Choo Choo ! Get ready New Braunfels as the trains pull into the station.

The bi-annual New Braunfels Train Show sponsored by the New Braunfels Railroad Museum comes to the New Braunfels Civic/Convention Center this weekend.

However, the shows go beyond a love for trains. It serves as the main fundraiser to keep the New Braunfels Railroad Museum alive for those who wish to spend the day immersing themselves in the world of locomotives.

To stay on track with previous rail shows, it features a wide range of train layouts and scale displays to suit the many parts of small towns erected for trains to run and steam through. . In total, there are nine layouts to see during this season’s show.

“Looking at the different tracks and all the cool stuff that people are coming up with is cool,” said Larry Johnson, one of the museum’s agents. “The Lego setups are, of course, really cool too.”

The displays made entirely of Legos, which in the past have included restaurants, well-known buildings and landmarks, and agricultural marvels representing the Lone Star State, have always been a big hit for the event.

While the show is aimed at train fanatics, kids have plenty to do, including an interactive train setup where they can experience what it’s like to be a train engineer by driving the train themselves . They then obtain an engineer’s certificate.

“Mothers and fathers bring their kids and the kids don’t want to leave when they see these amenities,” said Jim Edmondson, event chair for the museum. “They spend two or three hours watching the trains.”

As one of the largest railroad shows in Texas, the show attracts visitors from across Texas and train-related vendors from across the country. This year, over 70 vendors are selling everything train enthusiasts need to build the perfect layout: buildings that light up, cars with flashing lights and recorded sounds to bring the display to life.

“(Kids) get excited when they see all the lights and movement and activity,” said Paula Harris, one of the owners of Harris Hobbies.

The show typically hosts a silent auction with several sponsors donating items to bid on, but the silent auction will not be part of this season’s event but will return for the fall show.

The museum has been running railroad shows for over three decades and is known to have raised up to $22,000 from the shows, with proceeds going towards museum upkeep.

Plus, the New Braunfels Railroad Museum will be open to the public during the show for those who can’t get enough of the trains.

“The Train Show has been featured at the Civic and Convention Center for decades and we’re thrilled to have them back for another year,” said Hallory Hines, vice president of the Convention and Visitors Bureau.

The Rail Show begins Saturday, April 9 at 10 a.m. and ends at 5 p.m. The show will continue until Sunday, April 10 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Entry is cash only at the door. For adults 14 and older, admission is $10 and for children 5-13. Although once inside the event space, vendors will have other payment methods available.

The Railroad Show will be back for its fall event in October.