Benefits of Membership of the National Model Railroad Association 

There are many benefits to joining the National Model Railroad Association, as you can see below. But one of the main  benefits to joining the NMRA, is so you can learn the hobby, meet people interested in the hobby, share your modeling tips and to have fun.  

The San Diego Division is one of the most active Divisions in the National Model Railroad Association. We have meetings and events every month. Please join us on your adventure in the model railroading hobby.

Membership Rates and Renewal Information

To join the National Model Railroad Association, new members are welcome to take advantage of a discounted nine month introductory membership rate called the Rail Pass. All membership rates and benefits of membership links are listed just below. 

• Railpass (Introductory discounted membership rate for new members.)
• Regular Membership Rates
• Benefits of Membership web page
• Benefits of Membership online PDF

The National Model Railroad Association Magazine

• Membership includes a subscription to the National Model Railroad Association Magazine
• If you'd like to contribute to the magazine, it is explained here online.

Beginner's Guide

• Beginner's Guide, Introduction To Model Railroading

National Model Railroad Standards

• Take advantage of having access to the standards created by the National Model Railroad Association for model railroading, to help make your hobby fun

Member Aid

• A program where members can ask questions and get answers about the model train hobby. While the national office of the NMRA has a Member Aid web page, please remember that when you join the San Diego Division, there are many experienced model railroaders who will be glad to discuss model railroading and provide excellent advice for any level of modeler. 

National Model Railroad Association Partnership Program

• Model railroading companies, train museums and other vendors, nationwide, offer discounts to our members.
• Reed's Hobby Shop offers a 10% discount to NMRA members and is located in San Diego.
  • Address: 8039 La Mesa Boulevard, La Mesa, California 91942, USA.
  • Restrictions may apply, please have your NMRA Membership Card with you and please show your current membership club at the counter before you check out and ask to see if the 10% NMRA discount applies to the items you are purchasing.
• Arnie’s Model Trains offers a 10% discount to NMRA members and is located in the Los Angeles Metropolitan Area.
  • Address: 6452 Industry Way, Westminster, California 92683, USA.
  • Restrictions may apply, please have your NMRA Membership Card with you and please show your current membership club at the counter before you check out and ask to see if the 10% NMRA discount applies to the items you are purchasing.

Classes of Membership

• Here you'll find a list of the different types of membership offered by the National Model Railroad Association
  
  

A Celebration of Models, Photos & Crafts (Contests)

• The Celebration of Models, Photos & Crafts works to bring the many ways to show off the talent of hobbyists of all ages in these categories. The contest is much less about who wins, but more about sharing our accomplishments and techniques, teaching and learning and perhaps most important encouraging and inspiring each other. 

Golden Spike Award

• The Golden Spike and Merit Awards are the easiest, and for many people, and are the first Achievement Program award that they earn. It is designed to demonstrate familiarity with different areas of the hobby, rather than expertise in a particular area.

Achievement Program

• The Achievement Program also provides incentive to learn and master the many crafts and skills necessary in the hobby of model railroading. With the completion of each category, you will be issued a certificate acknowledging your achievement.

Master Model Railroader^®

• A National Model Railroad Association member qualifies as a Master Model Railroader^® when he or she has obtained at least seven of the eleven Achievement Certificates provided that he or she has earned at least one Achievement Certificate in each of the four areas of the Regulations. Earning the title of Master Model Railroader^® is the ultimate goal for many participants in the Achievement Program.

Regional Conventions

• Each year, each region of the National Model Railroad Association holds their own local conventions. Here is the list of the Regional Conventions. 

National Model Railroad Association National Train Show

• Each year, the National Model Railroad Association holds a model train show.

The Kalmbach Memorial Library

• The Kalmbach Memorial Library is located in the California State Railroad Museum Library in Sacramento (California, USA) and is one of the largest railroad specific libraries in the USA. 

100% Clubs

• When a local local model railroad club joins the National Model Railroad Association 100% Clubs, they can take advantage of this service which includes insurance and other benefits.

Model Railroad Directory

• The Model Railroad Directory allows members to showcase their layout with pictures, videos and text for others to view. This The Model Railroad Directory is password protected and only members in good standing have access to this directory. 

Model Insurance

• An important Benefit of Membership in the National Model Railroad Association, is that membership provides you with the opportunity and ability to be part of the NMRA property insurance program, for your model railroad equipment and all related parts that comprise a layout.

National Model Railroad Association Liability Insurance for 100% Clubs (available only in the USA and Canada)

• For model railroad clubs can take advantage of insurance programs offered by the National Model Railroad Association. 

Last Updated: 15 February 2023 15 February 2023

About the San Diego Division

The San Diego Division of the Pacific Southwest Region (PSR), of the National Model Railroad Association (NMRA) is a group of model railroad enthusiasts holding monthly meetings every 2nd Saturday of the month. One of the many benefits of joining the NMRA is learning about the model railroading hobby. We welcome new members to join the NMRA and be part of the San Diego Division. Our first meeting was held in December 1955.

The National Model Railroad Association is a world-wide organization with over 18,000 active members, associates, families and clubs dedicated to the hobby of scale model railroading in all its facets, helping to educate its members in modeling techniques, to learn more about the hobby and to meet others with your same interest. The National Model Railroad Association also develops standards for scale model railroad equipment for model railroad manufactures, to facilitate the interchangeability and operation of equipment between modelers, clubs and others.

Our local Division and the National Model Railroad Association's main headquarters has many benefits for its members. The information below details what the San Diego Division offers to model railroaders. Please find links to the National Model Railroad Association membership rates on our website. 

We have a diverse group of members, modeling many different railroad scales, using multiple types of power sources, controllers, some having home layouts and some holding regular operating sessions on their layouts. We also have members who have a stronger interest in the modeling aspect of the hobby, such as making buildings and scenes, with a slightly lower interest in trains and layouts. Our members are also rail fans of the real railroads and enjoy learning about past and current railroads, taking pictures of videos of trains, and traveling on trains.

Mission Statement
The Mission of the San Diego Division is to foster the model railroading hobby through our monthly meetings and activities, to advocate and teach good modeling techniques and standards, be supportive to members new to the hobby, hold contests, promote the Achievement Program and Master Model Railroader® programs, participate in informal rail fanning trips, encourage the comradery of model railroad enthusiasts and to have fun with the hobby.

Vision Statement
Our Vision is to help foster the growth and interest in model railroading in the San Diego Division for generations to come. To increase the enjoyment of the hobby through education, NMRA standards and good modeling techniques for our members which ultimately leads to new friendships among fellow model railroad hobbyists.

The San Diego Division Holds Monthly Meetings

The San Diego Division holds meetings every 2nd Saturday of the month, has quarterly "Meets" (February, May, August, November), attends layout tours, has an annual BBQ, an annual holiday party, has swap meets and participates in other activities. We call our meetings, "Meets".

Our Quarterly "Meets" Include Some of the Following Items

• Pot luck (everyone brings a dish) or a lunch (provided by the Division), when we meet in person. Currently our Meets are Zoom Meets.
• Show and Tell. This is a time when any member can show and talk about anything about the hobby they are working on or helps them with the hobby. Some examples of a "Show and Tell" are showing their modeling projects they are currently working on, such as a building, or bridge or talk about a useful tool they use, or show a helpful electronic device. The list of "Show and Tell" subjects seems endless. These usually last for about three to five minutes per person.
• Clinics. A clinic is where a member will explain a technique to accomplish something in the hobby. Clinic examples can include how to make realistic water on a layout, how to weather rolling stock or how to tune a locomotive. This list of clinic topics is endless is always useful to our members. Clinics take more time due to detailed information being given about a particular subject. A clinic could be a half hour or hour presentation.
• Model Railroad Swap Meets. People will display their wares for people to buy and it's a chance for members to buy products from members of the San Diego Division.
• Model Railroad Auctions. Some Meets have a model railroad auction. People in our Division bring items they want to donate to the auction, then tickets are sold and all the items are given away to the winners. Auction items can be anything that has to do with model railroad or the real railroad, such as books, rolling stock (built or kits), railroad trinkets and things of this nature. The purpose of the auction is to have fun, win prizes and raise money for our Division.
• Bingo for Trains.
• Contests.

Additional San Diego Division Activities and Types of Events 

Layout Tours

• Layout tours are a fun time for all because everyone can see in person, the skilled work which modelers have spent money and time including benchwork, laying track, scenery, operating the model railroad and more. Layout tours are a good time to ask the owner of the model railroad, questions about anything on the layout.

Other events

• Depending upon the year, the San Diego Division will hold other events such as visiting a local railroad museum or visit another railroad related venue. 

Rail Fanning

• Rail fanning (taking pictures and videos of trains), is something most of the members enjoy. Rail fanning is usually not a scheduled event of our San Diego Division but an optional independent activity, based upon people's schedules and interest in taking time for this type of activity. 

Summer BBQ

• Every August.

Annual Holiday Party

• Every December, we have an annual Holiday Party.

PSR NMRA San Diego Model Train Convention

• The San Diego Division sponsors the PSR NMRA model train convention located in San Diego once every four years. Please scroll down to see some of the past years convention names and years.

