Biltmore offers model rail exhibits

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John Warner

A model train exhibition runs through September 29 at the Biltmore Estate in the historic conservatory and at Antler Hill Village.

In the conservatory, nearly 800 feet of track carries G-scale locomotives and railcars as they traverse bridges and trestles in multiple rooms at varied viewing levels. Trains weave through exotic botanicals and miniature replicas of estate landmarks, including replicas of Biltmore House, the stable, the conservatory, lodge gate, the bass pond waterfall, the gardener’s cottage, plus All Souls Church and the depot in Biltmore Village. 

In Antler Hill Village, the second display showcases the travels of George Vanderbilt. Model trains travel on 250 feet of track, passing replicas of international landmarks including the Eiffel Tower in Paris and London’s Tower Bridge. The landscape was designed by Biltmore’s gardeners using shrubs, trees, and flowers.

The miniature replica structures were handcrafted out of all-natural materials by Applied Imagination, an award-winning crew of artists, botanical experts, and landscape designers known for popular exhibitions across the U.S. including the New York Botanical Garden and the United States Botanic Garden in Washington, D.C. Many of the materials were collected directly from the estate including pine cones, bark, bamboo, grapevines, honeysuckle, acorns, pods, seeds and grasses.

Biltmore Gardens Railway is included with regular daytime admission to the estate.