All aboard! Miniature train wonderland has brightened hospital visits for 22 years

5/1/2025

This month marks 22 years of joy, imagination and healthy distraction powered by a train garden at Banner Children’s at Desert in Mesa, AZ, which spans 3,000 square feet. After spending time at the hospital while their grandson received treatment, John Macrone and his wife Isabelle shared a goal to bring a little joy to those dealing with injuries and illnesses. Before her passing in 2003, Isabelle asked her husband to use his talents to make that goal a reality.

Now 94 years old, John has dedicated himself to maintaining and improving the train garden with the help of volunteers who’ve joined him through the years.

From Kitty’s Diner to tiny homes and even a casino, “Saratoga Village,” as it’s called, is the stuff of dreams. And it isn’t just for the kids. Because Banner Children’s at Desert is connected to Banner Desert Medical Center, the fully functional trains and village are accessible to all patients, their families, and visitors at both hospitals.

John recalls a woman who was staring so intently at the scene that he asked if she’d like to come into the garden and look closer. She replied, “I just wish I could shrink myself down and walk around the little buildings.” An elderly patient had one request the night before he passed away at the hospital: “Take me to the trains!”

“People come from all over to see the train,” John says. “Seeing their reactions is my reward.”

Giving back comes in all shapes and sizes, by people from all walks of life, and makes impacts that often cannot be anticipated. For 22 years, this magical train village has offered a chance to get lost and a freedom from the cares of being in the hospital for untold numbers of people.

View a news segment about the train village and its creator here.