Education

• Being part of the National Model Railroad Association allows everyone in our group to learn from our Master Model Railroaders® and also participate in and achieve multiple model railroading awards and contests.

Golden Spike and Merit Awards

• The Golden Spike and Merit Awards are the easiest, and for many people, and are the first Achievement Program award that they earn. It is designed to demonstrate familiarity with different areas of the hobby, rather than expertise in a particular area.

Achievement Program

• The Achievement Program also provides incentive to learn and master the many crafts and skills necessary in the hobby of model railroading. With the completion of each category, you will be issued a certificate acknowledging your achievement.

Master Model Railroader^®

• A National Model Railroad Association member qualifies as a Master Model Railroader^® when he or she has obtained at least seven of the eleven Achievement Certificates provided that he or she has earned at least one Achievement Certificate in each of the four areas of the Regulations. Earning the title of Master Model Railroader^® is the ultimate goal for many participants in the Achievement Program.

 

Some History of the National Model Railroad Association in the West Coast

The National Model Railroad Association (NMRA) was formed on September 2, 1935 (in Wisconsin, USA, with its current headquarters in Tennessee) and during its early years, the NMRA did not have regions. For the first nine years of the NMRA, members lived in many areas across the United States, but most of the membership was clustered in the northern mid-west and the east coast. Therefore, for members on the west coast to travel to national events, one had to travel great distances to be part of NMRA meetings and events.

Then due to World War II travel restrictions and west coast members wanting to make it easier to travel to NMRA events, they proposed to divide the NRMA into regions. In January 1943, west coast members created the first region of the NMRA called the Pacific Coast Region. It's formal constitution being adopted in June 1944.

Initially, the Pacific Coast Region was composed of the states of California, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, Washington and Idaho. In 1949, the Pacific Northwest Region was chartered and the Pacific Coast Region became California, Arizona and Nevada. However, members of the Pacific Coast Region still had a long distance to travel for all its members to gather in one spot for meetings or events. In February 1952, the Pacific Coast Region proposed several options to its members on how they could divide the region into smaller areas. One of the options was to divide  the Pacific Coast Region into five divisions. This option was chosen by its members in late 1952. Division 1 was comprised of San Diego, Imperial County and the state of Arizona. 

Seeth L. “Corky” Thomson of San Diego (in Pacific Beach) was appointed the first Superintendent of the San Diego Division. While it existed in name, the San Diego Division was not truly organized and didn’t hold its first meeting until December 1955. At this meeting, George Walsh was elected Superintendent and Charles Underhill was elected Chief Clerk and it was agreed to hold the annual business meeting in March and two other social gatherings during the year. In late 1954, a constitutional amendment was approved creating Division VI to be comprised of the entire State of Arizona.

In 1982, it was decided to divide the Pacific Coast Region into two regions. It was proposed that one would be called the Pacific Central Region and other called the Pacific Southwest Region. However, at a NMRA Board Meeting (at its main headquarters), it was decided to retain the Pacific Coast Region's name and to simply add one new name, the Pacific Southwest Region, as the new name of our Southern California region. 

Listed below are the San Diego Division's Pacific Southwest Region model train convention names which are held every four years in San Diego:

• Mission Possible 2002 - TimeTable 19 (September 11-15, 2002)
  
• Back To The Future 2006 - TimeTable 23 (October 11-15, 2006)
  
• Clear To San Diego 2010 - TimeTable 27 (September 15-19, 2010)
  
• Uniting Railroad Modelers 2014 - TimeTable 31 (September 3-7, 2014)
  
• Beach Ops 2018 - TimeTable 35 (September 12-16 , 2018)
  
• Back On Track In 2022 - TimeTable 39 (September 7-11, 2022)
  
• Convention name and dates to be determined for 2026 - TimeTable 43

Fast forward to 2020, and the San Diego Division is a very active Division of the National Model Railroad Association. We hold 12 meetings or events each year. We also have a very talented and diverse group of model railroaders who also enjoy rail fanning. Our members model in multiple scales and many have completed multiple categories in the NMRA Achievement Program and multiple members have completed all the requirements for the coveted NMRA Master Model Railroader^® title.

When the Coronavirus pandemic began to quarantine the entire world in late March and early April of 2020, our Division had a hiccup in holding our regular monthly meeting and our April 2020 meeting was cancelled. However, our leadership quickly got Zoom meetings up and running. Since May 2020, have held very successful meetings (and planning meetings) through Zoom and look forward to using this technology for, most likely, every meeting in the future. Our first in-person meeting, since the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic began was held in August 2021.

The San Diego Division sponsors a model train convention every four years. In 2022, the San Diego Division organized the "PSR NMRA Back On Track In 2022" (model train convention) held September 7-11, 2022.

The four Divisions (Arizona Division, Cajon Division, Los Angeles Division and the San Diego Division) of the Pacific Southwest Region of the National Model Railroad Association has established and has adopted the following bylaws (As a PDF and dated June 7, 2023) to govern their operations.

Last Updated: 14 August 2023 14 August 2023

Links To: The National Model Railroad Association, San Diego Model Railroad Clubs, Model Railroad Museums, Model Train Public Displays, Train Rides, Public Trains & Trolley Service in San Diego, California, USA.

 

National Model Railroad Association (NMRA)

• National Model Railroad Association website
• National Model Railroad Association Benefits of Membership
• National Model Railroad Association Rail Pass and Membership Rates
• National Model Railroad Association's Social Media accounts:
  • National Model Railroad Association Facebook Group
  • National Model Railroad Association Private Facebook Group
  • National Model Railroad Association Achievement Program Facebook Group
  • National Model Railroad Association Twitter
  • National Model Railroad Association YouTube Channel
  • National Model Railroad Association Instagram

Pacific Southwest Region, National Model Railroad Association

• Pacific Southwest Region website
• Arizona Division website
• Cajon Division website
• Los Angeles Division website
• San Diego Division website 
  • San Diego Division Facebook Page
  • San Diego Division Facebook Group
  • San Diego Division YouTube Channel 
  • The San Diego Division is one of the most active Divisions in the world of the National Model Railroad Association. Our Meetings and Events web page is here online.
  • To see the benefits of joining the National Model Railroad Association, please see our "Benefits of Membership" web page here.
  • For more information about the San Diego Division, please see our "About Us" web page here.
  • To contact any of the San Diego Division staff members, please see our "Contact" web page here.

San Diego Model Railroad Clubs

All Gauge Toy Train Association (AGTTA)
(San Diego, California, USA)
www.agtta.com

• The All Gauge Toy Train Association was founded in 1969.
• The club is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion and education of model railroading and toy trains.
• The club will periodically set up a modular layout at the Pacific Beach room at the San Diego Model Railroad Museum.
• The club hosts has swap meets throughout the year.
• The club is actively looking for new members, so please contact them if you are interested in joining their club.

Chula Vista Live Steamers
(Bonita, California, USA)
www.chulavistalivesteamers.org 

• Chula Vista Live Steamers, established in January 1974 and incorporated in February 1974, is a group of people interested in building and operating 1:8 scale models of trains.
• The club has locomotives powered by steam, piston engines or are electric. The club's locomotives and associated equipment are usually built and operated by the owner and are maintained by the owner at their considerable expense of time and money.
• The locomotives can weigh as little as 500 lb and can be as heavy as one ton (2,000 lb).
• The club even as a small handcar in working order that can travel on any the club's tracks.
• As of 2022, the club is currently in the process of replacing all of its wooden ties with plastic ties.
• The club has 8,000 feet of track.
• There are at least eight tracks in the railroad yard.
• There is also a service bay for members to repair and service their locomotives. The service bay has seven tracks that are elevated allowing members to have bottom access to their locomotives.
• The club can run up to three trains at the same time on their railroad.
• The model train club offers free rides (weather permitting) to the public and is open on the second Saturday and Sunday of each month from 12:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
• To make it easy to find the model train club, please park in the Gate B parking lot.
• While the rides are free, the club does accept donations from the public.
• Board and exit the train at stations only.
• The trains have a maximum of six rail cars.
• When riding on the train, think safety first. Please remember to obey the stationmaster and train crew. Sit as directed and keep your hands and feet inside the rail car and do not rock the rail cars.
• Children are not allowed to be held in arms of anyone while riding.
• Do not use electric equipment while riding the train.
• Food and drinks are not allowed on the train.
• Riding the club's trains is at your own risk.

La Mesa Model Railroad Club
(San Diego, California, USA)
No website at this time.

