When Mike Gelesky was five, Santa Claus brought him his first toy train set. He still owns those original Lionel trains, as he told TAPinto Woodbridge in 2023. Since then, the Colonia collector's trains, trolleys and hand-built dioramas have become a December fixture at the Barron Arts Center at 582 Rahway Avenue.
This year is the 36th. The township's listing for the BAC Holiday Model Train Show 2026 runs it from November 30 through December 30. Admission is free, donations are welcome, and it's closed December 24 and 25. By its posted hours, the show is mostly a weekday-afternoon exhibit, with one evening on the schedule and two hours a day on weekends.
Where the hours actually fall
Regular viewing hours are Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 2 to 4 p.m. Lay those hours over the 2026 calendar and here's how they add up:
| Window | Days in the 2026 run | Hours per day | Approximate total hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weekdays, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. | 21 (Nov 30 through Dec 30, minus Dec 24 and 25) | 5 | 105 |
| Weekends, 2 to 4 p.m. | 8 (Dec 5–6, 12–13, 19–20, 26–27) | 2 | 16 |
| Opening night, until 8 p.m. | 1 (Monday, Nov 30) | Evening only | About 2 |
Weekend hours make up only about an eighth of the total. Opening night is the one time the show is listed as open after dark.
That changes how to plan a visit. If you work days or have kids in school, you have eight Saturday and Sunday afternoons and one Monday night to choose from. If your schedule is flexible, the weekdays are wide open. The last three days, December 28 through 30, fall on Monday through Wednesday, so the full 11-to-4 hours run right up to closing.
Opening night, Monday, November 30
The Barron Arts Center Holiday Tree Lighting starts at 6 p.m. on Monday, November 30, with the St. James School Choir. The township's listing says the train show stays open until 8 p.m. that night. The train show listing calls the evening the "Tree Lighting & Opening Reception."
It's the only scheduled chance to see the layout's lights after dark, with the choir on the program and the whole run still ahead. It's also a Monday. If you're coming from work, give yourself time to get to Rahway Avenue before 8.
Weekends no longer need a phone call
A few years ago, the weekend windows took some planning. In 2023, TAPinto reported that weekend visits required reservations through the Arts Center's phone line. The 2025 listing changed that to "No Reservations Necessary," and it noted that schools and groups could still book by calling 732-634-0413. The 2026 listing also says no reservations are needed.
The weekend hours are still 2 to 4. With only two hours on a Saturday or Sunday, arriving near 2 leaves the most time with the trains.
What fills a former library for a month
In 2023, TAPinto described a layout with more than 500 feet of track, 11 sizes of toy trains, and four trains running at all times. It also has animated pieces: a Jersey Shore boardwalk, a working Ferris wheel and Tilt-A-Whirl, and an operating monorail. Some backdrops are store-bought, but Gelesky built many models himself to show recognizable places around Woodbridge. Cynthia Knight, the Barron Arts Center's director, told the outlet the exhibit is one of the center's most popular.
The layout changes every year. When PIX11 visited in December 2025, Gelesky said setup takes him four weeks. He pointed out two new additions:
- A three-ring circus with "a bunch of attractions" on the far side of the layout
- A drive-in theater that plays Christmas movies nonstop
PIX11 also introduced Bob Faleska of Carteret, an Army veteran, train show volunteer, and the son of a real-life train conductor. Gelesky explained the free admission to PIX11 this way: "You can come here and spend an afternoon on the weekend, and just sit here and enjoy. Doesn't cost you a dime."
Local sponsors help keep it free. The 2026 listing names Middlesex Water Co., Columbia Bank, Wegmans Food Market, the Woodbridge Metro Chamber of Commerce, Strickland's Steakhouse and Provident Bank among them.
The building is part of the show
According to the New Jersey Historic Trust, the brownstone was built in 1877 as the Barron Library, paid for with money left by Thomas Barron, who was born in the township. It's built in the Richardsonian Romanesque style. The arts center moved in in 1977, after the library relocated to a new building.
The state's description lists decorative exterior details, decorative interior tiles, exposed vaulted ceilings and ornamental stained glass. Those details make the backdrop for a layout that includes models of Woodbridge itself. A weekday visit around 3:30 in December, when the light through the stained glass starts to fade, is the closest thing to the opening-night mood you'll find outside the one scheduled evening.
For year-round programs, the Barron Arts Center keeps its own page on the township site.
The rest of the season, built around the train show
The train show anchors the season, and the township's other listed holiday events fall on either side of it:
- Monday, November 23, 4 to 6 p.m. Avenel's Very Merry Holiday Lighting at the Avenel Fire House, 346 Avenel Street.
- Monday, November 30, from 6 p.m. The Barron Arts Center tree lighting with the St. James School Choir, plus the train show's one evening opening until 8 p.m.
- Friday, December 4, about 7:30 p.m. The BAC Holiday Concert, Rock This Town Orchestra's Christmas Spectacular. It's a Barron Arts Center program held at the Acacia Youth Center, 95 Port Reading Avenue, not at Rahway Avenue.
That concert is the next Barron Arts Center event that runs after dark, and it's held across town. If you miss opening night, the train show itself is daylight-only for the rest of December. That leaves the eight weekend afternoons, Dec. 5–6, 12–13, 19–20 and 26–27, as the main choices for anyone who can't make a weekday.
If you're putting together a December calendar for your household, or for family visiting over the holidays, I'm happy to share what I know about getting around Woodbridge Township this time of year. Reach out to Michelle Wasko any time. Let's Connect.
