Wednesday, March 17, 2010
More Trains...in Merklingen
When Nana and Papa visited over Spring Break 2008, we took a day trip to Merkingen to a train museum. Yup, my kids love trains. Their love started with a Thomas the Tank Engine table and cars, and blossomed from there. When Zachary and MacKenzie outgrew Thomas and Friends, Benjamin inherited the set.
This museum had LOTS of model trains, and it seemed like every time we relooked at an area of the display we saw something new (fortunately, only the grownup saw the skinny-dippers and the red light district -- ahem!). This roundhouse really caught their eyes! It’s much larger than the one they have! Papa helped Benjamin get a better look too.
MacKenzie was the least enthused of our clan, and she let me know she wasn’t thrilled that I took her photo. Zachary was definitely too interested in watching the action to glance my way for the photo.
They all took turns with the switches here. It was the only place they could have any control over the trains. That’s quite a big model switching yard too!
Look at all the detail here. Yes, that’s a ski slope in the background, complete with chair lifts and skiers and snowboarders coming down the slopes!
We’re in Germany, so no model train exhibit would be complete without a castle. There are even two funicular train cars on the side of the mountain.
Zachary figured out that there was a closed-circuit video camera in this train, so he reveled in smiling for the camera so we could see his giant, goofy grin on the TV monitors!
When they thought they’d had enough of the impressive display, the kids found this larger-scale set that they were allowed to play with. What a nice way to wind down the visit.Labels: Benjamin, Germany, MacKenzie, Nana and Papa, Travel, Zachary