• Located inside the San Diego Model Railroad Museum.
• The HO scale (1:87 scale) La Mesa Model Railroad Club was founded in 1960 in the city of La Mesa (about a 15 minute drive east of the city of San Diego) and is not located inside the San Diego Model Railroad Museum. The club's original layout was located in La Mesa but in the 1970s, they lost the lease in the building where the club's layout was located and the La Mesa Club had to find a new home. The La Mesa Model Railroad Club spearheaded the creation of the San Diego Model Railroad Museum and found its new home. Fast forward to today, the club's layout at the museum is now just over 40 years young and is the largest model train layout in the museum. The club is a 501(3)(c) non-profit organization.
• Today, the La Mesa Model Railroad Club's Tehachapi Pass Exhibit layout is approximately 9,700 square feet in size, possibly making it the largest model railroad club in the world that models a real railroad.
• The club's layout represents the joint Southern Pacific Railroad and the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway from Bakersfield to Mojave, California (USA) of the early 1950s. The current layout consists of the area from the Southern Pacific Bakersfield Railroad Yard (in Central California) going east through the famous Tehachapi Loop, and continues going eastward to the Mojave Railroad Yard (located in the Mojave Desert)
• What are some of the reasons why the La Mesa Club is famous when compared to other model train clubs?
  1. The club models a real railroad and it is a point-to-point railroad (with several practical return loops). Many other model railroad clubs model what is called freelance or fantasy layouts which is perfectly fine and a very acceptable way to make a model train layout. Many other clubs have a circular mainline track.
  2. The model train layout is very large with about 9,700 square feet, has a main track of about 30 scales miles, has a grand total of approximately 90 scale miles of track and is a two-level layout. Many model railroad clubs are smaller in size.
  3. The club's layout is a mountain railroad. The elevation from the lowest track to the highest track is just over 10 feet. This is compared to many model railroad clubs which have flat layouts.
  4. The club members are very good at successfully running long trains. The goal for all club members and guests are to have no derailments, no uncouplings and no stringlining of trains when running on the club's mountain railroad. Many model railroad clubs run short trains.
  5. The club members typically run prototype typical trains, that is, their trains usually resemble what real world trains look like. Running prototypical trains is not always a priority at other model railroad clubs.
  6. The club has Time Table/Train Order Operation Sessions (set in the 1950s) several times a year with model railroaders traveling from around the USA and Canada. The club needs a minimum of 25 people and can host a maximum of 40 people during these events. There are many variations on Operations Sessions and no one way is better than the other. The La Mesa Club uses a prototypical method for their Operation Sessions.

• There are many stations on the club's layout and some are hidden from the view of the public. There are also several railroad stations. How many station names can you find? Can you find Caliente, Bealville, Cliff, Rowen, Woodford, Walong, Marcel, Cable and Bakersfield?
  • A station is any place along the railroad tracks designated by a railroad by name, in the railroad's timetable. A station is different than a Railroad Station. The railroads name places along their tracks so that railroad employees can talk to each other and know where a train is supposed to go, know where the train is located, where it's heading or where it just came from. A railroad station is where passengers enter and leave trains.
• The La Mesa Club is known for running long and prototypical trains on its layout. Many model railroad clubs have trains which have have approximately 10 to 12 cars and locomotives for their trains. The La Mesa Club's members usually run much longer trains than this. (In the model railroad hobby, prototypical means running trains or modeling a layout, that is as close as possible to a real railroad.)
• The La Mesa Model Railroad Club has a grand total of over 90 scale miles of track on its layout. The track on the layout includes mainline track, sidings, industry spurs, railroad yards, staging tracks (are also storage tracks), helixes, wyes, return loops, one turntable (with track), interchange track, branch line track, house track, team track, abandoned track and possibly more. The mainline track alone is over 30 scales miles of track.
• The club has Time Table/Train Order Operation Sessions (set in the 1950s) several times a year and model railroaders are invited from all over the United States to help operate in the model railroad in real time. Some of the model railroaders will arrive into San Diego days before (and sometimes after) these events and visit with friends or family in San Diego, or visit tourist areas or simply visit and enjoy the camaraderie of other model railroad enthusiasts.
• The La Mesa Club also has several Operations Sessions each year, exclusively for its own local members.
• While the entire bench work and most of the track is completed, the club's scenery is still being worked on, more buildings need to scratch built, electrical upgrades continue to take place and many other improvements to the club's layout continue each month.
• The La Mesa Club uses DCC and Sound, using NCE Power Cabs, NCE Pro Cabs and other types of cabs to control the locomotives. 
• As the La Mesa Model Railroad Club is most likely one of the most famous model railroad clubs in the world, it's worth the time to visit the club's layout, see the details, watch the long trains roll by and talk to its members. The club's layout is located inside the San Diego Model Railroad Museum.

North County Model Railroad Society
(Oceanside, California, USA)
www.ncmrs.org

• The HO scale (1:87 scale) North Country Model Railroad Society was formed in January 1990 and is an active model train club. The club is open to the public at Heritage Park, Oceanside. Look for the building with the sign that says, "Train Depot", to find where the model railroad layout is located. The club is a 501(3)(c) non-profit organization.
• The club's Inland and Southern Pacific Railroad layout models the Southern Pacific Railroad from San Diego, California (USA) through Temecula and ends in Colton, California (The city of Colton is about 65 miles east of downtown Los Angeles and is in San Bernardino County).
• The club layout has two levels, has many buildings and industries, has tunnels, railroad yards, industry spurs, sidings and more, and is located in two large rooms.
• The model train club is set up for Operations Sessions and provides these events to their club members throughout the year.
• The club uses DCC/Sound to control the locomotives through phone apps and use multiple touchscreen tablets throughout the layout, which control the switches. 
• One of the wonderful aspects of the club's layout is the public can walk through the entire layout. Be sure to take your time and notice all the details. You can take excellent pictures and videos because you are very close to the layout.
  • Can you count the total number of cities and towns on the layout?
  • Can you count the total number of railroad yards on the layout?
  • What are the touch screen pads found all along the layout for?
  • Can you find the old Civil War era canyon in downtown San Diego?
  • Can you find the nursery? Or is it a small farm?
  • Can you find the blue home used in the movie Top Gun, that is in Oceanside?
  • Can you find the campers with a camp fire and two tents?
  • Can you find the ACME Paints building?
  • Can you find JP's Bait & Tackle?
  • Can you find a campground for travel trailers?
  • Can you find the Santa Fe Buckshot Saloon?
  • Can you find the Ford Ranchero billboard?
  • Can you find the Trading Post store?
  • Can you find the tree house with a tire swing?
  • Can you find the downtown San Diego Railroad Station?
• The club welcomes new members from anywhere in San Diego County and other areas north of Oceanside.
• For days and hours when the public can visit the layout, please see their website. There is no charge for the public to visit the model train layout.

San Diego 3-Railers
(San Diego, California, USA)
www.sd3r.org

• Located inside the San Diego Model Railroad Museum.
• The O scale (1:48 scale) San Diego 3-Railers is an active model train club inside the San Diego Model Railroad Museum. The club's layout has lots of lights, animation, action and fast trains! The layout itself is jam-packed with buildings, industries, road vehicles, people and many, many other things. It's a layout that you can spend hours in, just trying to see all the details on their layout.
• The club has also packed lots of memorabilia in display cases at the club. and the layout itself is jam-packed with buildings, industries, road vehicles, people and many, many other things. It's a layout that you can spend hours in, just trying to see all the details they have added to their layout.
• Remember to look at the display cases on the walls, there are many historical trains to see. Be sure to leave enough time to visit this layout to see the layout itself with the trains running, to see their historical trains displayed and don't forget to take pictures and videos.
• Be sure not to miss this very fun layout, for all ages, at the San Diego Model Railroad Museum. 

San Diego Division - National Model Railroad Association
(San Diego County and Imperial County, California, USA)
www.sandiegodivision.org

• The San Diego Division of the National Model Railroad Association is quite an active group of railroad modelers, modeling many different scales. The members are from San Diego County and Imperial County. While the San Diego Division does not have a layout, we hold monthly meetings and events, every second Saturday of the month. Our Meetings and Events each month, are held at various locations throughout San Diego County.
• Our meetings include members showcasing their own modeling work, layout tours, and modeling clinics. (A clinic is where one of our members demonstrates techniques or skills needed for modeling. Here are a few examples of clinic topics: An electronics clinic; how to solder; how to weather rolling stock; understanding decoders; techniques and standards to improve rolling stock.)
• We have Quarterly Meets which can include a variety of activities such as a potluck luncheon, an annual swap meet, annual picnic and other activities for our members.
• Due to the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic, many National Model Railroad Association Divisions (including the San Diego Division) started Zoom Meetings across the nation and around the world. By joining the National Model Railroad Association, you will have access to plenty of Zoom Meetings to help improve your scale railroad modeling. As of August 2021, we have gone back to in-person meetings, each meeting or event is determined in advance if masks are required or not.
• The National Model Railroad Association (NMRA) is a world-wide organization with over 18,000 active members, associates, families and clubs dedicated to the hobby of scale model railroading in all its facets, helping to educate its members in modeling techniques, to learn more about the hobby and to meet others with your same interest. The National Model Railroad Association also develops standards for scale model railroad equipment for model railroad manufactures, to help facilitate the interchangeability and operation of equipment between modelers, clubs and others.

