Reviews of the Miniature World Trains
BETA
Downtown Greenville, SC 11/2013-7/2015
Overall reviews 4.5 Trip Advisor / 4.0 Yelp
/ 4.0 Facebook
FROM FACEBOOK:
Our 3 years olds
favorite
Christmas Eve
ever! Thank you
to all the
volunteers
working today so
he could have
this fun special
memory
Keirsten LeeAnn
Crawford
12/24/15 (Wade
Hampton
Location)
FROM FACEBOOK:
5 Star Rating
Fascinating
to see the
intricacies and
details that go
into making up
these displays.
Volunteers show
you behind the
scenes and you
can really
appreciate their
dedication. A
MUST to take
every young (or
old) child to
see!
Carol Schott
11/23/15
(Wade Hampton
Location)
FROM FACEBOOK:
5 Star Rating
My THREE year
old was
memorized by the
display for over
2 hours when we
visited. We
finally had to
lure him away
with the promise
of food . We are
very excited for
the upcoming
Christmas
display.
Keirsten LeeAnn
Crawford
11/16/15
(Wade Hampton
Location)
FROM FACEBOOK:
I am so happy
you will be
opening after
all!! My little
boy loves trains
and I was
thinking about
having his
birthday party
at your facility
in December. I
was disappointed
when I read that
you were
closing!!
11/11/15
(Wade Hampton
Location)
FROM TRIP
ADVISOR:
5 Star Rating
Fabulous"
Very nice train
museum! So much
detail and very
friendly staff.
Fun "scavenger
hunt" activity
to do while in
the museum. Fun
for train
enthusiasts of
all ages!
Nurseamanda2
Visited
June 21, 2015
FROM TRIP
ADVISOR:
5 Star Rating
Wonderful!
This is a great place for adults and kids of all ages. The volunteer staff was friendly and helpful answering questions and for a buck more you can go behind the scenes to see how the trains are dispatched. The mountain scenery is awesome and you can tell a lot of love went into the creation of Greenburg, a city inspired by Greenville & Spartanburg. Great way to spend time!
Loretta W
Visited May 18, 2015
FROM TRIP
ADVISOR:
4 Star Rating
Fun
for young
children!
Is there a kid
not fascinated
by trains?
Adults for that
matter. For a
small fee you
can wander
around the
trains and look
at the scenery.
There are little
buttons to push
too which is
extra great for
kids! My
children gave it
a thumbs up!!!
Meridith4047
Visited April
2015
FROM TRIP
ADVISOR:
5 Star Rating
Awesome
train layout
This is a great
place to visit
if you love
model trains.
The layout is
huge and very
detailed.
The volunteers
working in the
layout area and
at the front
desk are very
friendly and
knowledgeable.
The layout is also displayed in daylight and in night time light. The
location is
right downtown
in the historic
area, there is
shopping,
restaurants, and
other sights to
see in walking
distance. I
highly recommend
a visit.
Mary W.
Visited March
2015
From Email:
I visited your
Museum a couple
of weeks ago and
was amazed by
the details and
realism of your
trains.
I have since recommended it to everyone that would listen. I found your
Museum online.
Ryan. O.
Visited March
2015
FROM TRIP
ADVISOR:
"Loved It"
5 Star Rating
if you love
trains this is a
wonderful little
treasure
train lovers
should come
visit if in the
area!! there is
no fee they just
work off
donations
Winter Park, Florida
visited 03/07/15
FROM EMAIL:
.....your
display is VERY
impressive
Janice Cowen
State
Coordinator
SC Operation
Lifesaver
Visited 03/06/15
FROM TRIP
ADVISOR:
5 Star Rating
"Great Exhibit"
It was a very
interesting
layout of the
Greenville/Spartanburg
areas and the
mountains in the
middle. The many
different city
designs they
had, along with
the industrial
and farmlands
dotted with a
variety of
animals was
quite
impressive. Also
the knowledge
and the
readiness of the
volunteers
working the
display, to
answer questions
from both young
and old alike,
was excellent.
It is an
excellent place
to take kids to
enjoy. The HO
scale trains(40
of them I
believe) were
something of
beauty. Well
worth the $5.00
admission fee,
of which i
believe some
goes to local
charities. Check
it out if in the
Greenville area.
