Big wonders can sometimes be found in unexpected places. An old barn in the little village of Argyle is no longer filled with dairy cows – it has been transformed into a miniature railroad wonderland. Welcome to the Toy Train Barn Museum, an attraction in Wisconsin that wows kids of all ages. The museum is just waiting to be discovered. Here’s why you need to pay this quirky little train museum a visit.
The museum is located in tiny Argyle, Wisconsin, pop. 800. The village was formed in 1844 at a convenient crossing of the Argyle River. It’s a charming place with two restaurants, a laundromat, two banks, a gas station, a medical clinic, a dentist, and not much more. It’s surrounded by farm country.
The railroad came to Argyle in 1888, an arrival that contributed to the community’s growth. The rail line included passenger service and it led to several new businesses in town.
The railroad heyday lives on in one of Argyle’s old red barns. It’s a place that gets good times back on track.
The Toy Train Barn Museum, run by Buck and Jan Guthrie, is a hidden world of miniature trains, people, and businesses.
It’s easy to lose yourself in the carefully contructed displays that are created with Buck’s talent and imagination. Buck worked as a locomotive engineer for three decades and his knowledge informs every corner of the diplays.
The museum includes trains of various scales, from a tiny Z scale all the way up to G scale, as well as tin plate and Depression-era toy trains. The largest train display is an American Flyer S gauge collection. There’s also a huge collection of photos and railroad memorabilia from Buck's career with the railroads.
The The Toy Train Barn Museum is open on weekends - it's an easy day trip from most places in Southern Wisconsin. Outside the museum there’s also a 12" gauge railroad that visitors are able to ride that the museum calls the Argyle & Eastern Railroad. But on days when the weather isn't perfect, you can still enjoy all of the indoor displays in comfort.
Learn more about this amazing little attraction in Wisconsin at the Toy Train Barn Museum website. Railroad fans will find a lot of wonderful things to discover in the Dairy State. Here’s a scenic country train ride that can’t be beat.
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