San Diego Garden Railway Society
(San Diego, California, USA)
www.sdgrs.com

• The San Diego Garden Railway Society was formed in 1988 by a handful of enthusiasts who wanted a forum to share information about the construction, operation and landscaping of garden railways. As of 2023, the club has over 200 members.
• The main goal of the Garden Railway Society is to run trains and have fun. People new to the model railroad hobby and people who are veteran members of the hobby are welcome to join the club.
• There are many types of garden railroad layouts that you can build. Your garden railroad can be built outside, inside or both outside and inside.
• The model train club are for members who have large G scale 45 mm gauge model trains which are usually located outside in the yard of a home. There are multiple other scales in Garden Railroading such as (1:22.5), (1:24) (1:29) and there are more.
• The members are a diverse group of people who share the love of larger trains that can be run outside in the open sun and fresh air. The main goal of the club is to run trains and have fun.
• The society has monthly meetings for their members and the atmosphere at their meetings is casual and friendly.
• The society provides clinics, a newsletter, shares new product information to its members, provides model train resources on their website, has raffles and other games, have a sales web page for members to sell train items to each other and more. Members also help each other out with model train advice and share ideas.
• Some of the garden model railroaders have made their outdoor layouts for Operations Sessions, some are prototypical layouts, some are whimsical layouts and some have live steam. There are many different types of Garden Railroad layouts that people have made in their yards who are part of the society.
• The society also promotes the planting of small plants and gardening for each person's layout.
• Many of the club members have had their Garden Railroads written about in model train magazines.
• The Garden Railway Society is a great place to meet new friends get help with modeling railroading.
• It is interesting to note that Garden Railroads can be run in all types of weather such as rain and snow.
• The club also maintains several public Garden Railroads throughout San Diego County.
• The club is actively looking for new members. If you love garden model railroading, please be sure to contact the club and become a member.

San Diego Model Railroad Association
(San Diego, California, USA)
www.sdmrra.com

• Located inside the San Diego Model Railroad Museum.
• The San Diego Model Railroad Association model railroad club has both a HO scale and O scale layout at the San Diego Model Railroad Association. The club was founded in May 1939 as the San Diego Model Railroad Club, changed its name several times, merged with another local San Diego model railroad club, became a 501(3)(c) non-profit organization in 2009 and has settled on its current name as the San Diego Model Railroad Association. Over the years, the club's layout has been located in five or more different locations before finding its home at the San Diego Model Railroad Museum.
• The HO layout (1:87 scale) features the 4,500 square feet prototype San Diego & Arizona Eastern Railway from San Diego's Union Station traveling South to Tijuana and through Mexico, recrossing into the United States at Tecate (Mexico and California) through to Campo (California). The line continues into the Carrizo Gorge, to Imperial County past Plaster City and through the Sonoran Desert and finally ending at El Centro (California). Although most of the trackwork and basic scenery is completed, upgrades and detailing continue.
  • The era of the layout is from the late 1940’s through the 1950’s. 
  • A HOn3 (the prototype track is 3 ft narrow gauge line) from Plaster City to a gypsum mine is also loosely modeled. Can you find this industry railroad? Narrow gauge track for the real railroads were used because:
    1. It is easier for rail cars make tighter curves
    2. It costs less to lay the smaller track
    3. There is a substantial savings in engineering costs
    4. It costs less to purchase smaller locomotives and rail cars
    5. If there is a need to move the railroad track, it's easier to move the railroad tracks
  • Finally, the branch line running from San Diego going east to El Cajon (and at one time Foster) is modeled with trolley and branch line service.
  • The layout has been made for Operations Sessions.
  • The layout can be powered by both DC and DCC power sources. The era of the layout is from the late 1940’s through the 1950’s.
  • There are towns, industries and railroad yards on the layout, can you count them all?
  • Can you locate the drive-in movie theater with a movie playing, the whale in the wharf, the border fence between California and Mexico, the Goat Canyon Trestle, the DC-3 passenger airplane next to the Lindbergh Field (1940s era) terminal building and the Tecate Brewery?
  • The layout is protected by windows.

• The O scale (2-rail track, 1:45 scale) layout features the 2,700 square feet Cabrillo & Southwestern representing California circa 1955 and its scenic location is based on an imaginary line from San Diego to Sacramento, California (USA). O scale 2-rail layouts are actually quite rare in the model train hobby because its scale has high modeling standards for their layout (they have very detailed layouts and trains), and the locomotives and rail cars are expensive. O scale (2-rail track) is one of the most realistic ways to model O scale. As a guest of the museum, you'll have a unique opportunity to see an O scale (2-rail) layout in person.
  
  • The layout has a double main track for passenger and freight operations, an On3 narrow gauge branch line for a logging industry, a mountain district for freight trains and a trolley line.
  • There is a total of five lines of continuous loops track on this layout, plus industry spurs, sidings and railroad yards.
  • The double main track is the longest main track and the narrow gauge, mountain district and trolley line are the three minor lines of the layout.
  • The trolley line is by the windows which gets its power from overhead wires just like real trolleys. This is again another rare modeling feature from the San Diego Model Railroad Association that you'll see in the museum because most model railroaders do not model powered overhead lines for trolleys.
  • The O scale layout has been under construction, refinement and operation for more than 25 years. The trolley is DC powered and all other railroad tracks can run trains using DC or DCC power.
  • The O scale layout is protected by windows.
  • For your information: Lionel O scale model trains have 3-rail track (as opposed to O scale 2-rail track) and Lionel model trains can have not so very realistic trains which are usually affordable to model. Modelers do have the option to purchase more realistic and more expensive trains for O scale 3-rail track, if they desire.

San Diego S-Gaugers
(Grossmont, California, USA)
www.sites.google.com/site/sdsgaugers

• The S scale (1:64 scale) San Diego S-Gaugers is a 501(C)(3) nonprofit model train club which is in the Grossmont Center mall in La Mesa, California (about a 15-20 minute drive from downtown San Diego).
• The club welcomes new members. The club welcomes the public to bring in their trains in storage to see if they still run. The club has a several test tracks for HO, S scale, Sn3 and O scale trains, to test your model train locomotives.
• The club also sells trains and accessories that are donated to the club and 100% of the selling prices goes directly back to the club to support the S scale club.
• When the club is closed, the trains still run. Just push the button outside the window and the trains on all three window layouts will run for about a minute.
• Please see their website for visitor's days and hours.

San Diego Society of N Scale
(San Diego, California, USA)

• The San Diego Society of N Scale has no website at this time.
• Located inside the San Diego Model Railroad Museum.
• The N scale (1:160 scale) San Diego Society of N Scale has a beautiful behind windows model train layout at the San Diego Model Railroad Museum.
• The Pacific Desert Lines layout occupies approximately 1,500 square feet of the museum.
• If you notice, the club is a flat layout design and has little to grades on the layout.
• The Pacific Desert Lines layout models the original 1855 route that was surveyed and planned for the San Diego & Arizona Eastern Railroad but was never built.
• This model train layout is a fun layout to try to find the details that the members have painstakingly labored over to make this train layout a sight to see.
  • You'll find a number of San Diego landmarks including the Carlsbad Flower Fields, Carrizo Gorge, and downtown San Diego.
  • The club has small towns, cities, industries, railroad yards and more.
  • Be sure to find the large railroad trestle.
  • Throughout the layout, you'll see there are several quirky hidden surprises. Can you can spot the pool with a shark? And what else can you find on this fun layout?
• The layout has viewing steps for the young and young at heart, to help you see the club's fun layout.

Short Track Railroad Club
(Vista, California, USA)
www.shorttrackrr.org

• In 1991, the N scale (1:160) Short Track Railroad (originally called the Short Trak'N Railroad Club) was formed and operations began in 1992. The club originally started as a module club for over a decade and exhibited their module railroad to local schools, retirement homes, National Model Railroad Conventions (regional and national conventions), other train conventions, the Del Mar Fair (Located in San Diego) and more.
• The reason why the original name of the club was named the Short Trak'N Railroad Club, is because when N scale model railroaders create and use modules, the hobby term N scale modules is called NTrak. The club originally built eight modules consisting of four 4' straight modules and four 3' corner modules which formed a 10' X 10' layout.
• For your information, the NTrak Wikipedia page is filled with information about N scale modular systems. There is also a non-profit organization called NRail, Inc. which created the first national modular standards for N scale NTrak module modelers.
• In 2002, the club joined the Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum in Vista, California (North County of San Diego) where they began construction of their 3,600 square foot air conditioned building. The permanent building is located on the grounds of the Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum.
• In 2003, the club started construction of their permanent exhibit and eventually started to discard their model train modules. The club layout models Donner Pass, a 7,056 feet high (2,151 meters) mountain pass in the northern Sierra Nevada, in Northern California, USA. The club models the city of Colfax, California as well as other towns and industries in that same area.
• The club started a new layout expansion in 2021-2022 and the veteran members are teaching their members how to build benchwork, lay track and add scenery. The club is expecting to double the size of their current layout (or possibly slightly larger than twice the size).
• If you live in San Diego or in Orange County and love N scale, this is an excellent N scale club to join because it is a friendly club and has many active members. The club welcomes model railroaders of all skill levels.
• Please visit the Short Track Railroad's website for more about their club, visitor's hours and location.

