ExTRAINaganza 2024

ExTRAINaganza 2024

The Great Falls Model Railroad Club of Auburn is holding its annual “ExTRAINaganza” at 144 Mill Street in Auburn on the weekends before and after Thanksgiving.  The handicapped-accessible club house, across from the Barker Mill in New Auburn, will be decorated as a Winter Wonderland with trains of various sizes operating on five permanent layouts throughout the two-story building.  ExTRAINaganza will be held from 10 to 4 on Saturday, November 23; Sunday, November 24; Friday, November 29; Saturday, November 30; and Sunday, December 1.

From the moment they walk through the door and see trains running on multiple tracks and through the tunnels of the large G-gauge layout, children are fascinated by the sights and sounds.  The interactive ski slope is a highlight of the attractive winter scene.  Around the corner, young children can enjoy Thomas the Tank Engine on a separate layout in the G-gauge room, with other engines from the Thomas series running on the upper trestle.  Adults and children will discover that the G-gauge layout has many features that were hidden from their first vantage point, including intricate trestles created by club members.  The club’s permanent layout for the smaller n-scale is in the next room.  Trains will also be operating in the hallway on the O-Gauge Lionel layout, which incorporates a variety of unique structures.

The club’s extensive HO layout downstairs is an engineering marvel.  Members continue to develop new and expanded details.  Long-time residents of the area will recognize many of the 1950’s scenes reproduced in the Lewiston Lower section of the layout, including Bates Mill #5 and the former Portland Union Station. Children can sign up to be “Guest Engineers” and operate one of the HO trains.

Train-related items can be purchased at the club’s store including locomotives and rolling stock in a variety of scales, railroad hats, whistles, T-shirts, locomotive earrings, books, and other train-themed items.  

Admission is by donation, suggested as $5 for adults and free for children 12 and under. 

For more details and photos of the ExTRAINaganza in previous years, visit our website:  www.greatfallsmodelrrclub.org

Host or Publisher Great Falls Model Railroad Club