I don't think
you'll be
disappointed.
cha92853
Visited 02/18/15
FROM TRIP
ADVISOR:
5 Star Rating
"Wonderful"It
is amazing to
see the
miniature trains
in there! I have
taken my family
and they loved
it. The owners
are very
enthusiastic and
engaging,
willing to
answer any
questions. I
think this place
adds a great
deal of charm
and personality
to Greenville, I
hope more people
learn about it!
Maggie B.
Visited February
2015
FROM FACEBOOK:
Wonderful
layout, Everyone
needs to
experience this
never ending
enjoyment that
anyone, young
and young at
heart, you won't
regret the
amazing scenic
vistas of a 40
foot by 45 foot
with 12 foot 6
inch mountain
and piedmont
landscape with
buildings and
replicas that
will amaze!
Ken T.
Visited February
2015
FROM EMAIL:
I teach at Carolina High School and I came to the museum in
December with my granddaughters.
...My granddaughters LOVED the museum and they wore their hats
all weekend long!!
Kelly T.
Visited December 2014
FROM YELP:
Great place to go if you enjoy trains. Fun activity on
Christmas Day with family.
They had two scavenger hunts for the holidays.
Dawn H. - Birmingham, AL
12/25/14
FROM TRIP ADVISOR:
5 Star Rating
Great
Attraction
The museum of model trains is a must see in downtown
Greenville,SC. It is run by an all volunteer staff and the
displays are fantastic. The main display room has several trains
running simultaneously on several tracks and the background
scenery, including towns, model cars, and people are very
realistic. The street lights even light when they darken the
room. If you ever wanted to be an engineer you can go inside the
mountain and direct trains using one of the computers that
operate the system. There is a second room that is set up
with trains and all the background is made to look like
Christmas time. Whether or not you have children it is a great
attraction in the heart of Greenville.
Harry W.
Visited 12/16/14
FROM TRIP ADVISOR:
4 Star Rating
If your
kid loves Thomas the Tank Engine, they will love this place.
My son loves all things Thomas the train. I heard about this
hidden gem which is downtown Greenville (a stone's throw
distance from the Falls Park bridge) I recommend that you come
visit during the Christmas holidays. There are two main displays
during the winter months. The first display is the Christmas
featured train display. There is a room about 500 square feet
with a snowy mountain scene. There is a holiday themed scavenger
hunt that my son and I enjoyed doing together. (The theme was
primarily based on Frozen and Rudolph) After about 45 minutes of
walking around the Christmas display, we headed over to the
second display. The second display is much larger (probably
1,000 - 1,500 square feet. There is a giant mountain in the
center, an entire town, roundhouse, neighborhoods, etc... If you
remember Mr. Roger's Neighborhood's opening scene, it brought
back a lot of memories. There were train tunnels, bridges, and
lots of scenery that made it very enjoyable. I think I enjoyed
it a bit more than my son. After walking around the second
display (which is the one that is there year round) for another
30 minutes, my son was ready to go. The scavenger hunt for the
second display was geared towards older kids (i.e., how
many_____ are there).
When we went, it was $5 per child, and $7 per adult. I think it
was worth it, especially since we got two displays for the price
of one. My favorite was actually the Christmas display. I think
you should plan on spending an hour to an hour and a half
(depending on age of child/attention span).
htbcpa
Visited 12/15/14
Megan Heidelberg
(WSPA 7 (CBS) Your Carolina Host
(Regarding our appearance on the show 12/15/14)
We loved having you
on the show!!
FROM YELP:
4 Star Rating
This place was started by a group of train lovers who also
volunteer there as workers! Can't beat that awe factor. Everyone
was very nice and the trains were also very cool, even for a
pack of adults haha. I could only imagine how much cooler this
place would be as a kid! While this place is not huge, it is
just enough to get the full amount of train watching in ( and
helpful to not lose a child in). Enjoyed the seasonal North
Pole set up for Christmas.
Christina D - Knowville, TN
12/14/15
FROM FACE BOOK:
5 Star Rating
My 3 year old son cried when we left. LOVED the Christmas Setup
Brooke Blackwell
12/07/14
FROM FACE BOOK:
5 Star Rating
Our two year old had to be dragged out. Love the Christmas
setup!
Kiristi Moore Milner
12/06/14
FROM FACE BOOK:
Loved the Christmas and the model railroad. You have kept model
railroading alive.
Randy Gyulay
12/05/14
FROM FACE BOOK:
Visited the train museum today.
Great way to spend an hour or two, if you have children or love
trains, or both!
5 Star Rating
Janice Hicks
11/28/14
FROM FACE BOOK:
Need to take my Grands. Jacob,
Sommer and Ethan Maybe Savanah (she might be too grown up for
this) not!!!!!
