Take the Kids to a Holiday Train Show in New Jersey

Holiday train rides are a staple this time of year, but have you ever taken the kids to an elaborate model train show? If your family loves all things trains, here are the most impressive holiday model train shows to check out this season:

Holiday Train Show
New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, NY
November 15 – January 11
Either during the day or on select Holiday Train Nights, catch model trains as they zip through a display of almost 200 replicas of New York landmarks, each re-created from natural materials such as birch bark, pinecones, palm fronds and cinnamon sticks.

Farmingdale Craft Fair and Xmas Train Show
Farmingdale Elementary School, Farmingdale
November 22
Take a break from shopping for holiday gifts, and pop into the school’s library, where the train show will feature a combined fastrack O and S gauge layout, and a G gauge layout with continously operating trains.

Pacific Southern Railway’s Holiday Train Show
Pacific Southern Railway, Rocky Hill
November 22-23
Princeton locals James “Murr” Murray, star of Impractical Jokers, and his wife Melyssa Murray, owner of No. 95 Candles, purchased the home earlier this year, and are opening the 5,000-square-foot HO layout to the public. There will be family-friendly activities, light bites and drinks, music, and time to hang out with Murr himself.

Holiday Model Train Show
Garden State Model Railway Club, N. Haledon
Nov. 28-30, Dec. 6-7, 13-14
The open house and model railroad shows feature two operating layouts, Thomas the Tank Engine, a special kids’ layout, and a play area.

Model Railroad Club Holiday Train Show
The Model Railroad Club, Union
November 28-30; December 6-7, 13-14
Every hour, a 15-minute performance runs the trains to a professionally narrated script. See how the track is hand-laid, how mountains and scenery are created, and ask about the engineering that goes into the club’s bi-level corkscrew loop.

Antique Toy Train Show
The Museum of American History, Deptford
Thurs.-Sun., November 28 – February 1 
See toy trains from the 1930s, ‘40s and ‘50s, including Lionel, Marx and American Flyer engines. Plasticville buildings from the 1950s will give the platforms a vintage holiday appearance.

Train and Winter Show 2025
NY Society of Model Engineers, Carlstadt
November. 29-30; December 6-7, 13-14
The New York Society of Model Engineers opens its doors to show off O-scale and HO layouts, with steam and diesel engines, Thomas and friends, freight and passenger trains, and working trolleys.

Christmas Train Village
Duggan Hall, Spring Lake
November 29 – December 31
The Duggan Building exhibits a re-creation of the beautiful town of Spring Lake via a train village.

Holiday Model Train Show
Barron Arts Center, Woodbridge
December 1-30 (closed December 24-25)
Mike Gelesky designed and set up the entire display with lots of holiday cheer to celebrate the display’s 35th year.

Weihnachtsmarkt German Christmas Market of New Jersey
Sussex County Fairgrounds, Augusta
December 5-7
There will be a carousel, pony rides, horse-drawn wagon rides, a petting zoo, a wagon parade, visits with Santa in the courtyard gazebo, storytime with Mrs. Claus and her Elf, a Christmas tree lighting on Friday, festive lights, ice sculptures, and the Pocono Mountain Garden Railway Society train display in the Greenhouse, a visit with author Sue Steinhardt and her dog Imperfect Phil, face painting, and a German Christmas traditions display.

Christmas Craft, Food & Vendor Show
Calgo Gardens, Freehold
December 6
There will be 60 craft vendors and a few food trucks on site, in addition to all the holiday landscaping and greenery. Ocean County Society of Model Railroaders will set up inside a greenhouse, operating G gauge trains which can be used for garden railroads.

Holiday Train Expo
Ocean City Music Pier, Ocean City
December 6-7
The show will feature running displays, model trains of all gauges and vendors selling various scale model trains.

Holiday Spectacular Christmas & Train Display
InfoAge Science and History Museums, Wall Twp.
December 6-7, 13-14, 20-21
Admission to the Garden State Central Model Railroad Club’s train show includes access to all of the museums on site.

Toms River Train Show
Toms River Elks Lodge, Toms River
December 21
Members of the Ocean County Society of Model Railroaders will set up operating Legacy, TMCC, and Lionchief trains on fastrack layouts. Joe Mania, of JLM Trains in Freehold, who is a Lionel authorized service center who repairs and restores prewar, postwar and modern trains, will be meeting train lovers as well.