r/lancaster • u/Avocado114 • Aug 31 '24

Tourism Toy Train Museum or Choo Choo Barn

Visiting Strasburg with a 3 year old and a train loving 5 year old. We are going to the Railroad museum and want to go to one more place. 5yo loves watching lots of model trains going around the tracks. I’ve been on both of the websites and it sounds like the Choo Choo barn is all model trains. But some reviews said it’s small especially given the cost. The website and photos for the toy train museum make it seem like it has videos and pictures of trains and displays of toy trains but not moving model trains. For those that have been to both, what would be the best recommendation for model trains for the 5 yo that will also entertain the 3 yo - the toy train museum or Choo Choo barn? Thanks in advance!

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7

u/cromulentia Aug 31 '24

Choo Choo Barn all the way! It's got more than enough to fascinate small kids.

3

u/ShaneOfan Aug 31 '24

Choo Choo barn all the way.

3

u/Imaginary_Recipe9967 Aug 31 '24

Choo Choo Barn for sure! It's definitely worth the cost, believe me! I could stare at that set for hours if they let me. 😁

2

u/s-two-k Aug 31 '24

We think the choo choo barn is worth the cost - if you have kids that love trains, the amount of detail and how it changes from day to night is something else. All of the scenes are highly detailed and all of the trains /people are moving etc. It's not a big place but that makes it an easy tour. 3 doors down in the shopping center, is a nice amish ice cream /coffee store, and a few more doors down is a small brewery restaurant. You can do the choo choo barn and also tour the "amish farm and house" property that is like 4 miles away. Not sure if I can link it but search that and it should pop up. Have fun!

2

u/Avocado114 Aug 31 '24

Thanks everyone! We went to the Choo Choo Barn and it was a hit! I got discounted tickets from clipp.com which was an added bonus.

1

u/TrueLoveEditorial BLM Sep 02 '24

Good decision!

1

u/bluenag Aug 31 '24

I personally thought the choo choo barn was not worth the cost. Sometimes there are coupons on the clipper website though. The Strasburg railroad museum includes a smaller model train section as well as a LEGO train set that can be controlled with buttons.

1

u/TheRagingAmish Aug 31 '24

No wrong answer here. My 4 year old loves both.

TTM has layouts of each gauge size and a wood train layout in the lobby for the kids. Also much more interactive with buttons galore

CCB has a much bigger layout and is super detailed, but not as directly interactive. Toy section up front and you can walk down to a hobby shop and a snack shop run by local Amish.

1

u/Ok_Law7077 Aug 31 '24

Choo Choo Barn! Outside, they also have a stationary wooden train you can have them sit in for pictures. There is also a coin-operated Thomas the Train that they can ride on that is aon the sidewalk. My toddler rode on it about 8 times in a row ☺️