Garden Railway — Longwood Gardens

Longwood Gardens describes its Garden Railway as a whimsical, wonderful tradition: a fanciful blend of horticulture, engineering and fun for all ages. The multi-level world in miniature features large-scale model trains running along nearly 500 feet of track amid a seasonally changing plant palette, together with models that represent and recreate many of Longwood's most beloved features.

In a blog post on the Garden Railway, the Gardens explain how it is built each fall. The tracks are raised two to five feet off the ground on trusses and wood planks, and railway engineers lay the track, complete with trestles and bridges crafted in-house, then unpack, repair, clean and lubricate a varied collection of steam and diesel locomotives and cars. Horticulture staff finish the display with mulch, trees, stepping stones, fencing and foliage, flowering and woody plants.

Longwood's own blog says the Garden Railway has delighted guests for more than two decades. It is shown during regular Gardens hours, weather permitting, and is free with Gardens admission.

A model railway in a landscaped setting: steam and diesel locomotives running on elevated multi-level track among plants and miniature versions of Longwood features. It is seen during regular Gardens hours, weather permitting, and needs a timed Gardens admission ticket.

Longwood Gardens, 1001 Longwood Road, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. The Garden Railway is free with Gardens admission, and timed admission tickets are required. Longwood members may need timed member reservations on some days; the Gardens' website lists which days. Gardens hours change with the season and are listed on its Hours page.