Vanderbilt Travels Railway Train Display at Biltmore

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In my previous post I mentioned the model/miniature train display  at Biltmore House and Gardens in Asheville, North Carolina. This exhibit will continue through September 4, 2017. It is located at The Antler Hill Village area on Biltmore properties. We were so glad to have the opportunity to see it when we visited in mid July. It seems there is always something fun and exciting to do at Biltmore.

It is always a treat for us when we can tour little model villages, especially when they have model trains scooting along railways running through them.Vanderbilt Travels Railway was definitely one of the highlights there during our stay. It is a delightful outdoor model train display in which the structures, buildings and scenery which appear along the railway are composed of natural elements, such as leaves, twigs and other materials acquired from nature. It's amazing what has been achieved through the use of mostly natural materials.

You can read a bit more of the history relating to each of the architectural elements on display at this site on Biltmore's official blog and I referred to the post for the bits of Vanderbilt family history which the exhibit is centered around. A biography,  The First Tycoon-the Epic Life of Cornelius Vanderbilt written by T.J. Stiles is full of information  about CorneliusVanderbilt's fortune building and other facts. I am also in the process of reading this book. I saw the book for purchase at "Bookbinders", a book store located among the shops at Biltmore House. Fortunately, I had already scored a real deal several months back on a very nice paperback copy of it at our local S.P.C.A. thrift shop. It is a large book and a good source of Vanderbilt reference,

Much of the Vanderbilt fortune was built around the building of and use of enterprises related to waterways(both national and internationally), beginning with George Vanderbilt's grandfather Cornelius Vanderbilt. The photograph at the top of the referenced blog post is a model of New York's Grand Central Terminal. A bronze statue of Cornelius Vanderbilt is located at the Grand Central Terminal and can be seen by as many as 82 million commuters each year at the terminal.

This wonderful model train display at the Biltmore was created by Applied Imagination Ltd. The folks there did a really fabulous job. The detail in each tiny element depicting some of the places and things that are a part of Vanderbilt family travels and Biltmore history have been artfully and imaginatively recreated. Readers of this post might wish to visit Applied Imagination's Facebook page and see the little Vanderbilt Travels Railway and some other projects which the artists there have been working on by visiting this link.

Please take a ride with me as we tour Vanderbilt Travels Railway!

Upon entering the tiny village, we followed the scenic pathway to the right and one of the first models we saw was an intricate reproduction of Biltmore Passenger Station. Designed by architect Richard Morris Hunt, replaced an original train depot which was the first train depot in Asheville area.
Model of  Passenger Station in Biltmore Village
Another view of the Biltmore passenger Station is pictured below as the train races by. Isn't the little water tower and the scenery wonderful?
Another Picture of  the Train Depot on Vanderbilt Travels Railway at the Biltmore

Little Train Depot on Vanderbilt Travels Railway at Biltmore Estate & Gardens
This is a model of a seasonal home built by George Vanderbilt's brother Frederick Vanderbilt and Louise Vanderbilt. The Beaux-Arts style home was built in Hyde Park, New York.
Model of  the Hyde Park, N.Y. Mansion-A Seasonal Home of  Frederick & Louise Vanderbilt
According to the Biltmore House & Gardens blog, "The Vanderbilt family line originated in Holland in the village of De Bilt, not far from Amsterdam." It is fitting, therefore, that a tiny windmill, as well as classic Canal Houses. Again, the attention to detail in these precious little structures is amazing
Vanderbilt Travels Railway Runs Past Classic Canal Houses Near  Tiny Windmill

Miniature Windmill Located Along Vanderbilt Travels Railway at Biltmore Estate & Gardens
Cornelius "Commodore" Vanderbilt, founder of the Vanderbilt family fortune ventured in to various types of enterprise. He went into the shipping and railway industries and established the reputation and influence in America for future generations to follow.

The USS Vanderbilt was originally provided transatlantic transport of mail and passengers but was eventually donated to the Union after the Civil War started. A model of the USS Vanderbilt is in the miniature waterway flowing through the exhibit.
Model of USS Vanderbilt in Vanderbilt Travels Railway

George Vanderbilt and Edith Stuyvesant Dresser were married in a civil ceremony in Paris, France (Edith's adopted city). The apartment Edith shared with her sisters in Rue Vernet was a short distance from the Arc de Triumphe. The wedding party had breakfast at the apartment after the ceremony.

Vanderbilt Travels Railway Arc de Triumphe Model
George Vanderbilt rented an apartment in London, England in June, 1897 so that he and his guests could watch the procession celebrating Queen Victoria's 60th year of reign. The huge procession stretched all the way around the River Thames could be viewed from the balcony of his apartment by George and his guests. The replica of the Tower Bridge is representative of that occasion and his love for the capital city. He future wife Edith was said to be among the guests present.
London's Tower Bridge Replica 
Another view of the Tower Bridge Model:
Picture of the Model Tower Bridge in London
  A replica of the Eiffel Tower symbolizing George and Edith's times spent in Paris, France:
Model of Eiffel Tower at Biltmore Village
No scenic railway trip would be complete if there wasn't at least one waterfall. Isn't this one beautiful?
Tiny Waterfall on the Train Route in Vanderbilt Travels Railway

A train's got to pass through a tunnel every now and then. Can't you just imagine it?! It looks so realistic.

Model Train at Vanderbilt Travels Railway
Gotta wonder what other wonderfully fanciful places we could go on this little train. Our imagination is the only limit!
Vamderbilt Travels Railway
It's hard for us to pass up an opportunity to visit one of these dreamy little train displays. If you would care to visit some of the other little railways and villages we have visited you can check out a couple  in this post and also here.

Thanks for taking a few moments out of your day to spend some time with me. I hope you enjoyed our little visit! It was delightful to have you visit!








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