In a move that promises to reshape the landscape of transportation-themed attractions, Firecrown, a leading publisher of transportation and enthusiast titles, has acquired the railroad assets from EnterTRAINment Junction. The company plans to relocate the beloved train exhibits to Chattanooga, Tennessee, as part of an ambitious new transportation museum. Firecrown is also the parent company of FreightWaves media.
EnterTRAINment Junction, the popular family attraction in West Chester, Ohio, known for housing the world’s largest indoor large-scale display, is set to close its doors permanently on January 5, 2025. This closure marks the end of an era for the Cincinnati landmark but opens a new chapter for its exhibits under Firecrown’s stewardship.
EnterTRAINment Junction has long been a cherished landmark, renowned for its extraordinary scale and intricate design. Spanning an impressive 80,000 square feet, this entertainment center housed the indoor large-scale train display, with the layout taking up over 25,000 square feet. It was a marvel not only for its size but for its elaborate landscapes and highly detailed train models, each meticulously crafted to captivate both children and adults alike.
Annually, EnterTRAINment Junction attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors from across the country, entrenching itself as a must-see attraction in Cincinnati. Its family-friendly allure and engaging events, such as Everything Thomas and Christmas at the Junction, fostered a loyal fan base that returned year after year to partake in its unique offerings. Despite its closure, EnterTRAINment Junction’s legacy is set to continue through Firecrown’s ambitious plans in Chattanooga, preserving the magic that entertained so many for nearly two decades.
Craig Fuller, CEO and founder of Firecrown, sees this acquisition as a perfect fit for the company’s vision. “The Chattanooga Choo Choo is a world-famous train town, and so we think this fits perfectly in the Chattanooga story but also preserves the legacy built here in Cincinnati,” Fuller stated. The move aligns with Firecrown’s status as a category leader in affluent enthusiast media and commerce, particularly in the transportation sector.
The new museum, tentatively named “The Motion Museum,” aims to be more than just a relocation of EnterTRAINment Junction’s exhibits. Firecrown’s plans include expanding the scope to encompass all forms of transportation, including aviation, trucking, and maritime vessels. This broadened focus reflects the company’s diverse portfolio, which includes publications such as FLYING Magazine and various train-focused titles acquired from Kalmbach Media.
Firecrown owns Trains, Trains.com, Model Railroader, Garden Railways, Classic Trains, and Classic Toy Trains. It also publishes books, operates a streaming TV network, and manages a large e-commerce operation, all dedicated to model railroading. The company also oversees the media operations of aviation, marine, space, and FreightWaves.
Firecrown’s acquisition includes the 25,000-square-foot layout, the Thomas Museum, and the Thomas Outdoor Train, among other assets. The company is committed to preserving these models to the best of their ability while integrating them into a larger, more diverse exhibition.
Fuller and his team aim to have the new transportation museum and indoor theme park operational by the end of 2025 or early 2026. This timeline allows for careful planning and execution of what promises to be a significant addition to Chattanooga’s tourist attractions.
The development of this new museum and indoor theme park aligns with Firecrown’s broader strategy of creating immersive experiences for enthusiasts. By combining their expertise in content creation with physical attractions, Firecrown is positioning itself at the forefront of the content-to-commerce model in the transportation and hobby sectors.
The company has a large television and video production business, creating content that spans all forms of transportation, ranging from trains, aviation, trucking, marine, to space. Firecrown has a fishing show on ESPN and specialty streaming TV networks covering trains and freight. The company plans to turn the Motion Museum into an interactive studio, developing content for the enthusiast topics it covers.
As the transportation industry continues to evolve, this new museum and theme park could serve as a hub for both nostalgic reflection and forward-thinking inspiration. It represents not just the preservation of EnterTRAINment Junction’s legacy but also the potential for new educational opportunities and economic impact in the Chattanooga area.
Chattanooga is already a major regional tourism city, hosting attractions like the Tennessee Aquarium, Rock City, Ruby Falls, the Creative Discovery Museum, the Chickamauga Battlefield, and the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum. Chattanooga is also home to a railroad-themed hotel, The Chattanooga Choo Choo.
The transition from EnterTRAINment Junction to the new Chattanooga-based museum and indoor theme park underscores a broader trend of reimagining traditional attractions for modern audiences. By expanding beyond trains to include various modes of transportation, Firecrown is betting on the enduring fascination with mobility and technological progress.
“Firecrown, Chattanooga, and Transportation are all natural fits. We are the largest transportation media platform, located in a large transportation city, and now we will have a large museum dedicated to transportation. This will be a place to celebrate and engage people of all ages in the magical world of transportation,” Fuller stated.
Today, I took my father and mother through EnterTRAINment Junction so they could see the layout while it was still running in Cincinatti.
The lights will go down on January 5th in Cincinatti – go check it out!
After that, it’s headed to Chattanooga! pic.twitter.com/AyZNl0Z8Dv
— Craig Fuller 🛩🚛🚂⚓️ (@FreightAlley) December 26, 2024
Craig Fuller is a visionary in the transportation publishing field and his continuing efforts will underscore the importance to the all mode transportation industries so vital to our nations economy.
Hopefully, we will get to see the project layouts that got shipped down in the move for public display included
Being a native Chattanoogan myself, we used to have a model railroad setup at the Chattanooga Choo Choo (Chattanooga Southern) until it was sadly demolished in 2014, this will really put Chattanooga on the map and it will be something to see once it is set up.
If it’s run as well as this website it’s guaranteed to go down the tube!
My My John. This doesn’t seem fair. Considering how the past several months has been a nightmare, hopefully your comment relates to the FORMER owner. Myself it has been frustrating with the former, but am frantic to get to see the layout before the move. On the other hand it will be closer and expanded after the move. While getting used to the new forum useage it seems very comprehensive and a HUGE investment on the part of Firecrown. Brovo Firecrown. endmrw1229240933