The Great Northern Station

Built in 1914 at a cost of two million dollars, it was approximately 300’ x 155’ and the concourse spanned 12 tracks below. It was demolished in 1978 and all passenger business was transferred to the Amtrak station in St. Paul, but during its many years of service, nearly 3 million passenger trains passed beneath its concourse.

New Book Chronicles 75 Year History of the Twin City Model Railroad Museum

The storied history of the Twin City Model Railroad Museum is chronicled in a new book titled The Twin City Model Railroad Club/Museum 1934-2009. The book is now available in the Museum’s gift shop at Bandana Square, Suite 222, 1021 Bandana Blvd. East, St. Paul MN, 55108; cost is $20 including tax.

Night Trains Event at the Twin City Model Railroad Museum

Saturday, November 28th was the start of the 2009 – 2010 Night Trains season at the Twin City Model Railroad Museum in Saint Paul, Minnesota.

Pictures from “The Circus Moves by Rail” show at the Twin City Model Railroad Museum

Last month, I told you about the “The Circus Moves by Rail” show at the Twin City Model Railroad Museum scheduled for October 10th and 11th and said that I would follow up by posting pictures of the event.

Videos from “The Circus Moves by Rail” show at the Twin City Model Railroad Museum

The event was held at the Twin City Model Railroad Museum’s home turf at Bandana Square in Saint Paul and was attended by other groups, including C&R Circus, a group that specializes in HO and O scale circus modeling.

Twin City Model Railroad Museum on Saint Paul Community TV

I found a great video created in October 2007 by a Saint Paul Community Television channel. This video tells some of the history of the Twin City Model Railroad Museum much better than I can.

“The Circus Moves by Rail” show at the Twin City Model Railroad Museum

If you’re anywhere near the Twin Cities this weekend, take some time to drop by the Twin City Model Railroad Museum to see The Circus Moves by Rail show Saturday, October 10th, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm and Sunday, October 11th, 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm.

Freight Yard Disaster

I get a call Friday asking if I could come in Saturday to cover for another volunteer that can’t make it in. Normally, I volunteer at the Twin City Model Railroad Museum on Tuesdays, but I didn’t have any plans for Saturday so I said yes.

Coming in on a Saturday gave me a chance to work with some folks I normally don’t get to work with, so I figured it was an opportunity to learn something new. I learned some new stuff but I also re-learned something I already knew; or so I thought.

Uncouple Tip

One of the things I’ve learned while volunteering at the Twin City Model Railroad Museum (TCMRM) is how quickly and easily uncouple cars without lifting them off the track with your hand.
A simple plastic stir stick, available at most fast food restaurants that serve coffee, can be used as shown in the pictures at right to uncouple two [...]

Twin City Model Railroad Museum

On June 10th, I paid a visit to the Twin City Model Railroad Museum in St. Paul, Minnesota to take some pictures for an article I was working on for the Model Train Tips Newsletter. I also just wanted to check out the trains; I hadn’t been to the museum in several months and this seemed like the perfect excuse.

The centerpiece is a large O-gauge model railroad on display for the public. Each of the four main lines are 220′ long which translates into two scale miles of track! In addition to the four main lines there are several yard lines