Larry Copeland
11/24/14
"ONE OF THE FINEST HOLIDAY
DISPLAYS IN THE COUNTRY"
Classic Toy Trains December 2014
"PICK OF THE SEASON"
WYFF 4 November 24, 2014
FROM FACE BOOK:
5 Star Rating
Cheyene Riley
11/10/14
FROM FACE BOOK:
-
"impressive
layout"
October 2014!
FROM TRIP ADVISOR:
A Great
Little Find
We spent a couple of hours exploring the display and had a great
time with the Scavenger hunt. I thought it was awesome!!
Visited October 2014
FROM FACE BOOK:
5 Star Rating
Deborah Rogier Ulrich
09/04/14
FROM FACE BOOK:
We visited the Miniature World of Trains Museum today, and the
kids loved it. For those of you that visit Greenville, be sure
to take some time to visit the museum. If we lived in SC, we
would visit more often. When we return to SC for a visit, this
museum will be on our to-do list. Thanks for entertaining my
kiddos!!!
5 Star Rating
Lisa Van Slyke
08/07/14
FROM TRIP ADVISOR:
Great
Model Railroad Display
I took my kids to the Miniature World of
Trains in Greenville yesterday. They had a great time and keep
talking about when we are going back and taking mom with us. The
layout is very impressive, with several different trains running
at once. The small city, as well as the countryside, represented
have many neat little features (animated signs on some of the
buildings, wildlife such as deer and bear, farm animals, zombies
walking through the streets of the city, lighted buildings,
etc.). My kids really enjoyed the scavenger hunt that they give
you upon entrance and helps to point out these features and many
more. The volunteers are very friendly and helpful, and
extremely knowledgeable about the layout. They have a few
displays in the back, showing real-life railroad artifacts. This
attraction is still in its development stages - I am sure that
once it is totally finished, it will be one of the top
attractions in downtown. They do a special Christmas train
during the holiday season. We really enjoyed it and look forward
to going back.
Visited August 2014
FROM TRIP ADVISOR:
A Fun
Time at Miniature World of Trains!
We enjoyed a wonderful
visit to the Miniature World of Trains earlier today with the
whole family! We visited MWOT on a Saturday in the early
afternoon with a large family of boys and girls ranging from 12
years old to 4 years old.
As we walked up to the door, train sounds played over some
outdoor speakers, beckoning you inside. At $5 per person, it's
really reasonably priced for such a fun and unique experience in
downtown Greenville. An absurd earlier review commented that it
should be free. Give me a break! As I said, we got a lot of fun
for a small admission fee.
Once inside, we took in the huge train display. It was amazing.
The mountain range of the display climbs to 12 and a half feet
high. The trains run around the base of the display, as well as
at several different heights on the mountain. The display is
divided into several different areas, including a cityscape, a
trainyard, and a wilderness / farmland area. Many tunnels cut
through the mountain here and there to allow passage for the
trains from one area to the next. There is so much to see here -
you just have to look!
There are several notable things about the display that you
should be sure to see. I loved the cityscape. There were
buildings, vehicles, people, trees - the whole works. It even
had working traffic lights that were tiny! They were smaller
than a dime but still had the green-yellow-red sequence that lit
up correctly in each direction. As you walk around the display,
speakers play sounds of train radio chatter - pretty cool! And
it's really amazing what the computers they have can do with the
display. Trains pull into a station and stop while a different
train gets underway for a lap. Then that train pulls in and yet
another train pulls out for a lap. You can see trains stop to
let other train traffic go by before they continue on their way.
I have to say, my favorite part of the display is when they turn
the lights off to simulate night. Lights shine in the windows of
the city buildings, train traffic signal lights are more easily
seen, and they even have animated billboards! Tiny little
billboards that go through a light sequence as they spell out
the name of their company! They turn off the lights about once
an hour for maybe 10-15 minutes.
To help you take in the whole train display, there is a
scavenger hunt that my kids absolutely loved. You can grab a
scavenger hunt sheet on your way in if you like. There are about
15 questions on the sheet as I recall, and they are all meant to
engage you in the display. How many cows are on the farms? How
many restaurants are in the city? How many zombies (yes,
zombies!) are in the city? One hint: some of the questions are
meant to get you to interact with the wonderful staff of
volunteers here at MWOT. (Such as the height of the mountain.)
