New York gets a joyful head start on the holidays on Friday, November 13, when the New York Transit Museum opens the 22nd Annual Holiday Train Show at its Grand Central Gallery & Store, just off the Main Concourse in the Shuttle Passage, next to the Station Masters’ Office. Best of all, admission is free for every visitor.
The heart of the show is a 34-foot, two-level O gauge layout where Lionel trains — including Metro-North trains, vintage subway sets and the whimsical Polar Express — roll past familiar New York landmarks on a journey that begins at a miniature Grand Central Terminal and ends at the snowy North Pole. It is a small trip that captures a big feeling: the city, in miniature, moving happily toward the holidays.
This year’s display brings something new to discover. New York City-based artist Danny Cortes has created a fresh section of miniature buildings, including the former Crazy Eddie electronics store, the beloved La Borinqueña family grocery, two ornate apartment buildings and the fictional Eric’s Comic Books. A miniature Economy Candy storefront is joining the show too. His weathered brickwork, intricate storefront signs and detailed facades celebrate the everyday corners that give New York neighborhoods their character.
The Holiday Train Show is on view through February 2027, open Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Whether you are passing through Grand Central on your commute or planning a family outing, leave a few extra minutes to watch the little trains go by — it is one of the season’s happiest free stops in New York.
Photo: New York Transit Museum