 

San Diego Model Railroad Museums, San Diego Railroad Museums, Model Train Club Public Displays and Model Train Public Displays

Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum
(Vista, California, USA)
www.agsem.com

• The Short Track Railroad Club (N scale) is located in its own building, on the museum's grounds.
• Please see the Short Track Railroad Club's website for hours open to the public and its location: www.shorttrackrr.org

Chula Vista Live Steamers
(Bonita, California, USA)
www.chulavistalivesteamers.org 

North County Model Railroad Society
(Oceanside, California, USA)
www.ncmrs.org

Old Town Model Railroad Depot
(San Diego, California, USA)
www.oldtowntrains.com

Pacific Southwest Railway Museum and Association
(Campo and La Mesa, California, USA)
www.psrm.org

Poway-Midland Railway 
(Poway, California, USA)
www.powaymidlandrr.org

San Diego Electric Railway Association, Inc. & National City Depot Museum
(National City, California, USA) 
www.sdera.org

San Diego Model Railroad Museum
(San Diego, California, USA)
www.sdmrm.org

• Located in Balboa Park, just minutes north by car of the city of San Diego. The San Diego Model Railroad Museum is home to four model railroad clubs. The museum has its own Garden Scale model railroad exhibit called the Centennial Railway Garden.
• The museum is the largest model railroad museum in North America according to the museum's Wikipedia web page. According to the City of San Diego's website and the WorldWideRails website, the San Diego Model Railroad Museum is the largest operating model railroad museum in the world.
• The model railroad clubs in the museum include:
  • La Mesa Model Railroad Club
  • San Diego 3-Railers
  • San Diego Model Railroad Association
  • San Diego Society of N Scalers
• The San Diego Model Railroad Museum is home to the Erwin Welsch Research Library. As of December 2021, the library has over 6,000 books, 800 magazine titles, 40,000 photos and slides, many types of maps, timetables, railroad calendars, 2,000 VHS and DVDs, 400 file folders (filled with additional information) and has information about the four model railroad clubs which are located inside the museum.
  • The library is a reference library and items may not be checked out. It is not a lending library.
  • The librarians are very knowledgeable, when visiting the library make sure to write down your questions so the librarians can assist you.
  • The library's contents are indexed online and you can research their collections using the San Diego Model Railroad Museum's website.
  • The library is open to the public and can be used by anyone with or without an annual museum pass.
• All guests of the museum have in-and-out privileges. If you leave the museum to get something to eat or explore more of the park, please remember before you leave, to make sure you find out how to re-enter the museum.
• If you live in San Diego or frequent San Diego, please remember that an annual membership pass for the museum is very affordable.

Freight and Flora: A Garden Railroad
(San Diego, California, USA)

• The Freight and Flora: A Garden Railroad model train layout is located outdoors and in the back of the San Diego Model Railroad Museum.
• From 2015 to 2022, the garden railroad was called the Centennial Railway Garden exhibit. However, it was decided in 2022 to refurbish the model railroad layout.
• The refurbishment of the model railroad started in early 2023 and is now called Freight and Flora: A Garden Railroad.
• The garden railroad was officially opened with a ceremony on Saturday, July 8, 2023.
• Garden railroader Bob Treat did the design work for the outdoor railroad layout. Then Bob Treat and John Phillips completed all the installations of the buildings, plants, track and other details of the layout.
• The Freight and Flora: A Garden Railroad outdoor model train layout was built solely for fun for people of all ages. There is no official scale to the model railroad layout.
• The buildings are representative of the Gilded Age of the United States in 1885 and this model railroad layout can transport you to the time when the Transcontinental Railroad first arrived in San Diego. While the buildings are representative of an earlier era in the USA, the trains on the track can be from 1800s steam locomotive trains to present day diesel-electric locomotives trains. There is no restriction on what types of trains can be run on the railroad.
• Visitors will enjoy the handcrafted structures as a tribute to San Diego's rich history. These buildings were constructed and generously donated by Applied Imagination. 
• You'll find drought-resistant plants native to the Southern California region and the plants are not to any model train scale. The plants in the garden railroad honors people having a commitment to our 4.543 billion year-old planet earth.
• The trains are powered batteries and are charged by electricity from solar panels at the museum. The solar panels were first installed at the museum in 2015.
• The size of the G gauge track is 45 mm gauge.
• The size of the layout is approximately 20 feet X 30 feet.
• This outdoor layout is behind the Pacific Beach event room of the San Diego Model Railroad Museum. You can enter the garden railroad through the back doors of the Pacific Beach event room.
• The San Diego Model Railroad Museum maintains and operates this small Garden Scale railroad layout and is open Tuesday through Friday.
• The San Diego Model Railroad Museum is currently looking for non-paid volunteers to operate the exhibit on the weekends. Contact the museum to find out how you can volunteer.
• If you are interested in garden model railroading, you might want to join the San Diego Garden Railway Society.
• Some history of the garden railroad at the museum.
  • The name of the garden railroad was originally called the Centennial Railway Garden.
  • The Centennial Railway Garden exhibit was originally built to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Balboa Park in 2015.
  • The Centennial Railway Garden G scale garden railroad exhibit was modeled after Balboa Park, as it existed in 1915.
  • The trolley cars that used to run on the outdoor railroad layout are modeled after the Class 1 Street Car which was created specifically for the 1915 Exposition.
  • When the exhibit was opened, there were push-buttons around the layout allowing kids and adults to make the trolleys go around the track. There were also push-buttons to make the
  • The street cars powered from the track and using electricity from solar panels on the roof of the museum.
  • Balboa Park is a 1,200 acre (490 hectares) historic urban cultural park in San Diego, California, United States. In addition to open space areas, natural vegetation zones, green belts, gardens and walking paths, it contains museums, several theaters and the San Diego Zoo.
  • Balboa Park was opened in 1898.

San Diego S-Gaugers
(Grossmont, California, USA)
www.sites.google.com/site/sdsgaugers

Short Track Railroad Club
(Vista, California, USA)
www.shorttrackrr.org

Walter Anderson Nursery Garden Railroad
(Poway, California, USA)
www.walterandersen.com/garden-railroad

• The Walter Anderson Nursery has its own Garden Railroad that is 4,459 square feet in size, has many trains, has approximately 1,400 feet of track, has 15 bridges and trestles, and has 45 switches on the layout.
• Trains run daily from 10:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.
• Free to the public.

San Diego Train Rides

Balboa Park Miniature Railroad
(San Diego, California, USA)
www.balboapark.org/attractions/miniature-train

• In Balboa Park, next to the San Diego Zoo.

LEGOLAND Express Train
(Carlsbad, California, USA)
www.legoland.com

Pacific Southwest Railway Museum and Association
(Campo and La Mesa, California, USA)
www.psrm.org

• The Campo location has train rides, a museum, gift shop, special events, locomotives, switchers, train cars, maintenance facilities, a railroad yard and more. The La Mesa location has a small museum and an outside display which has a steam locomotive, box car and a  caboose.

Poway-Midland Railway 
(Poway, California, USA)
www.powaymidlandrr.org

 

San Diego Public Train and Trolley Service 

The Coaster
(San Diego, California, USA)
www.gonctd.com/services/coaster-commuter-rail

• Service between downtown San Diego and Oceanside.

Metrolink
(Southern California, USA)
www.metrolinktrains.com

• Service between Oceanside and Los Angeles. 

Pacific Surfliner
(Southern California, USA)
www.amtrak.com/pacific-surfliner-train

• Service between downtown San Diego, through Los Angeles with its final destination in San Luis Obispo, with spectacular ocean views. 

San Diego Trolley
(San Diego, California, USA)
www.sdmts.com

The Sprinter
(San Diego North County, California, USA)
www.gonctd.com/services/sprinter-hybrid-rail

• Service between Oceanside and Escondido.

 

New to Model Railroading or New to Joining Model Train Clubs?
There are model train clubs in many cities and towns across the world. Most model railroaders join clubs that are modeling their favorite scale. Some model railroaders model in multiple scales.

If you are new to model railroading, please remember that when joining any model train club or model train organization that honesty, integrity, being of good character and friendliness are very important qualities to have. The model train hobby has a limited number of people and to keep the model train hobby a fun place for everyone, it is important that all model railroaders do everything possible to get along with each other.

There is an unwritten rule that model railroaders don't discuss religion, politics or other controversial topics at club settings, meetings or events. Now that we wrote the unwritten rule, the unwritten rule has now been written which means the unwritten rule is not unwritten. That's the way the train rolls down the tracks!

Last Updated: 25 July 2023 25 July 2023

2021 Meets and Events

The San Diego Division holds monthly meetings and events every 2nd Saturday at 1 pm. These include quarterly Meets (February, May, August, November) which may include Show & Tell, contests, Clinics, auctions, swap meets, Bingo for Trains, raffles and food. Typically there is a Swap Meet and BBQ at our Summer Meet. On the off months, a Layout Tour (open house style) is offered. For your information, instead of calling our meetings, "Meetings", we call them "Meets".

• To learn more about the San Diego Division, attend one of our Meets or events as a guest, or to join the San Diego Division, please call Rudy Spano (Membership Services) at (858) 761-1424. Or email Rudy at membership and please provide your first name, last name and your phone number. 

Covid-19 Information: Our Division was offering virtual Meets/Events during the Covid pandemic of 2020 and continued with virtual Meets/Events during the first half of 2021. Our in-person Meets started back in August 2021. Masks are optional.

Upcoming 2021 Meets & Events 

December 11, 2021, Saturday, 6 p.m. (PST) - In-Person Division Holiday Party, Ugly Sweater Contest & Gift Exchange at Jimmy's of Santee restaurant

• In-Person Meet: San Diego Division's Holiday Party, Ugly Sweater Contest and Gift Exchange will take place on  at Jimmy's of Santee restaurant.
  