The staff loves to answer questions about the display, the
trains, the future plans for MWOT - anything. And they really
enjoyed interacting with my kids, no matter how repetitive or
absurd the question was that they got.
I should take a moment to mention that the MWOT also has a
museum area with some items of interest from the history of
trains, as well as some items available to purchase in the front
lobby/ticket area including beginner trains sets. Also, they are
testing the concept and hope to have a good enough response to
move to a larger location and have larger displays. And finally,
they have a delightful holiday train display around November and
December that you simply have to come see.
So, if you wanted to come in and only spend 10 minutes walking
around, you certainly could. Quite frankly, you could do the
same thing in the Sistine Chapel or at the Louvre if you were so
inclined - you would probably enjoy it, but you would also miss
an awful lot. Instead, I recommend that you come in and give it
a good hour, or at least enough time to cycle through a
nighttime sequence. Do the scavenger hunt with your kids (or by
yourself!) to get them to notice some of the minute details they
put into the display. Take a look at the museum items. And one
of my favorite things - hold your camera steady on the rail that
circles the display and get a video roll of a train rolling by.
Then look at it later and see how real it looks. However you
decide to spend your time, the Miniature World of Trains is
worth a look!
Visited July 2014
We enjoyed our trip
immensely. The guides were knowledgeable and friendly and
the exhibit is amazing. It took us a while to see
everything. We wished we could have come back for the
special sunset effects on Saturday. It's well worth a look
in!
Visited July 2014
FROM TRIP ADVISOR:
Impressive Display
Reviewed May 25, 2014 by Bigdoggh
Atlanta, GA
I I dabbled
in model trains many years ago and was curious about this place.
I have to say I was impressed. Even if you don't have much
interest in model trains you might find this exhibit pretty
cool.
Visited May 2014
FROM TRIP ADVISOR:
Fantastic Train
Display
Reviewed May 24, 2014 by Jon D
Charlottle, NC
The already awesome Falls Park
and West End area of Greenville just got a little bit better! I
visited this display today during a trip to Greenville. Kids and
adults will both enjoy the "scavenger hunt" to find details
hidden within the model railroad. Familiar local landmarks (like
a model of downtown with Mast General Store) are visible in the
railroad display. It also has western Rocky Mountain and eastern
Smoky Mountain sections.
The model railroad has computer controlled trains and switches
to allow various trains to make realistic starts and stops and
traverse the display realistically instead of running in a
constant loop like most other displays. The staff is passionate
about the "temporary" beta model railroad and museum they have
built and I'm impressed with the result. Can't wait to see what
this crew can build if they are successful with a future move to
a larger facility.
It's a little off Main St. on Camperdown and a little hard to
see from Main but it's definitely worth finding if you're in the
area.
Reviewed May 23,
2014
by Mary
C Greenville, SC
The Miniature
World of Trains
is a must see
for anyone with
children 2-12
and all adults
that remember
watching the
trains at
Christmas! It's
inexpensive and
a great rest
stop while
wondering around
downtown
Greenville.
Don't miss it!
Reviewed May 16,
2014 by
the_tool_man
Spartanburg,
South Carolina
I visited on a
Friday morning,
with my wife,
during a weekend
stay in downtown
Greenville. We
were greeted at
the door with a
smile and a
brief
description of
the attraction.
Upon going
inside, I was
amazed at the
quantity and
quality of the
models and
trains on
display. The
layout is nicely
arranged, with
lots of variety.
I especially
loved the local
landmarks
produced in
miniature form.
I took lots of
photos, and had
a nice
conversation
with one of the
volunteers.
We had a great
time. I would
definitely
recommend a stop
here, especially
for families.
Reviewed April
1, 2014 by
prototypecycle
Troy, MI
This is a brand
new attraction
in downtown
Greenville, SC.
We happened to
visit on their
"beta" day. The
"Grand Opening"
is in late
April. They are
trying to make
something very
cool here and we
really enjoyed
the opportunity
to see what they
had to offer,
even if
everything
didn't go
exactly as
planned. Any
model train buff
will get a real
thrill out of
this display.
Reviewed May 24,
2014
The already
awesome Falls
Park and West
End area of
Greenville just
got a little bit
better! I
visited this
display today
during a trip to
Greenville. Kids
and adults will
both enjoy the
"scavenger hunt"
to find details
hidden within
the model
railroad.
Familiar local
landmarks (like
a model of
downtown with
Mast General
Store) are
visible in the
railroad
display. It also
has western
Rocky Mountain
and eastern
Smoky Mountain
sections.
