As I watched this video of the Miniatur Wunderland my mind went from mild amusement to surprising awe to absolute astonishment. At 11,840 square feet and fully computerized, the world's largest model defies belief:

Click to view

It took 500,000 working hours to build, going from Norway, Denmark, and Sweden to North America, through Germany, Austria, and Switzerland—complete with the Grand Canyon, 20-foot tall Swiss mountains, and:

• 800 trains.

• Over 10,000 train cars in total, running several hundred kilometers every day.

• One train is 47.5 feet long.

• Over 170 computer controlled cars.

• More than 200,000 people (there's all kinds of things here, even a crime scene).

• Controlled by 40 computers.

• 200 cameras control the premises.

• Day and night lighting simulator.

• 300,000 computer-controlled LEDs


They are opening an airport this year, which has taken 2.5 years to build. If you are not impressed after watching the video, seriously, I don't know what will. Oh, wait, I know: This thing even has a fully working model whorehouse, casinos, and a secret underground base.


I rest my case. [Miniatur Wunderland]