INDIANAPOLIS — One of Indianapolis’ most-loved holiday attractions returns this season when the Eiteljorg Museum presents the 16th annual Fifth Third Bank Jingle Rails: The Great Western Adventure. Running Nov. 15 through Jan. 19, the Jingle Rails model railroad is open late on certain dates so guests have more opportunities to experience it and the entire museum. Included this year: an enchanting scene recreating the landmarks of Route 66, and more Jingle Rails special events.
Since 2010, the Eiteljorg has been the home of Jingle Rails, a whimsical model railroad with more than 1,200 feet of track in which G-scale electric trains ramble through tunnels and over trestles, past scenes of the skyline of Indianapolis and the landmarks of the American West. The railroad backdrops — painstakingly created out of all-natural materials such as tree bark, pinecones, seed pods, acorns and other forest treasures — are designed and built by the botanical architecture team at Applied Imagination in Alexandria, Kentucky.
Jingle Rails’ Indianapolis scenes include creative replicas of Monument Circle, Lucas Oil Stadium, the OneAmerica Tower and the historic Madam Walker Theatre, which joined the layout last year. In the main hallway outside Jingle Rails are dioramas of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Indiana State Fair, crafted out of logs, gourds, moss, soybeans and other woodsy components.
During the holiday season, Jingle Rails and other Eiteljorg exhibits will be open for extended hours, until 7 p.m., on certain dates:
• Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 13 and 14
• Thursday-Sunday, Dec. 18, 19 20 and 21
• Friday-Sunday, Dec. 26, 27 and 28.
Jingle Rails is included with regular museum admission; adults are $20, seniors ages 65+ are $16, youth ages 5-17 are $12. Children ages 4 and under have free admission. Museum members also get in free. Indiana college, university and trade school students receive free admission by showing campus ID. Order advance tickets at Eiteljorg.org/JingleRails.