The model
railroad has
computer
controlled
trains and
switches to
allow various
trains to make
realistic starts
and stops and
traverse the
display
realistically
instead of
running in a
constant loop
like most other
displays. The
staff is
passionate about
the "temporary"
beta model
railroad and
museum they have
built and I'm
impressed with
the result.
Can't wait to
see what this
crew can build
if they are
successful with
a future move to
a larger
facility.
It's a little
off Main St. on
Camperdown and a
little hard to
see from Main
but it's
definitely worth
finding if
you're in the
area.
FROM YELP
Rebecca R.
"It's a new gem in Greenville"
4 Stars
Reviewed 04/23/14
If you're a fan of trains this is the place for you. Miniature
World of Trains, located right across the road from Falls Park, is a
scale model train display created by a lot of hardworking people.
At this point the people working there are all volunteers devoting
their time to something they love. While it isn't a huge display
right now there are plans for the future to expand. The space now
has an HO scale model with many aspects of the surrounding towns and
areas as well as a space for parties.
The model itself is really cool with a lot of details that you have
to look for. The first area you see is Greenburg which is a
combination of Greenville and Spartanburg. In this town is a model
of Mast General Store and the Fox Theater. If you look hard enough
in this area you can find two zombies wandering through town. In
the background is Table Rock. As you move around the display you
come across the trees changing color as well as more mountainous
scenes. If you look close enough you can see rock climbers climbing
the side of one of the mountains.
This museum is great for kids and adults alike.
Kristie C:
My son, Will, came today and really enjoyed himself.
Kathi Quinn:
I love toy trains!
John Boyd:
Greenville is a medium size city completely lacking when it comes to
museums that will drive tourism. This transportation museum,
especially with model railroads and trains, will drive tourism and
be a positive influence on Greenville. I'm excited the downtown
location has been chosen.
Thomas Lacher:
Learn from the past, enjoy the present, and build for the future.
William Nolan:
A perfect addition to the community!!!
Nick Pasquine:
Anything which brings tourist dollars needs to be supported by both
Government and the business community.
John Herzog:
Awesome project, I would bring my family again and again, as well as
donate myself.
Scott Dam:
Great idea and needed. Keep going!
Linda Piper:
Great opportunity for Greenville and the surrounding area - good
family fun, great for local business, educational - great value.
Roger D. Harmon:
Great project!
Phillip Kenyon: Great Show!
Mark Smith:
I am already supporting this project as a volunteer and donor.
David Henderson:
I believe that the museum will be an attraction for the local area and for
South Carolina.
Dean Karr:
I look for train layouts that are open to the public everywhere I
go; and they are always very popular. The children (and many adults)
of SC love this.
Harry Shucker:
It is a wonderful learning experience for children as well as for
adults.
David Winans:
Railroads played such an important part in the history of this
county.
Annette Ruby: The museum is a great asset to the area and people
from around the world should come to visit.
Walt Mazzei:
This is a fun project of great vision and value to the community. It
is worthy of our support.
Mike Gilley: This is being modeled after a highly successful museum
in Germany. It is nice to see an attempt to pull together the
various modes of transportation supporting the emphasis on trains.
Glenn Hayes: This is needed. People don't know that a train has the
right of way and can't stop fast.
Robert Struck:
This miniature World of trains would be a great show for our area
and the whole country who come to visit.
Bruce Swift:
This museum will bring together adults and children from our
community, neighboring states, and our overseas friends on business
trips. The train museum will educate in the various aspect of how
our transportation system works hand in hand and be a beneficial
asset to our town.
Donna A Callahan:
This project will not only
benefit the Upstate South Carolina area but the entire Southeastern
United States. A project of the magnitude will draw people from all
areas of the US and other countries, just like Miniatur Wunderland
in Hamburg, German.
Paul Jamieson:
This project would make Greenville someplace special for the
residents and visitors.
Alfred Nelson:
This will be a wonderful thing for the community.
Don Axsom:
This will be another unique experience that Greenville offers
visitors of all ages, and a great way for locals to entertain and
treat out of town guests.
Adam Fesperman:
....something the kids would love to see!
G Negovetic:
When we travel to other places we always look for museums like this.
Joy Weckler:
...fun and great learning place!
Mark H Cyrus:
With all of the major international companies ,i.e. Michelin, BMW,
and ICAR, who I don't see on the donations list, I'm surprised they
haven't jumped on the bandwagon and support such a worthy cause to
bring more information and education about the history. |
