​Join Living Desert for Celebration of Train Day

From the Living Desert: All aboard! Join The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens on Saturday, May 6 from 9 a.m. to noon to celebrate National Train Day.

Train Day, which is free for members or with paid park admission, features fun events centered around The Living Desert’s 3,300 feet of track at the Garden Railroad. Train Day includes a scavenger hunt, special trackless train rides around the zoo, and of course a Choo-Choo-Churro special. Model train enthusiasts will enjoy informative train chats being offered at 10 a.m. and 11 a.m.

The scavenger hunt includes an in-depth look at the three-quarter acre exhibit and encourages guests to find the funny, hidden and special features of the exhibit. The first child to finish with a correct and complete form will become the Conductor of the Day. All others that redeem their correct and complete form will receive a ticket to ride the trackless train. The Living Desert also will be offering a train adoption special. Guests who adopt a train, at the $50 level and above, during Train Day festivities, will receive a bonus behind the scenes tour of the train exhibit by the lead engineer (tour held at 11:30 a.m. on May 6th only).

“We are proud of our model train exhibit and the volunteers that keep it running and National Train Day is a perfect way to showcase it,” said Allen Monroe, President/CEO of The Living Desert. “What started as a temporary exhibit during WildLights has turned into a big and beloved attraction here at The Living Desert.”

One full-time employee and a crew of 30 volunteers run the Model Train Exhibit. The Living Desert’s Garden Railroad is open daily and during that time, at least seven trains are running continuously on the tracks. The popular exhibit covers over three quarters of an acre and includes miniature landmarks such as the Grand Canyon, Mount Rushmore and ghost towns from the Old West. The model train exhibit also features an interactive component that allows budding railway conductors of all ages to control the paths of three separate train lines with just the touch of a button.

National Train Day celebrates all things trains. From enthusiasts about the beginning of locomotive transport to engineers developing the future of rail travel, groups across the USA gather for events, celebration, education and discovery.

The Living Desert is open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information call (760) 346-5694 or visit www.LivingDesert.org.

Photos courtesy of the Living Desert