railroad Exhibit and Hobby Shop features three operating model railroad layouts and one under construction. The exhibit is located in the Multi-Purpose Building on Main Street, just west of the entrance from the parking lot (look for the Union Hobby Shop sign). It is open Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays 10 to 4pm Memorial to Labor Day.
One layout is a large O gauge display that IRM rebuilt by adding interactive components that permit kids of all ages to operate portions of the layout. The layout includes city scenes with elevated train operation, representative of the Chicago ‘L’, as well as sizable railroad yards and multi-track main lines. There is even a Christmas-themed section of the layout set at the North Pole.
In addition, the Model Railroad Exhibit includes:
- A large “four seasons” HO scale model railroad that features a “scavenger hunt” challenge in its elaborately detailed scenes
- A miniature N scale layout featuring tiny custom-made 3D-printed buildings
- An HO scale layout under construction, detailing model railroad construction methods
- Displays of historic train models, memorabilia, dioramas, signage, and more
- A hobby shop that sells all gauges of model railroad locomotives, cars, track, scenery, transformers, and buildings