The Escarpment Train Exhibit returns to the Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington this weekend, offering visitors a chance to explore Canadian history through detailed model displays. The event will be open on weekends throughout April, from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
The exhibit is located indoors at the Robert Stipe Garden House. To reach the display, visitors are required to walk through the historic Rock Garden, which serves as the birthplace of the botanical gardens. This site opened in 1932 and underwent a major $20-million rejuvenation before reopening in 2016 as the David Braley and Nancy Gordon Rock Garden.
This year’s display features G scale model trains that illustrate three distinct eras of Canadian locomotive history. The trains travel through a landscape featuring steam engines from the late 1800s, streamliners from the 1930s, and modern diesel locomotives from the 1960s to the present day. The exhibit includes seven lines of train tracks set against a backdrop of huge cedar planters filled with 2,500 plants. These displays also incorporate scale models of iconic Canadian landmarks crafted entirely from plant materials.
The Royal Botanical Gardens, which is a National Historic Site of Canada, spans approximately 1,100 hectares across Burlington and Hamilton. It is situated within the Niagara Escarpment World Biosphere Reserve and acts as the national focal point for plant conservation efforts.
Admission to the train exhibit is included with general garden admission or a membership. For those visiting only the Rock Garden, single-garden tickets are available for $10 per person for ages 3 and up, while children age 0-2 may enter for free.
