Dates
November 23 – November 30
(Monday-Saturday 9AM-5PM; Sunday 1PM-5PM)
Closed Thanksgiving Day
**Santa visits November 28th and 30th with his sleigh!
Location
Century of Flight Hangar
Cost
FREE – Planes and Trains is free to the public.
About
For the 17th year, the Middle Georgia Model Railroad Club will kick off the holiday season with one of Middle Georgia’s largest model train displays at the Museum of Aviation during Thanksgiving week. The “Planes and Trains” exhibit is free to the public from November 23 – November 30, 2025. The Museum will be closed on Thanksgiving Day.
The Century of Flight Hangar will be the site of large model train displays and other railroad-related exhibits. The club will have T, Z, N, HO, S, O, and G-Scale train displays that will feature up to nine trains running continuously on three main lines through landscape scenes with miniature buildings, cars, bridges, rivers, and even an airport.
Special Holiday Feature: Santa will be back again this year! He will set up Wednesday afternoon, November 26, and return for special appearances on Friday, November 28, at 10 AM, as well as Saturday and Sunday. Children are invited to join Santa in his fully restored reindeer sleigh, share Christmas wishes, and enjoy a magical holiday experience.
Other features will include the Christmas Village, Circus, and the always-popular Thomas the Tank Engine. Each year, the MGMRC adds new modules and features to keep the displays fresh and exciting.
The Museum’s Planes and Trains display will also include exhibits from the Southeastern Railroad Museum, Operation Lifesaver, area Welcome Centers, and more. A commercial vendor will offer train-related items for sale, and raffle tickets will be available for a chance to win a model train starter set.
MGMRC members will be on hand to answer questions about model trains and the hobby of model railroading. The MGMRC, founded in the 1970s, currently has about 31 members. They hold a public meeting at the IHOP restaurant, 2710 Watson Boulevard, Warner Robins, on the third Tuesday of every month (except November and December) and invite anyone interested in learning about model railroading to attend. More information is available at MGMRC.org.
Planes and Trains began in 2008 as a simple train display around the Museum’s Christmas tree. What started with a G-scale train and a few small displays quickly grew into one of the Museum’s most beloved annual traditions. By word of mouth alone, the first year’s visitor count tripled. Since then, the exhibit has grown and delighted families every Thanksgiving week, becoming a cherished community holiday event.
