Festival of Trains opens at Heritage Center

Members of the Northern Michigan Railroad Club blew the dust off and tuned up the miniature circus train that will be one of the features at the annual Festival of Trains opening Saturday.

"It's all about the circus," said Bill Kirschke, who is co-conductor of the event with Rick Vandenberg. "There's a train, wagons, a parade and even a circus tent that has been redone."

Stored in boxes for years, the "G scale" circus train and circus has not been featured in the annual event for nearly a decade. Kirschke thinks visitors of all ages will be wowed by the large-scale 15-by-22-foot display.

"It's going to be very cool," said Patti DeAgostino, executive director of the Grand Traverse Heritage Center. "I'm very much looking forward to this since this is my first year as director."

The Festival of Trains is the Heritage Center's biggest fundraiser of the year. Trains will be on display at the Heritage Center through Jan. 1. This year, many of the displays are expanded and there will be several new layouts in addition to the circus train.

"There's a 48-foot-long "O-scale" that's the centerpiece," said Kirschke. There will also be a new "S" and "HO" scaled layout and the "N" scale layout will have new modules and expanded layout. In addition, the Lionel train set-up will be designed for speed.

"We will be able to run some big engines fast and there are kids who really like that," said Vandenberg. "Every year we try to mix it up and make it a little bit different."

"We're taking up the entire space, it's just about as big as it can get in that facility," said Kirschke.

The Railroad Club members meet to put together the elaborate displays and only members of the Club and their junior members are allowed to run the trains.

In addition to the display, there will be an opportunity to win a $500 Lionel Train set, a $225 gift card for two Amtrak tickets from Grand Rapids to Chicago and $100 artisan-crafted railroad car birdhouses. Tickets will be available for $1, or five for $6.

Thousands of visitors are expected to view the traditional model railroad car displays.

"There's nothing like this in northern Michigan," said Vandenberg, who has met attendees who have traveled from as far away as Sault Ste. Marie and Port Huron. DeAgostino said she has even received calls from Chicago residents this year wondering when the event opens.

Festival admission is $5 per adult; $3 per senior citizen; $2 for students; and free for children 6 and under. A family pass for $20 allows unlimited access to the festival.

Generally, hours will be 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., with the exceptions of Sundays, Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve, and New Year's Day. Check with the Heritage Center for hours on those days; the Festival of Trains is closed on Christmas.

A special day devoted to Michigan Roads is planned for Saturday, Dec. 22. Sunday, Dec. 23, will feature Pre-War Trains.

Photos

Bill Kirschke co-conductor of The Northern Michigan Railroad Club cleans circus train cars that will be running during the Festival of Trains at the Grand Traverse Heritage Center. Record-Eagle