• Date: December 11, 2021
• Time: 6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
• Restaurant Address: Jimmy's of Santee, 9635 Mission Gorge Rd, Santee, California 92071.
• Activities: Ugly Christmas Sweater Contest, Reindeer Games and a gift exchange.
  • Everyone: Please wear your ugliest Christmas sweater – there will be a prize for the ugliest sweater!
  • Gentlemen: Please bring a wrapped, non-scale specific railroad item ($20 limit) for gift exchange.
  • Ladies: Please bring a wrapped non-rail gift ($20 limit) for gift exchange.
• You are welcome to bring your significant other.
• Masks are optional.
• RSVP: Please RSVP (publicity [AT] sandiegodivision [DOT] org) by December 3rd, with your meal preference steak, chicken, grilled cod, fish & chips, or vegetarian attend.

 

Upcoming 2022 Meets & Events 

January 8, 2022, Saturday, Noon - 3 p.m. (PST) - In-Person Layout Tour

• Layout Tour: Rob will be providing us with a HO scale layout tour. His freelance layout has been made for Operations Sessions.
  
• Date: January 8, 2022
• Time: Noon - 3 p.m.
• More about Rob's layout tour and his interests in the model railroad hobby:
  • When Rob started in the model train hobby in the 1970s, he originally collected Life-Like Trains, Tyco Toys and Athearn Blue Box trains and he has sold all of these models. Rob started to get serious about the hobby in the 1980s and started purchasing high quality model trains.
    
  • Rob's current layout was started about four years ago in 2017 in a purpose built building for model railroading. The layout is still under construction.
    
  • The HO scale freelance model railroad layout has a locomotive repair building, an intermodal facility, several industries, a railroad yard, several towns, a gas station with a large parking lot, a diner with a large parking lot, a farm, a bus station, has many vehicles and there's more.
  • The backdrop is seamless, please remember to ask Rob how the backdrop was made.
  • Be sure to also ask Rob about his DCC/Sound & DC programming track. You might want to take notes!
  • Rob likes high quality rolling stock and has a collection of the following manufacturers: ScaleTrains, Athearn Trains Genesis, Athearn Trains Ready To Roll, Rapido Trains, Inc., Tangent Scale Models, Atlas Model Railroad Co., Inc., BLMA Models (out of business), ExactRail, Spring Mills Depot, North American Railcar Corporation, American Limited Models, InterMountain Railway Co., Arrowhead Models, Oriental Limited (out of business), Overland Models, Inc., E&P Associates (out of business, most likely), Alco Models (out of business), Trainworx Inc., Broadway Limited Imports, Fox Valley Models, Centrailia Car Shop (possibly out of business), Blueford Shops, W&R Enterprises (possibly out of business), Pecos River Brass, Challenger Imports (out of business), Division Point, Walthers Proto, Walthers Mainline, Bowser Mfg., Moloco, PT Trains (intermodal containers), Lonestar International Trucks (semi-truck models made out of metal), Model Power (semi-trucks), Trucks N Stuff and possibly more.

February 12, 2022, Saturday - In-Person Winter Meet

• San Diego Division Winter Meet!
• Activities: More details will be provided later. 
• Date: February 12, 2022
• Time: 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
• Meet Location: Peace Lutheran Church, 6749 Tait Street, San Diego, California 92111 (in Linda Vista).
  
• Lunch: BBQ lunch!

 

Past 2021 Meets/Events

January 9, 2021, Saturday, 1:00 p.m. to 3 p.m. (PST) - Virtual Meet

• Attendance: 41 people, plus YouTube viewers, attended our virtual Meet.
• Show & Tell: We would like volunteers to present any type of modeling, tool or project they have made or are working on, for a 3-5 minute presentation. Please email Ryan to be put on the list for Show & Tell. It is recommended you take pictures of your work and put these in a file folder to use for your presentation or use Microsoft PowerPoint.  
• Layout Tour: The layout tour will be held at Dick T's freelance Coyote Pass and Northern Railroad and is located in San Diego, California, USA. This museum quality HO scale DCC and Sound layout was first started in 1972, was designed for switching operations and has been upgraded and expanded since. 
  • The railroad continues weekly operations today with some of his crew taking part in switching operations for over 20 years. Operations can take place with a minimum of two people and a maximum of eight people. The average number of people during operations is six people. Operations typically take about two hours. The most important part of this model railroad is for the entire crew to have fun. 
  • While the layout is freelance in design, the era includes steam engines and 1st & 2nd generation diesel-electric locomotives. The railroad features four train routes based loosely in the Southwest (in the USA) and has modeled towns such as Tucson (Arizona), Yuma (Arizona), and Santa Fe (New Mexico). 
  • The layout was re-built once and expanded twice throughout the years, allowing years and years of model railroad operations for model railroaders in the San Diego area. The scale miles of the railroad have increased greatly over the years due to the two expansions. One of the layout expansions was to make the aisle ways wider, making it easy for people to pass each other during operations. 
  • The layout has multiple industries including factories located in a downtown city location, a coal loading industry spur, a cement factory, an oil industry spur, grain storage industries, a milling company, a pickle company, an ordinance factory (No smoking near the building, please!), an ice company and more. There are so many industries with industry spurs, that the switching combinations are probably close to infinity, providing a new experience to operators every time operation sessions occur.  
  • The railroad has multiple tunnels, multiple bridges, many kitbashed buildings and industries, kitbashed rail cars, kitbashed rail car loads and kitbashed locomotives. The layout itself has lots of detail including cars, people, signage, fences, trees, shrubbery, roads, railroad crossings and more. The railroad also has a large fleet of locomotives and rolling stock. In front of a doorway, there are two custom built bridges connecting track. When these bridges are put in the storage position, several switches automatically cut off the track power on both sides of each bridge, so that trains can't accidently run off the track. The back drops use a combination of painting, photos, very thin 3D buildings and half buildings. 
• Clinic: Electronics Part II, by Tim Foote. This clinic is packed with lots of good information for those who are new to electronics and people who would like a refresher course on these topics and there will be three areas of topics.
  • There will be a discussion on how the electronics of how Digital Command Control (DCC) system works for controlling your trains and layout.
  • Tips and tricks for good wiring techniques will be discussed for your layout.
  • Last but not least, the clinic will also include soldering techniques, including our own world famous Rudy Spano solder removal system. This clinic is packed with lots of good information for those who are new to electronics and people who would like a refresher course on these topics.  

 

February 13, 2021, Saturday, 1:00 p.m. to 3 p.m. (PST) - Virtual Meet

• Attendance: 40 people, plus YouTube viewers, attended our virtual Meet.
• Show & Tell: There are several people presenting.
  • We would like volunteers to present any type of modeling, tool or project they have made or are working on, for a 3-5 minute presentation. Please email Ryan to be put on the list for Show & Tell. It is recommended you take pictures of your work and put these in a file folder to use for your presentation or use Microsoft PowerPoint. 
• Layout Tour: Steve Bradley's HO and HOn3 (narrow gauge) layout covering the Southern Pacific Railroad Mina Subdivision (Southwest Nevada to Eastern California - USA). To the right is a partial map of the area.
  • Steve designed the model railroad on digital software for a 10’ X 10’ room as a point to point operational layout. Many structures are scratch built to match real buildings from the area. Almost all of the rail cars are custom built and weathered kits. Many of the engines are brass and custom painted.
  • A portion of the layout was featured in the January/February 2020 edition of the Narrow Gauge Gazette.
• Clinic: "JMRI: What It Is, What It Does", by Robin Becker.
  • Java Model Railroad Interface (JMRI) is a powerful collection of software tools for model railroaders that span the gamut from locomotive programming to complete automated operation. The tools are free, support virtually every computer platform and interface with almost all DCC systems.
  • The clinic will briefly review the various of JMRI: Easy DCC decoder programming, layout panels, signaling, operations, use of mobile devices as throttles. We will wrap up with an example of a customized user addition via “scripting”.
  • Java Model Railroad Interface reference websites: JMRI official website. JMRI on DCCWiki. JMRI Wikipedia web page. 

