Trains chug in for holiday season

The Toy Train Show is roaring into town once again to the Porterville Historical Museum for the annual holiday season display of toy trains.

Filling two rooms of the museum, the trains are a mix of older and newer models, and circle a variety of scenes, including a wintery landscape and an airport landing strip.

On Tuesday, preschooler Carson Kaiser, 3, visited the exhibit for the first time on Tuesday with his grandparents, Porterville residents Judy and Gary Kaiser.

“He likes trains. He has train books at home. I had to remind him that they weren’t big trains, though,” Judy Kaiser said.

Carson, however, wasn’t disappointed; he hopped up on a bench to get a better look and jumped up and down with excitement each time a train zoomed by.

He was one of a group of students from Hoops Preschool who got a sneak peak at the train show.

The official show will open Nov. 27 and run through Jan. 2.

The museum will show the trains Thursday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

This year, the exhibit will also be shown from 1 to 4 p.m. on three Sundays — Dec. 6, Dec. 13 and Dec. 20.

A special Santa Party will take place from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 12, and admission will be free for everyone during those hours.

According to museum curator Sherry Perry, Santa will be available for picture taking and children will receive a small gift bag.

Perry said the exhibit takes about six weeks to set up and brings a larger number of visitors to the museum than any other event.

“I really encourage people to come and see this lost art of running trains,” Perry said.

Admission for adults is $4, and is $1 for children between age 6 and 12.

Children 5 years of age and younger will be admitted at no cost.

The museum is located at 257 N. D Street.

For more information, call 784-2053.

-- Contact Sarah de Crescenzo at 784-5000, Ext. 1045, or sdecrescenzo@portervillerecorder.com.