Does your little one love trains? The Model Trains Station at Taylors Mill is a great place to visit. KAG writer, Anna Arzt, was fortunate to get a one-on-one tour with Chief Engineer, aka Model Train Station Chairman, Bob Rayle. Here’s everything you need to know about planning a visit to this fun spot for train lovers.
For a list of even more train-related things to do in the Upstate, see our list Trains in Greenville.
Model Trains Station: Quick Facts
- Where: 250 Mill Street, Suite BL1250, Taylors, SC 29687 (the Print Works 1 building at Taylors Mill)
- Hours: Wednesday – Saturday 11 am – 5 pm and Sunday 1 pm – 5 pm.
- Admission: Adults $10, Seniors 62+ $9, Military $9, Children 2-12 $7. Under two free.
- Best for: Toddlers on up. The grandparents will love it too.
- Plan on: About two hours
- Indoors? Yes, all 16,000 square feet of it, which makes the museum a great rainy or too-hot day plan.
- Also here: A children’s play area with wooden trains, the Roundhouse party room, field trips, and public restrooms
- Contact: 864-605-7979
About the Model Trains Station
Mr. Rayle is the quintessential train hobbyist whose eyes sparkle when talking about the Model Trains Station. “It’s run by train enthusiasts and made for families to have fun,” he said. “We enjoy seeing smiling kids and see them getting excited when they see the trains and of course, to promote the hobby.”
The Model Trains Station is a registered 501(c)(3) and charges a minimal admission fee. They also have a donor program and family membership for avid train fans. The museum is also open to hosting birthday parties, corporate events, and meetings.
Where is the Model Trains Station?
Housed in the Taylors Mill development, an upcycled old mill building complex, the Model Trains Station occupies about 16,000 square feet of space alongside artist studios. Visiting the Model Trains Station is like going to a giant train workshop. The building itself is a former textile bleachery, and the space is raw and full of fascinating history.
The Model Trains Station opened in December 2017 with their fantastic O-scale Christmas village setup, and the displays have kept growing ever since. Several running train lines are a source of fun, especially with a scavenger hunt designed for the kiddies to explore and enjoy the train village. My kids enjoyed running around hunting for the hidden figures. They were also delighted that they could play engineer themselves and operate a Thomas the Train railroad within the village.
A donated model of the city of Baltimore (HO train) is a highlight in the exhibition space. It’s a beautiful and professionally done cityscape, and children have fun viewing the trains running through an urban landscape. On the other side of the room is an HO scale model of Waynesville, NC. Beautifully done by a master artist, the mountains surrounding the realistic lake are a labor of love. There are lots of little scenes to spot, but you may have to lift your child up to help them get a closer look.
When you and your tots are tired of looking at trains on the move, the museum has a play corner where toddlers can tinker with wooden toy trains. The play area is right beside the structure that houses their train repair depot. There’s also the really cute railroad set-up by the children’s play area.
Our visit ended with a soft rumble of the Norfolk Southern Line in the background. Yes, the mill is right next to a train track! Meanwhile, railroad enthusiasts can view the dispatcher ATCS display of train locations along the NS in real-time. Little details like this, combined with the knowledge and enthusiasm of its volunteers, are what makes this place truly special. We’re so glad they’re here to stay!
Coming Soon: The Legacy Display
The Station has grown a lot since first opening. It now has more than a dozen custom displays in G, O, S, HO, N, Z, and T scales, along with a detailed static circus train and plenty of interactive buttons for the little engineers in your family.
The big one to watch is the Legacy Display. The Station expects to have several trains running by Thanksgiving 2026, with the layout modeling Upstate landmarks in miniature: BMW, the Inland Port, Pretty Place, Chimney Rock, the Swift RR Station, and Sassafras Mountain. You can go now and watch the progress alongside the other 14 running displays, which is a fun reason to visit more than once this fall.
How to Enjoy the Model Trains Station
- Play the scavenger hunt in the Lobby. Submit your completed form for a chance to win a raffle.
- Play engineer and run Thomas the train track in the Lionel O display.
- Talk to the resident volunteer engineer and ask them about how the models were made.
- Check out the dispatcher ATCS display.
- Learn about the different types of model train scales while examining the display cases filled with trains and model villages.
- Play with toy trains in the children’s area.
A few things to know
- If you’ve never been to Taylors Mill, be prepared to drive through a seemingly abandoned group of old buildings. Look for a red sign.
- Inside the development, there is a big parking lot across from the former bleachery buildings, or Dock 2.
- Model Trains Station is in the building called Print Works 1, to the right of Southern Bleachery.
- You’ll have to climb a few steps to get to a glass door entrance, and there is no ramp for strollers. A handicap ramp is available. Please call ahead at 864-605-7979 for parking directions to the ramp.
- Upon entry, the first thing you’ll see is a multipurpose hall, keep on walking until the next set of doors that leads to the artist warehouses and the train museum.
- You will need to help your child see some of the details of the exhibits.
- Public restrooms are available.
For more information, visit the Model Trains Station website.
Model Trains Station FAQs
How much does it cost to visit the Model Trains Station?
Admission is $10 for adults, $9 for seniors 62+, $9 for military, and $7 for children ages two to 12. Children under two get in free. Annual memberships are also available, starting at $70 for one named adult and running up to $195 for two adults at the same address, plus their children under 18.
When is the Model Trains Station open?
Wednesday through Saturday from 11 am to 5 pm, and Sunday from 1 pm to 5 pm. The address is 250 Mill Street, Suite BL1250, Taylors, SC, 29687.
How long does a visit take?
Our visit lasted about two hours, and that felt right for kids who wanted to push every button and run the Thomas the Train track.
Can you have a birthday party at the Model Trains Station?
Yes! The Roundhouse Party Room holds up to 45 people and rents for $140 for two hours, which includes 10 guests plus the birthday child and parents, with full access to the train displays. Field trips and group visits are welcome too. Call 864-605-7979 to reserve.
Is the Model Trains Station stroller friendly?
There are a few steps up to the glass-door entrance with no ramp, so a carrier may be easier than a stroller. A handicap ramp is available. Please call ahead for parking directions if you need it.
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