Exhibits

Model Train

In December 2000 the Milton Lloyd Children, who grew up in Oak Ridge, asked if the Children’s Museum would be interested in acquiring their father’s extensive HO scale model train layout.  The museum accepted the offer and made plans to make it a centerpiece exhibit to be known as The World of Trains. To assist in developing this exhibit the museum entered into a collaboration with Knoxville Area Model Railroaders, Inc. (KAMR), a local club http://www.knoxmodelrailroaders.com/. KAMR carried out the dismantling of the Lloyd layout, renovation of the unused west kindergarten wing of the museum, and construction of an HO layout for the museum utilizing much of the Lloyd donation.  KAMR members spent two years replacing walls and flooring to make the area suitable (click to view construction images).  In exchange for this work plus maintaining the "Lloydstown" exhibit, KAMR was given several rooms in the renovated wing for their club exhibits and activities.  The new World of Trains wing now contains three functional areas: 1) The Lloydstown HO Layout, 2) a Hands-on room for interactive railroad experiences, and 3) the KAMR club rooms.  The Lloydstown exhibit and the Hands-on area is open to museum visitors daily.  KAMR opens its club rooms to museum visitors once a month during museum hours (click to view KAMR exhibit images).  Contact the museum (865-482-1074) for open house times.

Click to view Model Train Show.

In 2003 Norfolk Southern Railroad donated a renovated bright red caboose to the Children’s Museum. The caboose was delivered to a siding near the old K-25 facility in Oak Ridge. Through the generous donation of equipment, manpower, and services by Queen City Construction Co., Rogers' Group, East Tennessee Railcar Services, Heritage Railroad Corp., Operations Management International, Willow Ridge Garden Center, Barge, Wagner, Sumners & Cannon, Bell South, and R&R Development & Rental Properties, the caboose was moved to the museum on October 4, 2003, and placed on rails in front of the World of Trains wing. The caboose is open to museum visitors during KAMR open houses and special museum events. (click to view caboose images)

In September, 2005, as part of their series on model railroading called “Working on the Railroad”, the DIY Network television company under the production of Randall Shuptrine Productions filmed five thirty-minute episodes on building a Garden Railroad (“G” scale) at the Children’s Museum. KAMR member and garden railroad expert, Mark Furhman, and his landscaping crew designed and built the layout in a space inside the fenced caboose area. Willow Ridge Garden Center donated the plantings for the garden. Rogers Daniels Trucking, Crosswind Farms, Engineer Construction Services, and Queen City Construction Co. donated dirt, rocks, and building timbers for the site. Other materials and services were provided by Danny Plumbing, Pumps of Tennessee, Home Depot, Oak Ridge Lighting Center, and Industrial Plastic Works. Aristo-Craft Trains and Woodland Scenics donated the track, trains, figures, and buildings to complete the scene. The one week filming project would not have been possible without the cooperation of the City of Oak Ridge, the Oak Ridge Police Department, and the Anderson County Sheriff's Department who provide traffic control and street closures around the museum. After the filming was complete DIY Network generously donated this $25,000 valued exhibit to the museum. A ribbon-cutting event was held at the museum on Saturday, October 1st. KAMR will maintain and operate the layout. The garden railroad is operated for museum visitors during KAMR open houses and special museum events. (click to view garden railroad images)

With the expected renovation of the Oak Ridge Mall, the Model Railroad Display Center there will have to move. There are plans being developed to renovate the basement of the Children’s Museum to provide a space for exhibiting the large scale trains currently at the mall. Completion is probably two years off and is dependent upon the museum raising sufficient money. We encourage all that can to make a generous contribution and/or support the museum's annual gala fund raiser.

Click to view Model Train Show.