Miniature Railroad & Village Facts for Kids

A close-up view of one part of the Miniature Railroad & Village display.

The Miniature Railroad & Village (MRRV) is a huge and super detailed model train display. It shows what western Pennsylvania looked like between 1880 and 1930. This amazing display has been a favorite in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for over 50 years! You can find it today at the Kamin Science Center.

A Journey Through Time: The MRRV's Story
The MRRV Today
- A Living History Book
- Smart Technology and Care
Collectible Boxcars
Famous Buildings and Scenes You Can See
Fun Facts and Figures

A Journey Through Time: The MRRV's Story

A model of the Bowdish Homestead, a building that used to be part of the MRRV display.

The idea for the Miniature Railroad & Village came from a man named Charles Bowdish (1896–1988). He was from Brookville, PA. Charles was a soldier in World War I. When doctors found a heart problem, he went home. There, he started building models of buildings from his hometown.

The First Display

Every Christmas, Charles would set up his models at his house. He added Lionel trains running through the display. On Christmas Eve in 1920, Charles hosted his brother's wedding. He entertained guests by running his train display. One guest, Alfred Truman, asked if he could bring friends to see it. Word spread fast, and nearly 600 people showed up! Because of this, Christmas Eve 1920 is seen as the start date of the exhibit.

Growing Popularity

Charles soon began showing his railroad every Christmas. Each year had a different theme, like a "White Christmas." The railroad took up his entire second floor. He never charged money to see it. Thousands of people visited over the years, some even from other countries.

A New Home in Pittsburgh

After a flood almost ruined his models and his insurance company wouldn't cover the crowds, Charles looked for a new home for his work. He first offered it to Brookville, but they said no. Eventually, he offered it to the Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science in Pittsburgh. This place later became the Buhl Science Center.

The Buhl offered him space. The exhibit opened there on December 1, 1954. It ran until December 31. During that month, 23,885 visitors saw the display! It was first 14 feet by 14 feet. It was called The Great Christmastown Railroad. In 1957, it was renamed The Miniature Railroad & Village. The exhibit was an instant hit. It became one of Pittsburgh's main holiday attractions. People would sometimes wait four hours in line to see it!

Moving to the Kamin Science Center

The Buhl Planetarium eventually joined the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh. This helped them get resources to grow. The Buhl closed on August 31, 1991. The Kamin Science Center opened on October 5, 1991. The new building had a special room just for the MRRV. The bigger and better Miniature Railroad & Village opened in the Fall of 1992.

The MRRV Today

A detailed model of the Sharon Steel Mill.

The current display is huge! It is 83 feet (25 m) long and 30 feet (9.1 m) wide. That's 60% bigger than the first one! Five separate loops have Lionel trains running. One Bowser trolley travels through the town. All these lines run all the time.

A Living History Book

The new display teaches about the historic and educational importance of Pittsburgh and nearby areas. It's like a big, moving history book! The scenes show how people worked, lived, and played from 1880 to 1930. This time includes the American Industrial Revolution, the Victorian era, and the Roaring 20s.

All the models are handmade by staff and volunteers. They are copies of real buildings from Western Pennsylvania. The display has the biggest steel mill ever made in O scale. It's the Sharon Steel Mill from Farrell, PA. It was built using the mill's actual blueprints!

Smart Technology and Care

Experts helped make the new display look real. For example, a professor from Harvard designed the lighting system. It makes the display look like the Sun is moving and like real daylight. A smart computer system controls everything. The company that supplies control parts to NASA and Disney World provided the system!

Every year, two months before Thanksgiving, the display closes for maintenance. During this time, new models and animations are added. The scenes are updated, and the whole display gets a careful cleaning. The exhibit reopens the day after Thanksgiving.

Collectible Boxcars

Since 1999, Lionel has made special collectible boxcars and a caboose for the MRRV series. Each year, the boxcar has a new design. You can only buy these special cars at the Kamin Science Center's XPLOR Store.