 

March 13, 2021, Saturday, 1:00 p.m. to 3 p.m. (PST) - Virtual Meet

• Attendance: 23 people, plus YouTube viewers, attended our virtual Meet.
• Layout Tour: Don Fowler, Master Model Railroader, will be presenting his museum quality N scale Southern Pacific’s Mojave Division private layout. The layout was made for operations. It was also designed so no one has to duck under the layout during an operations session.
  • Don's 20’ x 22’ double-decker N scale layout depicts segments between Southern Pacific's Intermodal Container Transfer Facility from Los Angeles (California, USA) to Bakersfield (California, USA) from 1975 – 1995. The layout includes the Tehachapi Loop (using artistic license) and Southern Pacific's West Colton’s Classification Yard, complete with a diesel service facility, and an arrival & departure yard.
  • There is 388 feet of mainline (about 11.75 scales miles of mainline track) with four railroad yards (and one railroad yard has a working hump yard), two bridges, nine tunnels and twelve rail-served industries, has several residential areas and working modern windmills. The layout includes working signals and crossing gates, has over 100 turnouts and there are over 30 scale miles of N scale track including all railroad yards and industry spurs. 
  • There is also nighttime capability with lighted buildings providing a very nice ambiance during operations and/or for visitors.
  • The layout uses uses DCC & Sound with a Digitrax DCC wireless system, has a custom-made N scale workbench and the layout was started in 2015.
• Show & Tell: A member had pictures a new HO scale Blue Amtrak locomotive with Blue Rail electronics inside to control the locomotive and uses batteries inside to power the locomotive (called dead rail). Dead rail means the batteries power the locomotive are inside the locomotive or in the tender of the locomotive.
  • The antenna inside the locomotives has about a 150 foot range. A Blue Rail app is used to control the locomotive and also allows you to change the CVs. A programming track is not needed to program your decoder using Blue Rail. You can program your Blue Rail locomotive with many other locomotives on the layout and it won't change any of the other locomotive's programming. The electric motors are inside the truck of the Amtrak locomotive. 
• Another member had pictures of a Southern Pacific box car resin kit, converted into a caboose.
  • The member explained that in the past, Southern Pacific would try to keep their wooden box cars as long as possible and would recycle them as well. Southern Pacific would take a wooden box car and convert it into a caboose. 
  • The member provided how he converted the resin box car into a Southern Pacific caboose.
• Clinic: Don Fowler, Master Model Railroader, will be presenting how Operations works with his museum quality N scale Southern Pacific’s Mojave Division private layout.
  • What is Operations? For those who don't know, Operations for model railroading, means that you operate your private layout like a real railroad. Why Operations? Or why build a layout for Operations? Here's why.
  • Novice model railroaders will typically begin their first layout with an oval (or two ovals), but after running your train about 100 times in an oval shape, the model railroading experience can become a bit boring. Therefore, many model railroaders will make a layout for Operations so that you can operate your layout (by yourself or with a group of other model railroaders) like a real railroad and keep things interesting when you run trains on your layout!
  • For example, each Operations session can be a new experience for everyone by making new train schedules for each each person with a train. This means requiring different cars to be left off and picked up at different industries for each Operations sessions. This way, everyone can have a new model railroading experience due to the unique requirements of each Operations session.
  • In addition, Operations can have other people involved in the Operations session such as dispatchers, train order operators, yard masters, clerks and more, depending upon how complicated the railroad.

 

April 10, 2021, Saturday, 1:00 p.m. to 3 p.m. (PDT) - Virtual Meet

• Attendance: 29 people, plus YouTube viewers, attended our virtual Meet.
• Show & Tell: We would like volunteers to present any type of modeling, tool, or project you have made or are working on, for a 3-5 minute presentation.
  • You can also share pictures of a new piece of rolling stock you've purchased and its features, new buildings, scenery, track, ballast, book(s), electronics, lighting, DCC/Sound, DeadRail, discuss a website, discuss a video, share pictures of running your trains on your layout or a club layout, or show rail fanning pictures that you like.
  • Show & Tell has an almost limitless number of subjects that you can talk about.
  • It is recommended you take pictures of your work or topic, and put these in a file folder to use for your presentation or use Microsoft PowerPoint. 
  • Please email Ryan to be put on the list for Show & Tell.
• Layout Tour: The layout tour will be presented by Steve Seidensticker featuring his outdoor G scale (1:32) layout.
  • All locomotives run by “dead rail”, that is, there is no power on the rail. The locomotives have micro batteries and DCC with Bluetooth, so they can be operated by wireless throttles or by smart phones.
  • Unlike many outdoor G scale layouts that just run “round-n-round”, Steve has a point-to-point layout designed for operations and switching.
  • Steve also has regular operations sessions every month, a fun time for all. During the pandemic, many operations sessions were cancelled, unfortunately. 
  • G scale is also called Large Scale and Garden Railroading and is suited for indoor and outdoor use. The origins of G in G scale are from the comes from the German word groß meaning "big". However, more recently, some people have come to interpret G scale as standing for "garden scale". Here is the link to the Wikipedia web page on G scale model railroading.)
• Clinic: Weathering using special pencils by Pete Steinmetz

 

May 8, 2021, Saturday, 1:00 p.m. to 3 p.m. (PDT) - Virtual Meet

• Attendance: 19 people, plus YouTube viewers, attended our Meet.
• Show & Tell: To be determined.
  • We would like volunteers to present any type of modeling, tool, or project you have made or are working on, for a 3-5 minute presentation.
  • You can also share pictures of a new piece of rolling stock you've purchased and its features, new buildings, scenery, track, ballast, book(s), electronics, lighting, DCC/Sound, DeadRail, discuss a website, discuss a video, share pictures of running your trains on your layout or a club layout, or show rail fanning pictures that you like.
  • Show & Tell has an almost limitless number of subjects that you can talk about.
  • It is recommended you take pictures of your work or topic, and put these in a file folder to use for your presentation or use Microsoft PowerPoint. 
  • Please email Ryan to be put on the list for Show & Tell.
• Layout Tour: The layout tour is by Wayne Pierce who will be presenting his fictional Minieton Railroad & Lumber Co. On30 narrow gauge layout. The railroad was originally designed for modeling only, but then through talking with model railroad friends, Wayne changed his layout to be designed for Operations Sessions.
  
  • Wayne uses DCC/Sound and NCE Power Cabs to control the locomotives.
  • The railroad was started in 1978 and was originally made with HOn3 narrow gauge scale. The HOn3 narrow gauge scale means the rolling stock is HO scale but the width of the wheelsets and track are a narrow gauge, a smaller gauge than HO scale. 
  • The original name of the railroad, in 1978, was going to be the Mini Town Mine Railroad. But when Wayne was painting a sign for the railroad, he misspelled the railroad name and the new spelling became Minieton. Wayne liked the new name and decided to name his railroad the Minieton Railroad & Lumber Co.
  • In 1989, the layout was put on hold.
  • During 2009 through 2010, Wayne moved his layout from his house to a free standing building in his backyard, resumed working on his layout and changed the scale to On30 narrow gauge. On30 gauge means the rolling stock is O scale sized but the gauge of the wheelsets are in HO scale and the track width is the same size as HO scale.
  • Wayne's layout has a town, industries, railroad yards, a turntable, engine house, tunnels, trestles, sidings, industry spurs and more.
  • Side Note: What does Operation Sessions mean? Operations Sessions means running your railroad layout like a real railroad. Why do this? Because many new model railroaders will make a layout with one oval (or two ovals) and run their trains in circles for model railroading enjoyment. However, after about 100 times running your train in circles, the hobby can quickly become boring.
    • This is where Operations Sessions (also called Operations, Ops and Ops Sessions) makes running trains on your model railroad layout very interesting and never boring. 
    • This means that you build a model railroad layout with a railroad yard, industry spurs, sidings and other things found on real railroads. Then during an Operations Session, you use locomotives only, to move and switch rail cars to assemble trains in railroad yards and to move these trains to industry locations on the layout. Then when your train comes to an industry, you will need to leave and/or pick-up railcars at the industry spur(s) and possibly other locations on the railroad layout. When you finish your work list (called a switch list) and have reached your final destination, the Operations Session will be finished for you.
    • Therefore, many model railroaders will make a layout for Operations Sessions so that you can operate your layout by yourself (or with a group of other model railroaders) like a real railroad and keep things interesting for your entire life, when you run trains on your layout! Each Operations Session will be a new experience for everyone.
    • In addition, Operations Sessions can have multiple people involved due to having railroad employee positions needed to be filled such as dispatchers, engineers, conductors, train order operators, yard masters, clerks and more, depending upon how complicated the railroad.
• Clinic: James Knabb (Trinity River Division, Lone Star Region - Texas, USA) will be presenting, "The Next Generation in Model Railroading".
  • James will explore the modeling preferences and techniques used by the next generation. He will also analyze modern era modeling and what connection railfanning has to it. He will discuss new and trending technologies that are being used such as a 3D Pen and using photo editing software for model train layouts.
  • In addition, he will chat about what the next generation has been doing to stay busy in the model railroad community during the Covid-19 pandemic. Lastly, he will talk about how to use social media as a tool for National Model Railroading Association Divisions and model railroad clubs.

