MILWAUKEE (WDJT/CNN) - The world's largest train show, Trainfest, brings hundreds to the Wisconsin State Fairgrounds each year.
But among nearly 100 train model layouts this year, one scene has left some upset.
"It's wrong, that's just wrong," said one Trainfest attendee.
The display depicts a white Wisconsin State Patrol trooper pointing a gun at three African-American men sitting down.
The men are unarmed, and one appears to be drinking.
"It's insensitive, disrespectful, and racist, it is - they're sitting down," an attendee said. "They standing up and doing something?"
Dan Hechen, President of the Lionel Railroad Club of Southeast Wisconsin, said if their layout offended anyone it was unintentional.
"It certainly wasn't done on purpose," Hechel said. "It just happened to be set up that way."
Hechel said they change the display often.
"We move it all around the layout like I say, sometimes we have a make-believe fire, sometimes there's a make-believe traffic accident," he said.
But some at the event said the display isn't offensive.
"I don't think it's insensitive - it's a display," said Abby an attendee. "And if they don't like it go to the next."
Trainfest staff said they didn't know about the display's controversial feature.
"It's an unfortunate surprise and we will take it back into a committee as we do our planning," said Peter Lakatos, a volunteer.
The staff said that with nearly 100 different displays, it can be hard to see every scene.
"This is a hobby about fun and creativity and imagination and certainly not a place to make any kind of statements," Lakatos said.
Trainfest organizers issued a statement after becoming aware of the issue.
"Trainfest prides itself in being a family-friendly event and has never encountered a need in 46 years of staging the event to review the content of the layouts for social or political commentary," they wrote. "That policy will change and we will be implementing stronger reviews of the layouts on display to ensure this never happens again."
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