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All the United States New York State New York City the Bronx Holiday Train Show at New York Botanical Garden

Holiday Train Show at New York Botanical Garden

Every year model trains zip through a miniature New York City that's now 150 landmarks strong.

Bronx, New York

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A miniature New York   Lori L. Stalteri
G-scale trains run through the scenes   slgckgc
All the structures are modeled on NYC places   Pixel Drip
Detail of roof   lastpearl (Atlas Obscura User)
Even the glass is organic   lastpearl (Atlas Obscura User)
Miniature scene   lastpearl (Atlas Obscura User)
Miniature scene   lastpearl (Atlas Obscura User)
Examples of natural materials used   http://www.atlasobscura.com/users/lastpearl
The Williamsburg Bridge   slgckgc
2016   python4816 / Atlas Obscura User
circa 2015   Avoiding Regret
circa 2015   Avoiding Regret
2016 NYBG Conservatory building   python4816 / Atlas Obscura User
World’s Fair miniature, circa 2015   Avoiding Regret
2016 Washington Square Arch   python4816 / Atlas Obscura User
2016   python4816 / Atlas Obscura User
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About

Every year, from mid-November to mid-January, a most extraordinary train yard is erected inside the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory at the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx.

Artist Paul Busse and his team at Applied Imagination in Kentucky have been responsible for creating buildings, bridges, gardens and a Coney Island boardwalk–all in model train G-scale–since the exhibit began in 1991.  Every structure is a replica of an actual New York place (some old, some still with us), and the annual tradition is now over 150 landmarks strong.

The twist is that everything is made out of organic materials. Nuts, seeds, leaves, fungus and branches are all used to create the miniatures, down to the tiniest of cherubs above a doorway.  They even use tree resin for window glass.

The 2016 show (Holiday Train Show number 25) includes almost half a mile of track zipping through the city scenes. If you ramped that up from G-scale, it would be over 11 miles of real life clickety-clack.

Related Tags

Holidays With A Twist Christmas Trains Botanical Gardens Miniatures Models Holidays

Know Before You Go

The Botanical Garden is just north of the Bronx Zoo, accessible on Metro North (they have their own stop) or by subway on the B, D & 4 trains to the Bedford Avenue stop. The Holiday Train Show runs through mid-January. Check the website for hours and admission fees (weekday prices are a few dollars less). Tickets give you access to the gardens as well as the trains. Keep in mind that there are crowds and lines, but it's worth it. Advance reservations are highly recommended.

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lastpearl

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python4816, kostas1964ath, vbl, Avoiding Regret

  • python4816
  • kostas1964ath
  • vbl
  • Avoiding Regret

Published

December 26, 2016

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  • http://www.nybg.org/hts16/
Holiday Train Show at New York Botanical Garden
Bronx Park Rd
Bronx, New York, 10458
United States
40.863508, -73.8821
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