Created and serviced by railroad enthusiasts, the Apple Valley Model Railroad Club operates a free museum of miniature scenes. In 1992, the club received permission from the city to move the organization into the building. The club renovated the structure and incorporated various model trains and railroad artifacts.
The lines are replicas of railroad towns and sidings found throughout western North Carolina. This includes the world-famous Saluda Grade, Asheville’s roundhouse, along with the city of Hendersonville. There are also miniature scenes that tell the story of how the railroad opened up the forested mountains of southern Appalachia at the turn of the 20th-century.
On Saturdays and Wednesdays, engineers run multiple lines that course through several rooms of the historic train depot, including an outdoor line with a water feature and a full-size train car. The volunteer engineers that work the trains love to chat with visitors about the various models. In 2000, the building was deemed a Historical Landmark.
