#170 December Status Report

December 15, 2021

The Big Train Project Status Report (Part 170) This month’s report is about the special displays which EnterTRAINment Junction (EJ) has added for the 2021 holidays. As a follow-up to last month’s article, Figure 1 shows the Christmas Town Square completed with added decorations, details, and figures of holiday visitors. It’s shown ready to be […]

Read More >

#169 November Status Report

November 11, 2021

The Big Train Project Status Report (Part 169)      This month’s report looks at some of items on the EnterTRAINment Junction (EJ) layout that I found of interest that I had not noticed or reported on before.  As usual, the order in which they are presented is in the order a visitor would see them […]

Read More >

Stay healthy this fall!

November 2, 2021

It seems like staying healthy is a bigger priority these days. Even before COVID EnterTRAINment did what it could to ensure that the facility was as clean as possible. Today this includes sanitizing the kids play structure and other high touch areas, cleaning and sanitizing restrooms, offering hand sanitizer, and more. Because we value healthy […]

Read More >

Stay safe this Halloween!

October 18, 2021

It’s that time of year – time for ghosts, goblins, and witches oh my! Halloween is known to be a little spooky, but if you keep these safety tips in mind you should have an enjoyable holiday! Tips for Trick or Treating Carry glow sticks or flashlights to help kids be seen by drivers. An […]

Read More >

#168 October Status Report

October 6, 2021

The Big Train Project Status Report (Part 168)   This month’s report is the second part of the story of the animated skaters for the EnterTRAINment Junction (EJ) layout.  In last month’s report, I described the driving mechanism for the skaters: a turntable on a trolley.  This month I’ll describe how we use that mechanism to drive the skaters in a somewhat realistic […]

Read More >

#167 September Status Report

September 14, 2021

This month’s report is about a new project in work at EnterTRAINment Junction (EJ). For the Christmas holidays, certain buildings on the EJ layout are replaced with items more representative of the holiday spirit. One of the buildings in the Modern City will be temporarily replaced by an ice-skating rink, complete with ticket booth, concession […]

Read More >

Ohio Fall Train Rides

September 6, 2021

Fall is approaching and what better way to experience the season than to go on a scenic train ride! Whether you want to see some fall foliage or have a spooky Halloween themed ride, there’s something for everyone! Here are our top 5 picks for Fall train rides! Hocking Valley Scenic Railway Hocking Valley Scenic […]

Read More >

Big Boy

August 20, 2021

 You may have heard the term “Big Boy” before amongst rail enthusiasts. The Big Boy definitely lives up to is name since the locomotive and its tender weigh about 604 tons. It’s also more than 132 feet in length.  Today we are going to be looking at this amazing locomotive and why it’s so unique! […]

Read More >

#166 August Status Report

August 9, 2021

This month’s report covers some lessons learned from the EnterTRAINment Junction (EJ) Aerial Tram. The tram has been operating reliably for over a year since January 2020. Interestingly enough, it has not been working quite the way it was intended. For all appearances though, it has done what it was supposed to do: start the […]

Read More >

Happy Birthday, EJ!

August 1, 2021

It’s hard to believe that EnterTRAINment Junction has been around for 13 years now! Time has FLOWN by! We started out as just an empty warehouse which was purchased back in 2005. The dream was to “create something unique, a one of a kind family entertainment center that would entertain, educate, and promote railroading and […]

Read More >

#165 July Status Report

July 15, 2021

The Big Train Project Status Report (Part 165) This month’s report is a bit unusual in that it is multi-purpose. First, it addresses some maintenance issues with EnterTRAINment Junction’s (EJ’s) Aerial Tram. Second it documents the method for installing and removing the hooks that attach the Tram’s haulage rope to the Tram car trucks for […]

Read More >

Fun (at home) Summer Activities

July 5, 2021

There comes a time every summer where kids begin to say, “I’m bored!” They have been home from school for about a month now and maybe you’ve heard this phrase already. We have come up with a few things to keep the kids entertained at home. (You know, when you’re not visiting us at EnterTRAINment.) […]

Read More >

Coming Soon: Christmas in July

June 21, 2021

We are excited to announce that Christmas in July starts this Saturday! (June 26) From June 26-July 31 EnterTRAINment Junction will be giving families an opportunity to beat the heat while making the journey to the North Pole.  Visitors will have the chance to walk through an indoor winter wonderland, visit reindeer stables, and make a trip […]

Read More >

#164 June Status Report

June 4, 2021

This month’s report is about new items added to EnterTRAINment Junction’s (EJ’s) layout. As is usual for these reports, the order of the descriptions will be in the order a visitor would come upon them while walking the layout’s aisle. First up, on the canal that runs parallel to the aisle, just past the civil […]

Read More >

Have your party with us!

May 24, 2021

With restrictions loosening up and things slowly returning to normal, how about planning a birthday party at EnterTRAINment Junction?! It’s the perfect place for kids, teenagers, adults, and grandparents to gather together and have fun. We’ve gathered a list of reasons why you should check out our party packages! 🙂 1. Cost Efficient We know booking […]

Read More >

DIY Wooden Railway Accessories

May 5, 2021

Need new bridges, tunnels, and tracks?A lot of kids love their wooden railway. They are great for creativity and storytelling. Although we would love for you to come buy more accessories from our hobby shop, we get it. Adding big accessories to your track set can become quite expensive. Why not spark their imagination and creativity […]

Read More >

Spring Celebration

April 19, 2021

Celebrate spring with us! The past year has been a little crazy to say the least, but with more things opening back up we are excited for this new season! And hopefully a light at the end of the tunnel (pun intended)! Right now through May 28th you can purchase a Do-It-All ticket to visit […]

Read More >

#163 April Status Report

April 5, 2021

This month’s report is about a new addition to EnterTRAINment Junction’s (EJ’s) American Railroad Museum. It’s John R. Hixson’s collection of live steam machines and mechanical threshers, now located in the American Railroad Museum’s theater. John was born in 1900 and grew up in farming country in Pennsylvania, where he had the opportunity to work […]

Read More >

Celebrities who like trains!

March 20, 2021

Celebrities can (sometimes) be just like us! They have their own hobbies and passions outside of acting or performing. We even have a special sign in our layout showcasing some celebrities who just so happen to like model railroading! Just a few examples: Tom Hanks’ love of model trains reportedly made him eager to sign […]

Read More >

#162 March Status Report

March 8, 2021

This month’s report is about another significant feature of the EnterTRAINment Junction (EJ) layout.  It’s one whose significance could easily be overlooked.  It’s the “live water” feature, which, for most of it, is not very visible from the EJ aisle. It provides such an amazing variety of scenic opportunities, most notably in the Early Period near the […]

Read More >