The Twin City Model Railroad Museum fills more than 12,000 square feet of a former industrial building on Transfer Road in St. Paul’s Midway area with operating model railroads that trace Minnesota’s railroad history. Families, rail fans, and history buffs come to watch scale trains wind through detailed landscapes and to run some of the equipment themselves.
The layouts span many scales, from small tabletop lines to large, intricate scenes with depot towns, bridges, and freight yards. Visitors can push buttons to start animated features, take the controls on the Thomas the Tank Engine layout, and build at the large LEGO display. Wooden train play tables keep toddlers busy, and historical exhibits put the models in the context of the region’s rail past. The museum also has a gift shop and rentable birthday party rooms. Its signature event, Night Trains™, runs on winter Saturdays. Staff dim the lights so the layouts glow with lit windows, streetlamps, and headlights.
Visitor Highlights & Practical Info
The museum opens Monday and Friday from 10am to 3pm, Saturday from 10am to 5pm, and Sunday from noon to 5pm. In mid-October, Saturdays switch to Night Trains hours, with daytime admission from 10am to 2pm and Night Trains from 3pm to 7pm. Check the official hours page before you go. Adult admission is $10 for anyone age 5 and older. Children 4 and under get in free, and groups receive discounts. Weekday mornings are the quietest time to visit. Expect winter Saturday evenings to be busy. Parking is free, and the building is fully accessible. To get there, take the Cretin/Vandalia exit from I-94 and drive north three blocks.
