Tracks to Tomorrow: Connecting Communities, Crops, and Commerce

Thanks to the creative genius of Michael McFarlane, Full STEAM Ahead has an extraordinary train exhibit. This exhibit explores how rail infrastructure fuels North Dakota’s role as a top agricultural producer and emerging manufacturing hub—linking rural communities to the world and driving sustainable growth across the region.

In North Dakota, trains are more than transportation—trains are lifelines of industry, agriculture, and innovation. From hauling wheat, sugar beets, and sunflowers to connecting manufacturers with global markets, railroads power our state’s economy with precision and scale.

Whether it’s a 50-car corn shuttle bound for an ethanol plant or inter-modal containers departing Minot for Asia, trains transform local harvests into global opportunity. They connect producers to ports, rural towns to trade routes, and ideas to infrastructure.

Train rails aren’t just steel; rails are the threads that tie local farms to global markets, connect rural towns to new opportunities, and keep our economy rolling. This exhibit invites children and families to explore how railroads make it all possible. Through hands-on activities, children will discover how trains move goods, how routes are planned, and how technology helps everything run smoothly. It’s a journey into movement, problem-solving, and discovery, where STEAM learning comes alive with every whistle and wheel.

We’re deeply grateful to Michael McFarlane for his generous donation and visionary design of the exhibit’s centerpiece: a stunning, high-resolution map of North America’s railroad network. More than a visual anchor, Michael’s creation transforms steel tracks into pathways of possibility—inviting young learners to explore how local lines connect to a vast system of trade, travel, and transformation. His work brings energy and wonder to the world of trains, sparking curiosity about geography, engineering, and the global impact of regional infrastructure.

This map is more than a visual anchor—it’s a launchpad for young explorers. It sparks curiosity about geography, commerce, and engineering, reminding us that every local track is part of a global story. Just like the trains it celebrates, this exhibit moves minds and imaginations forward.

Katie Mayer, Executive Director, Grand Forks Children's Museum