ST PAUL, Minn. — If you’re into holiday lights but not the cold that often comes with them, the Twin City Model Railroad Museum has a tradition that’s perfect for the entire family.

“All you have to do is press the button and see what happens,” said 6-year-old Connor Jutz, who gave KARE 11 a special tour of the museum with his twin sister, Lillian.

“Here comes the train,” Lillian said, pointing to one of several Christmas trains that have recently been added to the rails around the spacious, interactive space located in St. Paul. “It’s all nice and decorated.”

Those holiday decorations and lights get a little extra chance to grow during Night Trains, the museum’s once-a-week, wintertime showcase that turns down the overhead lights — and turns up the holiday music — so that all generations can soak up the magic of the season.

“This is our O scale, two-rail, Christmas train,” said Brandon Jutz, Connor and Lillian’s dad. ” it was custom made by several of our volunteers and every single one of these lights is individually wired in, hand drilled into the side of the car. There’s just something calming and soothing about watching trains go round.”

Brandon says that the very first Christmas train helped kick off Night Trains about 20 years ago, as a fundraiser for the nonprofit museum that just celebrated its 90th birthday.

“I’ve been coming here since I was a little kid,” Brandon said. “My grandpa was a volunteer and he worked every Tuesday, so if there was a Tuesday after school for any reason, I was here running trains with him.”

Though the museum — and the Night Trains tradition — are certainly nothing new, each year the displays build on the next.

Six years ago that meant adding a whole lot of Lego building.

“I’m Lego first, then trains,” said Jesse Mohler, with the Twin Cities Lego Train Club, which also has a massive Lego display inside the museum. “I like to say I’m the architect because it’s not just me, with these millions of bricks, it’s my friends helping build a huge train city.”

And just like all of the other layouts, the Lego city adds holiday lights and attractions for Night Trains.

“This is the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on display,” Jesse said. “We have floats, a couple of balloons and a marching band. It’s all made of Lego, all custom made, no instructions.”

There’s also no pay for all the work; though Jesse, Brandon and all the other volunteer master builders and engineers will tell you the rewards are still priceless.

“It’s a blessing to have this as our home and to see the smiles on their faces,” Jesse said.

Connor and Lilian’s dad would certainly agree.

“When we were decorating for Night Trains, my son was very proud to decorate some of the Thomas the Tank engine layouts,” he said. “My daughter is over here pressing buttons, keeping the trains running while we’re here, so it’s been fun to have another generation of our family here.”

you can check out Night Trains from 3-7 p.m. every Saturday from now through the end of February. Tickets are $15, with kids four and under getting in free. Click here to reserve tickets and check out other special events.

MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota’s Cameron Wright has been eliminated from NBC’s The Voice, but their voice serenaded the nearly 31,000 people who passed through TSA checkpoints Wednesday in Terminal 1 alone. 

Just as they did on The Voice, Wright hit intricate vocal riffs and held long notes in an MSP Airport concert on Wednesday. It comes less than a day after Wright’s final Voice performance aired. That elimination, however, happened longer ago.

During intermission, Wright shared some of the insider info.

“This has almost been like a year-long process,” they said. “I know it seems like it’s a few weeks on TV, but it’s been a year almost. I’m just super grateful.”

Born in St. Louis and raised in north Minneapolis, Wright is considered the first openly non-binary singer to make it to the Voice Playoffs.

“It never was my goal to like be … the beacon, but it does feel very – it’s an honor that people are being inspired by me just being myself,” said Wright, who was on team Michael Bublé.

As well as inspiration, Wright provided holiday cheer in the airport concert. 

One family from Boise, Idaho, had a five-hour layover at MSP and was on the way to Uganda for an annual mission trip. One of the daughters was carrying a guitar.

“We were just sitting and then we were blessed with an amazing free concert … The pianist, they both – you could tell they put a lot of practice in,” the Thomas family told KARE.

For those who missed the performance and still have an upcoming flight, there are more opportunities to catch live music. Through its Arts@MSP program, Airport Foundation MSP provides more than 1,000 performances per year. There are 50 performances per week over the holiday season involving 20 rotating artists.

One such artist is jazz musician David Billingsley, who performs at the airport weekly and has known Wright since childhood.

“Cameron is one of the best singers of our generation in our time,” Billingsley said. “People are now discovering what we knew in Minnesota all along.”

He’s performed all over but says there’s nothing like the airport.

“You have people from all walks of life, all beliefs,” he said. “Everyone gathers around the piano and it’s just a really great time.”

Wright says they performed at MSP last holiday season for the first time.

“It’s just my gift that I get to share, which brings me so much to it,” Wright said.

RED LAKE, Minn. — Two people were killed in a two-vehicle crash Wednesday, including an on-duty officer with the Red Lake Police Department.

Officer Jesse Branch and Alan Lussier Jr., a member of the Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians, were killed in a crash on Highway 1, east of the Red Lake Community, according to a press release from the Red Lake Department of Public Safety.

Several law enforcement agencies across the state have paid tribute to Branch, who, according to the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office, was responding to a call when the crash occurred.

“Officer Branch was a respected professional officer who loved the community he served,” read a social media post by the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office. “He previously served on the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Posse and had just joined the North Country First Responders. He was supposed to pick up his gear today.”

Gov. Tim Walz also ordered flags immediately be flown at half-staff at state buildings to honor Branch.

“Officer Jesse Branch committed his life to public service. He was known for his love and dedication to Red Lake Nation, where he selflessly served his community,” said Gov. Walz in a statement. “With deep gratitude, Minnesota recognizes Officer Branch. His family, friends, and community are in our prayers.”