All aboard! Join the inaugural Tetsudo (Railway) Paradise 2014 event this weekend and experience everything you could want related to trains — ride a mini steam engine, watch a stage show featuring Thomas the Tank Engine and friends, even try on station-master uniforms.

According to the organizers, Tetsudo Paradise 2014, which takes place in Nagoya at Port Messe Nagoya, Minato Ward, is the biggest train-related expo to be held in the Chubu region. One of its main attractions is a special railway built on the ground of the event space, along which a miniature replica of the yellow-colored shinkansen — known as Dr. Yellow among railway aficionados — will make special runs.

Classical-music duo Sugitetsu will also perform a concert featuring songs related to trains and stations, while Kansenger, the super-hero mascot of the Sanyo Shinkansen Line, will also appear at the event.

There's something that parents taking their kids to the event might enjoy, too. The Ekiben Paradise Expo is being held on the sidelines and will offer a variety of special bento (lunch boxes) that are normally sold at specific train stations across Japan. This includes some that come in shinkansen-shaped boxes.

The Tetsudo Paradise 2014 event in Nagoya takes place at Port Messe Nagoya (Nagoya International Exhibition Hall), No.1 building, in Minato Ward on March 8 and 9, from 10 a.m to 5 p.m. Advance tickets are ¥900 for adults and ¥700 for children (¥1,100 and ¥900 on the day). For more information, visit www.tetsudoparadise.jp/index.html.