Austin Train Show

The Austin Train Show returns to the Palmer Events Center on Saturday, August 29, and Sunday, August 30. It's celebrating 53 years, and the scale is hard to overstate: more than 25,000 square feet of model railroading spread across the floor. You'll see operating model railroads in multiple scales running at once, and there's a self-guided area model railroad tour to follow if you want to see how the different layouts fit together.

It's not just for watching, either. There are clinics where you can pick up some of the craft, and hundreds of vendor tables for buying and selling parts and equipment. The Kiddie Express gives younger kids their own train ride, and there's a chance to actually run trains on a model railroad yourself. There's also a raffle with a complete model railroad among the prizes.

It's built for families, and the ticket covers both days. Admission is $9 in advance and $10 at the door; children 12 and under get in free with an adult. Military and first responders get a $1 discount with ID, though that one only applies at the door. The show runs from 10 AM to 5 PM on Saturday and 10 AM to 4 PM on Sunday at the Palmer Events Center, 900 Barton Springs Road.