Some people can look at a bunch of loose Legos and see plastic toy brick versions of almost anything.

And some people may admire creatively shaped Lego skyscrapers, battleships and railroads and dream of building their own.

Both camps will be at Cantigny Park in Wheaton this weekend for the Lego Train Show.

The holiday show will feature miniature versions of the Willis Tower, the Prudential Building, and military warships, as well as scaled-down versions of the cities, complete with Lego trains.

Marking its 16th year, the show returns after being discontinued last year due to ongoing construction as part of the Cantigny renovation project.

“We are delighted to be back in Cantigny,” said Jamie LeBlanc, president of the Northern Illinois Lego Train Club, the organization hosting the show.

LeBlanc said about 3.5 million Lego bricks will be on display in the visitor center and other buildings in the park.

“The club has all its own tables. That day, we simply set up all the tables in the club. Some people bring them pre-made, others assemble them there. It’s all the detail work that takes the most time, ”said LeBlanc.

The battery-powered trains are made of Lego. Even the train tracks are in Legos.

LeBlanc has said he enjoys building trains and other Lego projects using both the kits provided by the toy company and the designs he offers himself.

Many of its 24 club members do the same. The group is one of some two dozen Lego clubs across the country.

LeBlanc said he will display a nostalgic scene.

“I’m throwing a retro 1950s Dog ‘n’ Suds,” he said. The stage will feature a car awning and carhops on roller skates.

“You can do stupid things with trains. You can do something extremely fancy,” he said.

Not all Lego artists with an engineering flair are so quick to divulge new pieces they plan to unveil.

“Everyone stays very close to the jacket of what they’re actually building,” said LeBlanc. “The fun thing about the club is that we inspire each other.”

With surprises awaiting visitors, LeBlanc said people can count on a few favorites.

A screen shows a collision between a Dunkin ‘Donuts truck and a Krispy Kreme truck.

On display at the First Division Museum, a 25.5-foot-long replica of the battleship USS Missouri, complete with 400 Lego sailors, will show visitors what a huge collection of Legos can do.

“It’s made of about 500,000 Lego bricks right there,” he said.

Inside the Freedom Hall of the Robert R. McCormick mansion, a dozen mosaics made with the smallest Lego bricks will adorn the walls. From noon to 3 p.m. on Saturdays, children can try their hand at the Lego building downstairs in the Théâtre d’Or

The visitors center will also feature Lego vendors. And a Lego Disney castle will be drawn. Raffle tickets cost $ 1.

LeBlanc said the show started in 2001 with around 800 visitors.

“I think in our best year, that year, we did 12,000 people. Our habit is 7,000 to 8,000 people,” he said.

Admission to Cantigny Park during the show is $ 5 per vehicle, a fee that will be waived in exchange for an unwrapped toy donation to Marine Corps Reserves Toddler Toy Drop Boxes.