Wonder, amazement and joy all live in the lower level of the Elizabethtown Public Library for several weeks in November and December. Those are just some of the emotions Craig Coble witnesses when people come to see the display laid out by The Train Guys.

"For the kids, it's a lot of big-eyed wonderment at things they've never seen before," said Coble. "The expressions I get to see on the kids' faces are great. And then the older crowd gets misty eyed, remembering trains from their childhood."

For the first time since 2019, The Train Guys will operate their display at the library, 10 S. Market St., beginning on Tuesday, Nov. 29, from 6 to 7 p.m. "That night coincides with the Elizabethtown Christmas tree lighting, so people can come see the trains when they come to that," Coble noted. "And it's also our first responders' night, so we're inviting all first responders to come see the trains."

The Train Guys begin setting up the layouts in mid-October, Coble explained, noting that the core group includes about 20 volunteers.

"One of things that sets us apart is we have 50 push buttons throughout the room that people can use to start trains and operate accessories," Coble stated.

He noted that the group sets up the display not just to entertain visitors, but also to support the library. "Most of the folks in our group have a strong incentive to give back to our community," he shared, noting that proceeds from suggested donations for admission as well as a silent auction and giveaway drawing at the display benefit the library.

As visitors enter the display from the hallway, they can enjoy a circus and amusement park scene, and they'll be greeted by costumed characters, including a railroad hobo, police officer and engineer.

Once inside the room, they'll see a display that features up to 20 trains running at once, through everything from urban to rural landscapes. "We even have dignitaries who visit from time to time," Coble said, pointing out Laurel and Hardy waiting on a train platform.

Elizabethtown's past can be found throughout the layout, including the old schoolhouse that now houses the Elizabethtown Historical Society and a ballfield replica of the one used by the Klein Chocolate Company team. One area of the display features standard-gauge trains, which Coble pointed out are very unusual to see in operation. "We only bring these out about every three years or so," he stated. "These train cars are up to 100 years old." The display ends with garden-scale trains set up on the floor on an indoor/outdoor carpet.

For Jack Messick, 8, who helped his grandfather work on setting up the layout, the trains offer entertainment and fun. "I like pushing the buttons," he said. "I like the light-up stuff and I like watching the trains run. It's just cool."

The Train Guys will operate the display on Tuesdays and Thursdays in December from 6 to 7:30 p.m. as well as from 5 to 7 p.m. on Second Friday, Dec. 9. The display will also operate on Saturdays, Dec. 3, 10 and 17, from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., when a shuttle will be offered between the library display and a train display at Masonic Village. For more information, visit http://www.etownpubliclibrary.org.