Harry Turner loved model trains.
In fact, he enjoyed them so much that when he saw a miniature train set at the Buhl Planetarium in Pittsburgh he was inspired to build his own model train display, house it in the trailer bed of an 18-wheeler, and take it on the road.
It took Harry nearly a year to create Big Mo, a spectacular collection of model trains so massive that it was awarded a spot in the 1989 Guiness Book of World Records as the world's largest mobile model railroad.
It was Harry Turner's dream to share the joy and magic of model trains with young and old alike, taking his beloved trains to 38 states and two provinces. His efforts landed him feature stories on CNN, PBS, Nickelodeon, and even Russian television.
Sadly, Mr. Turner passed away in 2006. His widow put Big Mo up for sale with the stipulation that it remain intact, just as Harry wanted it. Like a kid in a candy store, I grabbed with both hands - and purchased Big Mo, fulfilling a boyhood dream to own model trains this remarkable. And share them with others.
In this way, Harry Turner's dream becomes my own. So it is in his spirit that I present Big Mo in all its glory:
- Over 400 feet of big, three-rail track
- Runs six trains and a trolley simultaneously and continuously
- Over eight miles of wiring
- Theatrical lighting and sound effects from a massive audio system
- A fiber-optic star field created by Disney lighting consultants shows a night sky with constellations in their proper locations (the stars twinkle and there's even a meteor shower!)
- Hundreds of hand-painted figurines and dozens of custom-made animations
- Uses enough electricity to operate two homes
- Scenes include all four seasons and U.S. cities in exquisite detail
- Buttons allow viewers to operate working accessories and animations
You can download a short (about :45 second) video clip of Big Mo by clicking here (.mp4 format) or here (.flv format). Each file is a little over 2MB in size. So be patient as they download to your computer. NOTE: You must have the appropriate video display programs installed on your computer to watch these clips. (Most computers already have such programs installed. But I just wanted to give you a heads up.) Big Mo video clip courtesy of TM Books and Video.
You can also see a few photos of Big Mo's many attractions. Of course, the photos don't even begin to do Big Mo justice. For that, you need to see Big Mo in person. So visit our schedule to see when Big Mo will be in a city near you.
To book Big Mo, or to tell us what you enjoyed most about seeing Big Mo in person, please contact us.