The New York Botanical Garden's 32nd Holiday Train Show turned the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory into a miniature New York during the 2023–2024 season. Trains curved around nearly 200 landmarks built from bark, leaves, seeds, twigs, and other plant materials, then continued outdoors for the first time. TheNakedNYC recorded both routes, and this guide captures what made that season distinct.
TheNakedNYC Coverage
YouTube: Trains Across Miniature New York
What to Know
The Thirty-Second Season
The Holiday Train Show began in 1992. Its 2023 return marked the 32nd annual presentation at the New York Botanical Garden.
An Eight-Week Run
The season opened on November 18, 2023, and ended on January 15, 2024. Indoor and outdoor railway displays operated during the same winter run.
Nearly Two Hundred Landmarks
Miniature buildings, bridges, and city structures filled the route. Trains crossed trestles, slipped into tunnels, and reappeared beside familiar pieces of the New York skyline.
Built From Plants
Leaves became roof tiles, bark formed walls, and seeds, twigs, acorns, and cinnamon sticks supplied tiny architectural details. Botanical material gives every model its distinctive texture.
Made by Applied Imagination
Applied Imagination, a Kentucky-based studio, created the landmark replicas. The team specializes in detailed architectural models assembled from natural materials.
G-Scale Trains
Large G-scale trains carried the movement through the display. Steam engines, historic streetcars, freight trains, and passenger cars brought different periods of railway design into one route.
All Five Boroughs
The Statue of Liberty, Grand Central Terminal, Radio City Music Hall, the Apollo Theater, and major bridges appeared together. The result felt like a compact citywide journey rather than one Manhattan scene.
The First Outdoor Railway
The 2023 show extended onto the Conservatory Lawn for the first time. A mountainscape, woodland animals, winter plants, and fungi surrounded the new open-air track.
NYBG GLOW Nights
On 17 select nights, one visit paired the train show with NYBG GLOW. Large light installations carried the evening experience into other parts of the Garden.
Adults-Only Bar Car Nights
Three Bar Car Nights opened the train show after hours for adults. Food and drinks were available for purchase while guests explored the miniature city in a quieter evening setting.