Behind The Scenes Trains LIVE Trains LIVE — The Mad City Model Railroad Show

Trains LIVE — The Mad City Model Railroad Show

By Bob Lettenberger | March 1, 2024

| Last updated on March 20, 2024


From models to motor cars, Bob and Bryson take you through the 56th edition of this Midwest show

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Trains LIVE — The Mad City Model Railroad Show — 3-1-2024 — Operating model railroads, railroad historical societies, museums, garden railroads, restored motor cars — if it has something to do with trains — of any size — you can find it at the Mad City Model Railroad Show. For the 56th time the South Central Wisconsin Division of the National Model Railroad Association presented the 90,000-square-foot festival of trains at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wis., on Feb. 17 and 18, 2024.

Exhibit hall set up for a train show with people looking at exhibits
The 56th annual Mad City Model Railroad Show in Madison, Wis. SCWD-NMRA

Bob and Bryson toured the show and bring you their report. During their visit, they explored everything from a scratch-built model of Santa Fe’s Barstow, Calif., locomotive maintenance shop to a fully-restored, operational Milwaukee Road Fairmont Speeder. After the interviews, the guys did some shopping and what they brought home might surprise you.

Come along as Trains LIVE explores the Mad City Model Railroad Show.


Trains LIVE is a regular video program, recorded live and unscripted from Kalmbach Media. The series began in July 2022.

Trains LIVE features Bob Lettenberger, Trains associate editor, Bryson Sleppy, Model Railroader associate editor, Kalmbach Media staff, and guests talking about railroads and trains in a casual, behind-the-scenes format. On Trains LIVE we will ask the questions you would like to ask and take you into places normally not open to the public. Trains LIVE also takes you on the road to museums, trackside locations and other railroad-related venues.

You can watch and listen to new episodes every other Friday at 2 p.m. Central time. Trains LIVE is now available as a podcast and in full video versions. The podcast can be found on RSS.com, Apple Podcasts, and Listen Notes. The full video version is a membership benefit for Trains.com Unlimited members.

If you have questions or comments, please log-in and leave a comment in the area at the bottom of the page. We will attempt to answer questions during future episodes.
 All aboard! It’s time for Trains LIVE!

2 thoughts on “Trains LIVE — The Mad City Model Railroad Show

  1. Great coverage of our show. Enjoyed meeting both of you at our show on Saturday. Hope to see you again next year.
    Mike Vivion, Past Superintendent of SCWD

    1. Thanks Mike! It is great to see how many folks participate in the Mad City Model Railroad Show both a exhibitors and patrons. The passion everyone has for whatever aspect of railroading they are interested gives the show such a fun atmosphere. We loved our adventure there!

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