Holly Jolly Express: Uptown's Historic Model Railroad Reopens for Holiday Open House

By Socialhood News · Il/Chicago/Uptown · December 16, 2025

Uptown train enthusiasts and families are in for a special treat this holiday season as the Garfield-Clarendon Model Railroad Club presents its "Holly Jolly Express" open house and grand re-opening on December 13, 2025. The event will take place at the beautifully renovated Clarendon Park Community Center from noon until 4PM, offering visitors a chance to experience one of Chicago's hidden treasures.

The Garfield-Clarendon Model Railroad Club has operated out of the Clarendon Park Community Center since 1963, after being founded in Garfield Park in 1947. The club's impressive model railroad boasts 1,500 feet of continuous track, which takes a model train approximately 35 minutes to travel completely around. Club members have been diligently reassembling their elaborate model railroad since the completion of the center's renovation, and are excited to resume their tradition of hosting open houses for interested neighbors. Their state-of-the-art signaling system controls the hand-laid track, which loops through a detailed landscape complete with mountains, scenery, towns, and people from 1950's Appalachia. This free event provides a perfect opportunity for Uptown families to celebrate the holiday season while supporting this unique community institution.

Sources:
1. https://garfieldcentral.org/
2. https://www.uptownupdate.com/2025/12/model-railroad-open-house-at-clarendon.html
3. https://blockclubchicago.org/2025/07/08/uptowns-clarendon-park-community-center-reopens-after-13-million-renovation/
4. https://app.openhousechicago.org/archive/sites/rec7rC2gxp0cWXL2k