Million-dollar TrainTopia Exhibit Coming Together for Frisco's Railroad Museum

FRISCO — Andy Wartman dabs maroon paint followed by a mix of pink and gray on the seams that connect the mini rock formations of New Mexico. A bit of dark green foliage goes into the crevices. Within minutes, his handiwork blends in with the surrounding scenery of a massive model train layout being rebuilt here at the Frisco Discovery Center. A grand opening in June is planned for the Museum of the American Railroad's new exhibit, aptly named TrainTopia. That means there's little time to waste for Wartman and his crew from the Cincinnati-based American Eagle Rail Group. The four-man team specializes in building and rebuilding model train layouts. But never have they seen one approaching the size and scope of this one donated by the Sanders family of Dallas. Valued at more than $1 million, the G scale model layout spans more than 2,500 square feet with multiple precision trains running on different tracks. Stephen Sanders started collecting model trains when his family lived in Corsicana. When they moved to Dallas years later, he continued to expand. Robert Reid Studios of Fort Worth built the model layout to his specifications.   Continue reading...