Model trains entice: Holiday Village attracts train lovers young and old, to Union Station

Superheroes and rock stars are there.

Thomas the Tank Engine, the Seven Dwarfs, and Marilyn Monroe are there, too. There is a junk yard and an amusement park complete with a hot air balloon. The detail that is displayed is enough to keep visitors to Union Station's Grand Hall interested for hours.

Throughout the year, volunteers from all over the metro gather at Union Station and meticulously put together track, trains, and scenery. The 40' by 60' display includes everything from the Daily Planet to Heartbreak Hotel.

"We work on it all year," Mike Laboi, of Raytown, said.

Twenty to 30 volunteers spend thousands of hours year round to make this Garden Railroad exhibit bigger and better every year.

"It is a group effort. It takes a lot of people," Laboi said.

Laboi, vice president of the Union Station Model Railroad Society is just one of the many who volunteers their time to bring this tourist attraction to life.

The G-scale Holiday Village is truly something to see. Taking up 2400 square feet of space in Union Station's Grand Hall with 16 tracks and an average of 36 trains running through numerous detailed villages there is something for everyone.

Ted Tschirhart, president of the Union Station Model Railroad Society oversees the operation that attracts tourists from New York to Germany. The smiles and excitement on the faces as they watch the trains carefully traveling through the tunnels and over the bridges, rounding the bends, and passing numerous homes and stores, makes the hours of work well worth it.

The volunteers work diligently to make sure that all trains are running smoothly, though there is the occasional wreck or derailment.

"Sometimes I think the visitors like the wrecks just as much," Laboi said.

"We are the only Union Station exhibit with 100 percent positive feedback," Tschirhart said, acknowledging that even when their exhibit has a problem (i.e. a crash) the visitors are still entertained.

The Union Station Model Railroad Society took over the Holiday Village two years ago, and was started four years ago by the Kansas City Garden Railway Society. Each year the exhibit grows in size and complexity. This year O-gauge Lionel trains and S-gauge trains join the large G-gauge garden trains. The hope is to continue to add trains of various sizes and scales so that each scale is represented.

Also new this year is a model of Disney World complete with the infamous characters and princesses. The Disney portion was added to compliment Union Station's upcoming Behind the Magic: 50 Years of Disneyland exhibit.

While the Holiday Village is only on display for a couple of months each year, the work behind the scenes is continuous.

"It takes constant work," Laboi said. "We are always looking for volunteers."

The Holiday Village is on display now through Jan. 2, 2008 with trains running 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and noon to 5:30 p.m. Sundays. Admission is free but, donations are accepted.

For more information on sponsoring the Holiday Village or to volunteer call Union Station at (816) 460-2020 or stop by Union Station located at 30 W. Pershing Road in Kansas City.