Bunny Hop – March 28, 2026
On Saturday, March 28, the first-ever Bunny Hop excursion train eased out of Springfield Union Station with 200+ Bunny Hoppers on board for a round-trip train ride between Springfield and Hartford, Connecticut. The Easter Bunny herself was on board, along with Maggie the Railroad Clown.
In Hartford, passengers picked up a variety of Easter treats as they waited for the return train to Springfield.
In Springfield, Bunny Hop festivities began at 9:00am with special displays and craft tables in the main concourse. A variety of local sponsors provided Easter treats and games. Plus, kids (and adults) had a chance to take individual photos with the Easter Bunny.
The Bunny Hop is the collaborative effort of the Amherst Railway Society, CTrail, Hartford Union Station, and Springfield Union Station.
Kids ON TRACK
Kids ON TRACK (KOT) is an initiative of the Amherst Railway Society (ARS) designed to give elementary, middle, and high school students experience with railroads and model railroads.
Kids of fall ages are fascinated with trains and model railroads. Give a kid a chance to ride a train, or put a throttle in a kid’s hands and they light right up. Parents are fascinated, too, because they see the effect that trains and model trains have on their children.
Riding Trains
ARS works in partnership with CTrail, Springfield Union Station, and Hartford Union Station to provide train rides for children and their families. Among the train ride events are the Kids ON TRACK weekend each summer, the Track Or Treat train rides each October, and the Spring Bunny Hop train ride.
Train rides are fun, but there is a sense of adventure, too. It’s an experience that sticks with you.
Running Trains
ARS has an HO-scale modular railroad on the main floor of our clubhouse in Palmer, Massachusetts. This railroad is dedicated to the Kids ON TRACK program.
On many Saturday mornings, younger modelers will gather to run trains, discuss the modeling projects they are working on, and just generally hang out together to talk about trains.
Watch the ARS calendar for Saturday’s that the Kids ON TRACK program is meeting.
Learning How to Model
Model railroading is STE(A)M education – science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics.
Kids ON TRACK aims to give kids opportunities to build model railroad modules – including framework construction, track planning, wiring, scenery, and programming. Amherst has many experienced modelers willing to share their skills with younger modelers.
The Amherst education/project room is an ideal setting for learning. It is well lit and surrounded by a wealth of reference material.
Kids ON TRACK is all about learning – in a fun environment.
Collaboration
Kids ON TRACK is a collaborative effort with CTrail, Springfield Union Station, Hartford Union Station and the model railroad industry.
Track or Treat – October 25 & 26, 2025
October 25 – Springfield to Hartford and return
October 26 – Hartford to Springfield and return
It was a PARTY! A big HALLOWEEN PARTY!
On October 25 & 26, 650 children, parents, grandparents, friends, neighbors – all rode the Track or Treat Halloween trains between Springfield and Hartford – in costume. Springfield and Hartford Union Stations were beautifully decorated for the events. Maggie the Railroad Clown did her magic, And, the Hexenbruts danced up a storm.
Local sponsors provided trick or treat stations in both Springfield and Hartford.
Now in it’s third year, Track or Treat is the collaborative effort of the Amherst Railway Society, CTrail, Springfield Union Station, and Hartford Union Station.
Kids ON TRACK – at Springfield Union Station
August 2 & 3, 2025
Union Station – Springfield, Massachusetts
On August 2 & 3, 2025, the Amherst Railway Society, CTrail, and Springfield Union Station jointly sponsored Kids ON TRACK at Union Station in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Area model railroad clubs set up operating model railroads in the Union Station concourse, and children (of all ages) had a chance to run trains.
In addition to the operating model railroads, CTrail provided special roundtrip train rides between Springfield and Hartford on both mornings. Over 200 passengers rode the trains.
As part of the Kids ON TRACK weekend, Maggie the Railroad Clown (Nicole Portwood) was at the event both Saturday and Sunday performing magic tricks, juggling, and creating balloon wizardry.
Maggie is a graduate of the prestigious Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College. She spent four years traveling with the Greatest Show On Earth.
Kids ON TRACK is an emerging national effort by the model railroad industry to encourage young modelers, and link model railroading to STEM education.
video – Kids ON TRACK – July, 2023