Olbrich Holiday Express Delights with Trains and Poinsettias

Olbrich Botanical Gardens wrapped another season of its Holiday Express Flower and Model Train Show, a winter tradition that ran December 6 through December 31. The December 30 session took place from 10 am to 4 pm, featuring large scale model trains set into a seasonal display of hundreds of poinsettias and fresh evergreens created by Olbrich horticulturists.

Members of the Wisconsin Garden Railway Society traveled from across Wisconsin to operate and display their trains, bringing a variety of equipment that changes by day. Visitors on different dates encountered bullet trains, steam locomotives, Santa trains, circus trains, and freight consists as layouts wound through the conservatory and exhibit spaces. The tropical Bolz Conservatory was included with admission, offering a warm green backdrop to the holiday plantings and moving models.

This year a key operational change was the introduction of timed entry for all tickets. Timed entry intended to limit the number of visitors in the display spaces at once, maintaining a comfortable viewing experience and supporting safety. Tickets were limited per time slot, and advance reservations were strongly recommended to guarantee entry for a preferred visit time.

Admission policy remained straightforward. Olbrich Botanical Society members received free admission. General public admission was ten dollars for adults, six dollars for children ages six through twelve, and children five and under were admitted free. Admission included access to the Bolz Conservatory and the seasonal train displays.

For community members and families, the Holiday Express offered accessible holiday programming that combined horticulture and model railroading. The event provided an opportunity to see large scale operations up close and to connect with local Garden Railway Society members who bring varied skills in layout building and train operation. The timed entry system also provided a model for managing attendance while preserving the close up experience that small layouts and detailed scenes require.

Visit or contact Olbrich Botanical Gardens for more information and future scheduling. The gardens are located at 3330 Atwood Ave., Madison, WI 53704. Phone is 608 246 4550. More details and ticketing were available on the venue site for those planning to attend.