Project Overview

In the pastoral Swiss countryside town of Granges-Paccot, you’ll find a miniature rail museum as charming as the sun or snow-dappled hills that surround it. This is Kaeserberg, a wonderland featuring over 2 kilometers of 1:87-scale tracks, populated by hundreds of miniature trains winding through railyards, towns, and fields. It’s an idyllic representation of the golden age of European rail travel, which – of course – would not be complete without that most iconic piece of transit signage: the Split Flap display. 

Split-flap displays, with their engaging sensory motion, are excellent additions to any museum design, but perhaps no setting is more appropriate thana museum centered on the love of trains. While today they’re found as experiential centerpieces, the history of split-flap displays has long been intertwined with transit signage. They came to prominence in the 1960s to the 1990s at rail stations and airports around the world, informing passengers of key information such as platforms, delays, and arrival times.  

Museum Use Case

“A Friday In Autumn At 11 am On A Sunny Day With a Few Clouds.”
This is the level of specificity present in Kaeserberg’s miniatures, or so says the museum’s founder and chairman, Marc Antiglio. It’s this level of perfection, down to the finest details, that makes Kaeserberg such an enchanting place. Their visitors can feel the passion and precision in the miniatures, but thoughtful touches like the split flap board create a holistic experience, fully immersing guests in the world of rail, both small and large. 

The lobby of Kaeserberg has a decidedly modern design, with floor-to-ceiling glass panels, metallic beams and furniture, and a polished black marble floor. But in contrast to this modern space, the prominent split-flap display clacks along pleasantly, welcoming guests to the museum with a nostalgic, retro sensibility. It’s a classic example of how thoughtfully curating a space’s visual identity can tell a brand’s story. Kaeserberg is a relatively new museum, under 20 years old, in a town that dates back to the 1300s, yet it deals in nostalgia – both to a golden era of European rail transit and to childhood, when building model trains might have been a favorite after-school activity. Including a nostalgic piece of transit signage in a modern setting perfectly captures both sides of Kaeserberg’s identity: fresh and new, but with an eye for a bygone era.

Functionality and Design

A split-flap display is a powerful and authentic addition to the train museum, helping recreate the atmosphere of historic rail travel while also serving as an engaging information tool for visitors. Originally used in train stations and airports throughout the 20th century, split-flap displays mechanically flip through printed panels to show changing text such as arrival times, destinations, and platform numbers. Their distinctive flipping sound and motion create a nostalgic experience that immediately evokes the golden age of rail travel.

In the train museum setting, a split-flap display can be used to present simulated departure boards featuring historic train routes, rotating schedules, or interpretive information about the trains and rail lines featured in the museum. The museum can program the display to cycle through real historical schedules, highlight notable trains, or display announcements tied to exhibits. Because the information updates dynamically, the display can also be used for practical purposes such as event schedules, tour times, or visitor announcements.

Beyond its functional role, the split-flap display itself often becomes an exhibit. Visitors are naturally drawn to the mechanical motion and iconic sound, making it both an educational tool and an interactive focal point. When paired with historically themed content and thoughtful programming, the split-flap display helps bring the story of rail travel to life while blending modern technology with classic design.

“Our visitors really appreciate the Split Flap board. Everyone looks at it because you can’t find them anywhere else anymore, and it fits perfectly with the theme of our model train layout… a Friday in the fall, at 11:00 a.m. in the 1990s!”

— Nicolas Zapf, Directeur, Fondation des Chemins de fer du Kaeserberg

 

Press and Media

Kaeserberg has a strong presence across Swiss tourism boardsand is featured on both Switzerland’s official tourism page and the tourism page for Fribourg, the nearest city. The museum has an impressive 4.7/5 rating based on over 700 reviews on Google and is featured on the travel app Wanderlog. Ab Rogers Design, the architectural firm that spearheaded the recent remodel of the Kaeserberg lobby, prominently featured the split-flap display in an Instagram post celebrating the project’s completion. 

Kaeserberg Railway image via Fribourg.com. 

FAQS

How was transit signage updated before the split-flap boards?  

Before the introduction and proliferation of split-flap boards throughout the 1960s, rail stations relied on transit officials to update chalk departure boards by hand. In Grand Central Station, New York, a huge chalkboard above the main terminal’s ticket counter relayed hand-written arrival and departure times for over 50 years until it was replaced by a split-flap display in 1967. 

Why are split-flap displays so well-suited for transit hubs? 

Split-flap displays make excellent transit signage for a few reasons, some intentional, some accidental. Primarily, it’s their ability to display large amounts of rapidly changing information in a clear, organized way. Their modular structure naturally results in a pattern of rows and columns, neatly organizing information into clear categories. Beyond visual features, transit signage needs to stand out to travelers amid the din of heavily trafficked spaces. As the flaps rotate, they produce a gentle yet attention-grabbing series of clicks and clacks, similar to rainfall or white noise, alerting passers-by that new information is appearing on the board.  

Do split flap displays appear in non-transit settings? 

Yes. While their initial rise in popularity was driven by transit signage at airports and rail stations, today, split-flap displays can be found in cafes, hotel lobbies, and corporate offices around the world. They’re a beloved and utilitarian analog design element that gives a space a palpable, kinetic sense of presence.