Small Trains Tour Garden Terrain

From the ancient pueblo villages of the Mesa Verde to tunnels through the Rocky Mountains and high trestles over gorges, America's scenic wonders are all accessible by rail this summer. And they're all just a few moments from each other.

That's because inside the Chicago Botanic Garden, model trains travel through a model garden and tour replicas of the main attractions of 12 national parks.

Through mid-October, seven different rail lines travel through the model landscapes, powered by everything from old 19th century steam locomotives, to the most modern 21st century passenger engines.

On this railroad it takes only 1,000 feet of track to link parks that are thousands of miles from each other in real life. It may be just the ticket to delight railroad fans of all ages.