Cincinnati Museum Center is gearing up for the holidays with the return of Holiday Junction featuring the Duke Energy Holiday Trains, a display that first rolled into downtown back in 1946 and is now marking its 80th season at Union Terminal. The exhibit opens Friday, Nov. 13, and runs through Jan. 4, giving families nearly two months to catch the model railroads before they're packed away for the year.
Eight Decades of Track Time
According to Cincinnati Museum Center, the Duke Energy Holiday Trains have been a downtown fixture since they first debuted in 1946, and this year's run officially celebrates 80 years of the tradition. The museum describes a sprawling layout of more than 300 rail cars, with the locomotive count listed at 50 on the museum's own site — though a separate account from wonderfulmuseums.com puts that number at 60, so visitors may want to confirm the exact figure once they're on site. That same source notes the trains have been a Cincinnati holiday fixture for more than 70 years, originally displayed at the former Duke Energy building downtown.
As reported by WKRC, the display opens Friday, Nov. 13, 2026, giving Cincinnati families a fresh look at the trains as the holiday season ramps up at Union Terminal, located at 1301 Western Avenue, per everythingcincy.com.
New Film Debuts Alongside the Trains
This year's run also brings something new to the mix: a rail-themed adventure called Train Time, debuting in the museum's OMNIMAX Theater, according to Cincinnati Museum Center. The film offers visitors a big-screen experience.
Holiday Junction admission is included with general museum admission and is free for Cincinnati Museum Center members, the everythingcincy.com report notes. That makes the trains an easy add-on for anyone already planning a trip to Union Terminal this winter.
Santa Visits and Special Dates
Santa is scheduled to make daily appearances from Nov. 27 through Christmas Eve. Interpreters from Cincinnati State's Interpreter Training Program are set to be on site Sunday, Dec. 6, from 2 to 5 p.m., and guests can tour Tower A on select dates in December.
As the 80th season approaches, Holiday Junction remains one of the city's longest-running holiday traditions, pairing a decades-old model railroad spectacle with new attractions like Train Time to keep the exhibit fresh for returning visitors and newcomers alike.
