BELHAVEN—A new tradition in Beaufort County has emerged to be quite popular, bringing kids of all ages, families and visitors together to behold a locomotive winter wonderland — Belhaven’s Toy Train Exhibit.  Though it was featured in Washington the Magazine’s 2014 Holiday issue, here’s a closer look at a holiday tradition many Beaufort County residents enjoyed this Christmas.

Don Stark, the unofficial conductor of the exhibit, said the exhibit was a complete success this year and was well received by not only the town, but also the surrounding areas. This year, the team that put the display together, expanded the exhibit by about 50 square feet and added new accessories and new buttons for children and visitors to push. The exhibit contains about 200 feet of track and a total of 300-square-feet of display space, Stark said.

“The display has been very well received,” Stark said. “We had enough time to do a good job on preparation. So far, we’ve had people come from as far as New Bern and Kinston and all over. A lot of families had visitors in town and the farthest visitors we’ve had is Ireland and England.”

Stark said the display was a big hit among the county’s schools, as well. About eight different schools, bringing about 200 children total, visited the display through appointment or field trip.

“The kids have been charming — they’ve just been great,” Stark said. “So many children with the school groups have come back with parents and grandparents and said, ‘We had to come see those trains.’ It makes me feel really good.”

Though the train has been a big spectacle among the youth population, many older people, though young at heart, have visited and shared stories of their experience with trains, Stark said. The stories have ranged from, “My father used to work on the railroad,” to “I remember having train sets much like these as a child,” according to Stark.

Stark said the display has been especially well received by town residents, business owners and its government. The display has brought in an excessive amount of traffic, which has allowed local business to flourish over the holiday.

“The town is very enthusiastic about what we’ve done,” Stark said. “The local vendors and merchants have been very responsive as well because business has done well because of the traffic from the display. And that’s why we do it — for the community. The town manager has come by several times and he said, ‘You guys are doing a great job and anything you need to do, let us know, and we’ll do what we can.’ Everyone wants to see it continue so we’ve got to sit down and figure out how to make it better. We’ve already expanded to the limits of the room. We’re a victim of our own success. Even when we’re not here, people are stopping by and asking if we’re open. It’s been really nice for us. I guess we’re under pressure to produce for next year.”

Today is the last day to see Belhaven’s Toy Train Exhibit. The exhibit will be open from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Old Town Hall, 215 E. Main St., Belhaven.