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RETURNING IN 2023 and 2024
Near I-85 Location TBA Location

Christmas Model Train Display™

Miniature World of Trains™

 
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Images below are from the BETA Test version of the MWOT that operated from
2013 until 2015 and was created with the talents of our team of creative volunteers from around the world.
The test displays were designed by Founder and President of the Now Cloased Non Profit Mini World Frank Ruby.

Click on images to enlarge
 
 
 
 
 

 



2023


02/06/23

Overall Project Update

The return of the Miniature World of Trains
is getting closer!

First a little back story.

Since 2010 the Miniature World of Trains has been trying created a top notch world class group of highly sophisticated model train displays that are both fun but educational as well.

Examples would be Miniatur Wunderland in Hamburg and the Porsche Museum in Germany, Grand Maket Rossiya in Russia, Little Canada in Canada and Entertrainment in Ohio. However, the new Miniature World of Trains will create a new group of new display unlike anything seem in North America. More details available via the links below.

Back in 2010, right after the non profit version of the concept was created, a 30,000sf former Winn Dixie was offered to the MWOT concept for free. The catch, it needed about a one million dollar over haul! We had to pass on that deal.

At this same time we created the first Christmas Display for the Children’s Museum of the Upstate with full sponsorship for MTH-Railking, Lionel and Atlas O. We did this in the space of two weeks for Thanksgiving.

In the forth quarter of 2010 the concept negotiated a $1.5M sponsorship donation from the Siemens corporation via 7 separate $200k donations from each division of the company. The deal was almost complete in late 2010 when one of our board members did not follow up as current President, Frank Ruby was pleading that he do. When he finally did so the Siemens contact went back to Germany for Christmas. When he returned in 2011, Siemens was reorganized into 5 divisions and our contact was in a new position. We could not resurrect that deal.

Soon after Frank Ruby negotiated a lease of just $20,000 p/m for an old Sam’s Club. But they wanted to sell the building for a mere $3M dollars. Frank was working on the funding with BB&T bank and the State of South Carolina at the same time MWOT created a second Christmas Display for the City of Fountain Inn which drew some 10,000 in its limited two week run in early December 2010.

During this time a development company purchased the building for cash and promptly tore it down for future development.

Following the success for the Fountain Inn display MWOT was approached by a local grocery chain to take over one of their closed properties. After 4 months of negotiations we could not come to an agreement.

That same day the MWOT Beta test location came available and the deal for the 5,000sf to create the first MWOT HO test display and house the current Christmas Display was agreed to that same day!

A 2.5 year lease was signed for the MWOT Test which would allow us to seek a new location. That lease ended in the summer of 2015 when the board of directors decided to end the non profit. Though the parking issues in the area and new construction with a construction crane to be placed right outside of entrance, the BETA test still drew some 80,000 in total of the two years. This was done without parking or any advertising.

But, until the last month, we have not been able to find a viable location, though we got close with a 60,000sf former grocery store back in late 2019.

Then the Covid situation hit and in early 2022 the new, for profit Lillput LLC was formed to find a viable location.

Well after a year of searching and losing out on several locations that a AAA fitness business was scooping up, we finally have found 2 locations that this fitness company seems not to be seeking that will work for MWOT!

Late last month CEO Kelly Orr submitted a Letter Of Intent to lease 27,000sf of space just off I-85 in Greenville, SC and this week another LOI for another 44,000sf location just close to the former Blue Ridge Hobbies location. We hope to have one of these great locations open by the holidays in 2023!

Each location is fully air-conditioned and heated, are handicap accessible. Both have plenty of parking and are very close to the interstates and are easy to find.

We have included some links to the proposed floor plans for each location based on the information we received for the respective owners. At this time we can not give the exact location of the potential venues until we have the lease(s) in hand!

As of this update $700,000 has been committed to getting the building of the project started by June 2023 if not sooner!

Already, the plans for the new larger O Scale Christmas Model Train Display and the new larger Miniature World of Trains HO Display have been created for both locations. We will be sharing those plans at the train shows in two weeks.

The plan is to start building the Christmas Model Train Displayas soon possible along with the set back barriers for the first two displays. At the same time we will begin the addition of 16’ and 10’ high partition walls, update the flooring and paint.

Proposed location links are above.

The bulk of the venue updates will take place in July while construction of the displays and building repairs will start at the beginning of June (or sooner) as of this update.

The project will need lots of help to be open in November with the CMTD.

One the great things about the overall MWOT project is the every display is new and custom built by the MWOT team of employees and volunteers!

So we will need help creating structures and trees ASAP. No need to invest, we just need some quality help to get ahead of the building curve. You do not have to live in the Greenville area to help.

If you are local you can build the structure at home or the venue in the new model building area.

There is a lot to do in a short period of time to be open by November and you can help no matter where you live in the continental USA!

Some individuals from around the USA have already committed to help build structures for the new MWOT display and you can help as well. We will send you the structure and then you return it to MWOT. It is easy to do. This was down for the Beta Test and was very helpful in getting the first HO display completed in 120 days.

However the HO display could take up to a year to complete, so the more we get done now, the sooner the HO display can open in 2024.

The MWOT HO display we will need help with the computer software that will run the 70’ x 40’ display. At this point we are leaning towards the Railroad and Company software but we could fall but to JMRI as we did with the BETA test in 2013.

The CMTD will have special features created just for the this display and the MWOT display will feature never before seen effects throughout some of which visitors will be able to operate.

Also, we could use a few more investors and / or donors to help fund the projects $1.5M Phase I and II projected cost.

Below, there are links to some BETA test videos to give you a look at the test version and the catalyst displays from around the world that have inspired us.

Want to learn mores, as of this update, members of the MWOT will be at the following train shows to talk about the new Miniature World of Trains:

Easley, SC – CRMHA Model Train Expo
Rock Springs Church Exhibition Hall
Friday 02/17 and Saturday 02/18

Asheville, NC - 30th Annual Asheville Model Train Show
WNC Agricultural Center
Friday 02/24 and Saturday 02/25

Atlanta / Cartersville Georgia - Piedmont Division Model Train show – Clarence Brown Conference Center

Saturday March 11 and Sunday March12, 2023

Stop by and meet us!

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If you can not get to one of the shows, email or call to get on board to help create this great model railroad venue!

Invest Or Donate Directly
CLICK HERE

Volunteer / Join The Team
CLICK HERE


01/19/23

Overall Project Update

As of 4pm today, a Letter Of Intent was submitted by CEOP Kelly Orr to lease a 27,000sf location near I-85 for the Miniature World of Trains venue!

So based on this we are moving forward in planning for the rehab of the leased space starting in June as well as starting some offsite Christmas Display and Miniature World display work!

The plan is for the MWOT
to do some demo of the current floor as soon as we can to get ahead of the curve before July.

We will be needing help building structures for both the CMTD and MWOT
and you can help! Yes, even if you do  not live in the Greenville, SC area.

We need help with computer programming the MWOT
display, digital marketing and more

Call or email for details on how you can help!

You can help the MWOT Project in the following ways:

Invest Or Donate Directly
CLICK HERE

Volunteer / Join The Team
CLICK HERE


 

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