In the tiny town of Argyle southwest of Madison, a former train engineer has turned the barn on his family farm into a toy train wonderland.
Buck Guthrie spent 26 years as a railroad engineer. He credits a childhood trip to a train museum for his life-long love of trains.
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A lifetime collecting model train bits and pieces has culminated in a toy train museum that inspires dreams whether you’re young or just young at heart.
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The toy train barn is a world of wonder with full displays and dioramas for the toy trains to traverse.
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Guthrie’s wife Jan gives tours of the toy train barn and guides visitors through the various displays and toys being used.
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The attention to detail is magnificent.
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There are numerous animated scenes and Guthrie has tin pieces and toy trains that date back to the 1860s.
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Not only can visitors view the toy trains inside, but they can take a miniature train ride outside. The passenger cars date to 1933 and travel a 1.5 mile loop through Guthrie’s 18 acre farm.
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Call ahead to make sure the museum is open and the train rides are running.
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You’ll constantly find new and interesting things among the toy trains - Guthrie is a tinkerer who’s constantly stealing bits of other electronics to enhance and improve the set up.
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Young and old alike will be fascinated by all the intricate details and history contained in this toy train barn.
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Admission to the toy train barn is just $5 for adults and $3 for children, which is a small price to pay for the wonderment you’ll experience.
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Though the toy train barn is clearly a labor of love for the Guthries, it’s also an important bit of history that not many people get a chance to learn about.
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The toy train barn may be just a small part of the history of trains in the US, but it’s the Guthries’ part and they love to share it.
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Looking for more trains in Wisconsin? Check out 7 Incredible Wisconsin Day Trips You Can Take By Train.
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