The Wichita Falls Museum of Art will be hosting the Art Express reception featuring the train collection of Jim Hughes on Nov. 8 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

“Nowadays kids don’t know what a train set is, but they sure do enjoy them,” Hughes said.

This will be the eighth time the Art Express has been hosted at the museum. Previous locations that have featured the showcase included downtown, Iowa Park and Lewisville.

Hughes started showing his train set in his garage to his neighbors and the rest of his neighborhood when he was young.

“I got my first train set at the age of three in 1941 and I’ve been playing with them ever since,” Hughes said.

Hughes’ parents gave him more trains each year when he was young and now he continues to add a new edition to his collection every year.

“Trains have been a family passion for the Hughes and the presentation is absolutely amazing,” Connie Nolen, administrative assistant at the Wichita Falls Museum of Art, said. “It’s a pretty big deal.”

The Art Express premiered at the museum in 1991 and Hughes sets it up at this location every third Christmas.

It takes Hughes about three months to set up his collection and it requires a great detail because there are several pieces that go into building the showcase. Every year Hughes’ brother, his three sons and his grandsons help him set up.

“This family tradition lets us all get together,” Hughes said. “That’s the real fun part.”

The collection includes different areas of interest such as the circus and oil fields. Despite the lack of traditional train sets in the homes of students, some people are attracted to the magnitude of the Art Express presentation.

“I like train sets but I can’t remember the last time my family had one,” Eileen Lee, senior in kinesiology, said. “I definitely think a huge train set showcase would be awesome to see, especially around the holidays.”

On Friday, the opening reception is for faculty and staff. On Saturday, the Art Express is open to students for free.

Teachers at schools in the Wichita Falls school district have already booked special shows with Hughes during the day for elementary school field trips.

“I love when the traffic lights and street lights are all on because it looks so realistic,” Nolen said. “That’s what the children love about it too.”

The Art Express will be open to the public for $3 per person on Nov. 14. After the season is over in January, Hughes breaks every single item apart and puts the train set back into its original boxes until the next year.