merchants square model train exhibit

This is a really well done exhibit. Lots of animation beyond the trains, and an unimaginable amount of time to put this together. Took our nieces, and ages 8 to 60 were equally amused.

The exhibit is located in a filthy "mall" selling mainly junk and collectible action figures. Half the stores had no one there if you wanted to buy something. Open, but unmanned. The train exhibit was ok. It was set too high for little ones to see and there were only a handful of stepstools. The people selling the tickets seemed annoyed because they were eating at the desk and I interrupted them to buy tickets.

located on the second floor of the Mercahnts Square Mall (Antiques/Collectibles Mall)is this wonderful Train Exhibitvery expansive in the space given to the Exhibit, it is a true "wonder" of train displaysthe presentation is excellent and is well worth the admission pricethis is a timed and scheduled exhibit, so be aware of that

Wasn't that impressed. The "show" is only 30 minutes and it is not interactive. We had 2 adults and two kids and with a coupon we paid $20. I don't think I would pay $20 for a 30 minute show again. It was a far drive and the show wasn't that great. I am not a train expert but I have been to other train expos/displays that are free and just as good. Merchants Square did had some neat collectibles and we enjoyed walking around after the show.

They are located on the 2nd floor of Merchants Square Mall - an antiques and collectibles mall with a lot parking. This is a nice place to visit with small kids and got a things going on within that 30 mins visit. Amazing work and enjoy it very much.

It's a great display but they turn off all the trains and lights after exactly 30 minutes!That's all you get for your admission...c'mon this is unheard of!

The layouts are amazing and so much fun! Watching families who visited at the same time, I could see how great this is for kids and parents, too! So much to see, I could've stayed watching for hours, not just the 30 minutes your ticket gets you. Lots of action - not just trains, lots of other things happening (no spoilers! You'll have to come see it all yourself!)Message for railroad purists: leave your OCD at the door and just have fun!! The eras are mixed and consists aren't true to prototype, but who cares when there's such an amazing labor of love to watch?!The music gets a wee bit loud, and the time goes by too quickly, but these are the only drawbacks I could come up with.Bring the kids and if you're a railroad lover this is a great activity for the whole clan!

This was a fun trip for us with the grandkids. We were not expecting it to be as large as it was, and when it "rained" the grand kids loved it. Nice display, would recommend.

This exhibit is a little out of the way, and located in a flea market type indoor setting. It is extremely well done, and worth the trip if you are going to be in the general area, or even if you have to drive a little to get there. Admission is reasonable. The layoout itself is very impressive, with countless moving things. Lots of trains, bridges, even a lake, thunder, and rain are in the exhibit. We took 3 grandkids and they enjoyed it a lot. Even if you are not into trains, I think that you will appreciate the wonderful modeling and craftsmanship. When you are done, there is the indoor flea market in the same building, if you are interested. Free parking. Plan on about an 1-2 hours for the visit (including the flea market).

I would respectfully disagree with some of the negative aspects in previous reviews. I found the display to be really interesting. Every time I walked around it I saw something I hadn't earlier. Granted, not a fancy location, but not too expensive either. This may not be directly related, but there is a Professional Wrestling store in the complex which is like a museum if you ever had any interest in professional wrestling.

Went with three generations, and all were awed by the size and scope of the trains and layouts. We spent almost an hour looking at all the trains and buildings. Hard to take photos - very dark.

I had shared an online article I had seen about this exhibit with my other half who is a BIG fan of model trains. We ended up going up last week and had the best time! What a charming and well done layout and set up, we were enthralled. A modest fee got us in line with a multi-generational mix of folks, all excited to see the trains. A quick shout out of " All Aboard!" and we walked into this moving, lighted, magical and musical wonderland of trains, buildings and all sorts of other sweet things. Of course they got me right away by having a Christmas song playing and boom, here comes the tear to my eye. Pretty sweet, transporting in way that takes you back to a childhood you may or may not have had. A thunderstorm with RAIN rolled through, we watched skiers on the slopes and many an a amusement ride spin with LOTS of colorful lights.Buildings were of all decades, highly detailed with lots of action and little people living out their lives in front of us. It was a weeks vacation in an half hour, what can I say besides we loved it. The location in the Merchant Square Mall is funky and fun, we explored other shops and spent a lot of time at the auction house there bidding on vintage Christmas decor. Go. Relax. Have fun, Enjoy the trains!

On my first trip to Allentown, because Dorney Park was closed, I looked for other things to do with my kids. We went to this train exhibit and were really impressed by the exhibit. My kids and I had a wonderful time. We didn't go back on our return trip the week after, because we went to Dorney Park instead.

First off, this is an incredible layout. It has everything from large scale of visual effects, lots and lots of trains, very detailed scenery, including tall buildings, a lake and a rain cloud….with RAIN. HOWEVER. There are two huge deterrents from enjoying this fantastic layout.Location, location, location. The site is really located in a flea market warehouse type of structure. It is located in a not so great location in Allentown. During the day it appears it’s more in an industrial area and although the address has the name ‘MALL’ in it, it’s really a flea market warehouse. During the daytime, it seems perfectly safe however I would question the area at night. Also, there is not a lot of people traffic in this ‘mall’ (aka: flea market), it’s pretty desolate. We were the only ones viewing the show at the time of our visit.Secondly, (And this is the reason why I would question going out of your way to visit this): This exhibit is a timed event. I have never been to a display that is ‘a show’. The ‘show’ starts on the ½ hr and runs for 30 minutes. Trains and lights of the city and all the effects start at the beginning of the show and completely, (and I mean dark as night completely), end in 30 minutes. Why, would you do this, I don’t know. I have gone to several train displays and all of them ran consistently, even with ‘shows’ throughout the day. But never did I go to a display where it started at a certain time and ended completely whereby you were to leave the exhibit. There is no interaction with the trains or effects. In other displays, they would have buttons for the kids to press to activate scenery.You could spend hours enjoying this display however this 30 minute limit just doesn’t do any justice, or the cost to view, nor the cost to travel to. I would enjoy pictures and or any Youtube videos you can find and not go out of your way until they come back and offer you the opportunity to enjoy the display at your leisure.If you do go, check the website for coupons. We acquire 'purchase one full price and a kids ticket is free'.

I have visited a number of model train displays and this is one of the best. Admission is reasonable. There are a number of stools so the little ones can see better. Realistic scenery. And even a thunderstorm rolls through. A must see.