 

June 12, 2021, Saturday, 1:00 p.m. to 3 p.m. (PDT) - Virtual Meet

• Attendance: 34 people, plus YouTube viewers, attended our virtual Meet.
• Show & Tell: We had three presenters for today's virtual meet.
  • Paul W. talked about his need to find a short-in-height switch motor, to save space, for a HO scale shelf layout. He also revealed through a video how he tested the electric motor to validate the functionality of the new switch motor that he recently purchased.
  • John P. presented his 12' X12' 1964 era HO scale diorama which he made to submit for a diorama contest. He described how he scratch built many things on the diorama including a building, parking lot, trees, shrubbery, the ground  and more.
  • Don F. gave us an update on his continuing work on his N scale 20’ x 22’ double-decker Southern Pacific Division layout showing a scratch built overpass fitted over the Bakersfield Railroad Yard. The overpass is removable so that track cleaning or other modeling can take place beneath the road when needed. He also added some graffiti to the bridge. He revealed that a friend made a replicate of the Bakersfield Railroad Station which was designed in an AutoCad program and was printed by a 3-D printer.   
  • Please email Ryan to be put on the list for Show & Tell at future Meets.
• Layout Tour: Desert Highlands Railroad by Tim Foote.
  • The Desert Highlands Railroad was inspired by high desert railroading in Southern California, USA. It is a freelanced layout based on the California High Desert rail line from Barstow, California to Kingman, Arizona during the transition era of the 1950s. The HO scale single level layout sits in a three car garage and has an area of approximately 14X22 feet.
  • The layout is over 60% completed with most of the structures placed on the layout. All the track has been laid and is working. The layout includes track which has code 83 track for industry spurs and railroad yards and code 100 track for mainline track. It still needs fine detailing and some landscaping.
  • The layout includes the town of Barstow, Ludlow Railroad Station, buildings in Needles, mountains in Arizona, a Kingman water front, a high voltage transformer substation, the small town of Borate which has a Borax mill, mines and more.
  • The layout is powered by NCE DCC and is separated into three power districts.
• Clinic: Track laying techniques for Operations by Tim Foote. The clinic is a basic review of track laying design with Operations in mind. The clinic will also includes basic advice regarding curves, elevations, setting up signals, turnout controls, painting and wiring your track. Discussion and questions are encouraged from the group. You are welcome to share your experiences in designing your layouts.

 

July 10, 2021, Saturday, 1:00 p.m. to 3 p.m. (PDT) - Virtual Meet

• Show & Tell: We would like volunteers to present any type of modeling, tool, or project you have made or are working on, for a 3-5 minute presentation.
  • You can also share pictures of a new piece of rolling stock you've purchased and its features, new buildings, scenery, track, ballast, book(s), electronics, lighting, DCC/Sound, DeadRail, discuss a website, discuss a video, share pictures of running your trains on your layout or a club layout, or show rail fanning pictures that you like.
  • Show & Tell has an almost limitless number of subjects that you can talk about.
  • It is recommended you take pictures of your work or topic, and put these in a file folder to use for your presentation or use Microsoft PowerPoint. 
  • Please email Ryan to be put on the list for Show & Tell.
• Layout Tour: The San Diego Model Railroad Association will present their HO scale San Diego and Arizona Eastern layout. 
  • The HO layout features the prototype of San Diego & Arizona Eastern Railway from San Diego's Union Station, California, USA, travelling South to Tijuana, Mexico, then recrossing into the United States at the border town of Tecate through to Campo, California. The line continues into the Carrizo Gorge into Imperial County past Plaster City and ending at El Centro, California.
  • The club also models a 3 ft narrow gauge railroad line from a gypsum plant in Plaster City to a gypsum mine. The mine is approximately 26 miles from the gypsum plant, according to the Google Maps measuring distance tool.
  • Finally, a branch line running from San Diego going east, to El Cajon (and at one time Foster) is modeled with trolley and branch line service.
  • Although most of the trackwork and basic scenery is completed on the very large layout, upgrades and detailing continue.
  • While not technically prototypical, an old-time HOn3 line with a mining town are beautifully modeled in the desert foothills.
• Clinic: There is no clinic for this meet, the Layout Tour will take the entire time allotted for a clinic.

 

August 14, 2021, Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (PDT) - In-Person Summer Meet, Member's Only Event.

• In-Person Meet for NMRA Division members only: This will be our first in-person meet since the Covid pandemic of 2020. Using the honor system, we are counting on everyone being vaccinated for this Meet. Masks are optional.
• 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. - Swap Meet: The first event of the Meet will be our Summer Swap Meet. We encourage people to bring anything related to the model train hobby or the real railroad to sell. Please remember to bring your own card table to put your items on. Remember to bring money to buy items at the Swap Meet. 
• 11:00 a.m. to noon - BBQ Lunch: A BBQ lunch with sides and drinks will be provided after the Swap Meet. All members are asked to bring a dessert. The lunch will be held outdoors.
• 11:30 a.m. to noon - Business meeting and award presentations.
• Noon to 3 p.m. - Show & Tell, Clinics and the Layout Tour.
• Show & Tell: We would like volunteers to present any type of modeling, tool, or project you have made or are working on, for a 3-5 minute presentation.
  • If you need ideas on what you can share, here are just a few examples: You can share a new piece of rolling stock you've purchased and show its features, show a building you've worked on, talk about how you make your scenery, discuss track, ballast, book(s), electronics, lighting, DCC/Sound, DeadRail, discuss a website or a video, discuss rail fanning and things of this nature.
  • Show & Tell has an almost limitless number of subjects that you can talk about.
  • Please email Ryan to be put on the list for Show & Tell.
• Clinic 1: Improving the Realism of Plastic Building Kits by Gary Robinson. This presentation will examine and discuss ways to improve the appearance of plastic (or resin) building kits you wish to install on your layout. There will be an introduction to planning, preparation, painting, lighting, assembly, detailing, and installation, including options and tips to improve your model.
  • Planning: Layout location; determining if modifications will be made to the basic shape and/or size of the structure;
    determining if the building will be lighted and hw this may be accomplished; assembly, including appropriate adhesives; how the building will be installed n the layout.
  • Preparation: Removing mold release agents; separating parts from the sprue; squaring up edges for resin buildings; modifications of windows and doors if necessary.
  • Painting: Primer; paint application methods; masking; color order.
  • Lighting: LED lighting; incandescent lighting; fiber optic lighting.
  • Assembly: Foundation (concrete, stone, block, brick, other. Height, vis-à-vis track, if applicable); Windows and doors; other interior considerations; roof.
  • Details
  • Installations
• Clinic 2: Hands On Weathering Clinic by Pete Steinmetz. Participants will come away with a weathered car and a knowledge of how to use Pan pastels. Bring your own car, HO and N Scales, recommend not bringing larger scales due to time constrains.
  • A shade of Boxcar Red or Tuscan is recommended, no pink cars. We will spray clear flat on the cars. Wheels and trucks should be attached. We will fade the paint and apply dirt, grime, rust. We will not seal at the end. No need.
  • There is room for up to 10 participants but there is no limit on watchers.
  • Please email Pete at director [AT] sandiegodivision [DOT] org to let him know you are bringing a car to use at the clinic. (Pete's Director email address is now working as of August 9, 2021 at 11:00 a.m.)
• Layout Tour: Don Fowler will be presenting his Southern Pacific’s Mojave Division N scale 20’ x 22’ double-decker layout which depicts segments between Southern Pacific's Intermodal Container Transfer Facility in Los Angeles (California, USA) to Bakersfield (California, USA), from 1975–1995.
  • The layout includes the Tehachapi Loop (using artistic license) and Southern Pacific's West Colton’s Classification Yard, complete with diesel service facility and arrival & departure yard.
  • There is 388 feet of mainline (just over 30 scale miles) with four railroad yards, two bridges, nine tunnels, twelve rail served industries, has several residential areas and working modern windmills. The layout also includes working signals and crossing gates, over 100 turnouts, the Tehachapi Loop and more.
  • There is also night time capability with lighted buildings, providing a very nice ambiance during operations or when showing the layout to visitors.
  • The layout uses DCC & Sound with a Digitrax DCC wireless system, has a custom-made N scale work bench and was started in 2015.
  • The layout was made specifically for Operations and was also designed so no one has to duck under the layout during an Operations Session.

September 8–11, 2021, Orange Blossom Special 2021 In-Person Convention (Irvine, California, USA)

• The regularly scheduled Saturday Meet will not take place allowing our members to attend the in-person Pacific Southwest Region 2021 Convention in Irvine (The Greater Los Angeles area), California, USA.
• Pacific Southwest Region 2021 Convention: The Pacific Southwest Region of the National Model Railroad Association is holding the Orange Blossom Special 2021 (an in-person model railroad convention) taking place September 8–11, 2021.
  • While we are posting some of the convention information on our website, we are not listing all of the events. We highly recommend that you please visit the Orange Blossom Special 2021 website to start planning your model train convention. The convention is filled with many events and things to do.
  • The convention will be held at the Hilton Irvine/Orange County Airport Hotel located next to the Orange County Airport (John Wayne Airport).
  • The Keynote Speaker is Charlie Getz. His father bought him his first Lionel train set in 1956 and has been modeling ever since. Charlie is also a past president of the National Model Railroad Association.
  • The convention will have clinics, layout tours, prototype tours, a Hobo Auction, swap meets, raffles, a reception, a banquet, awards, evaluations for Merit Awards, prizes and more.
  • The prototype tour will be at Gemco Yard in Van Nuys to watch a train being classified that will head north that afternoon. The Union Pacific Railroad Yard is located in Van Nuys between Van Nuys Boulevard and Woodman Avenue. A Google Maps search phrase to find the railroad yard online is "Union Pacific Railroad Co, Van Nuys Boulevard, Panorama City, CA" (without quotes).
  • Non-rail tours include a guided tour of the Nixon Library that will be followed by a lunch (which is included in the tour price), bingo, an Artificial Flower Display, a Sand Art Clinic and more.
  • If you are planning to have your entries evaluated for the NMRA Achievement Program you will need to fill out NMRA form #902. The form can be downloaded from the NMRA website. In addition, there will be a clinic offered for first-time and experienced modelers to help lead you through the paperwork process and to give you hints on what the evaluators are looking for. The paperwork is really quite simple once you understand it.
    • The Judged and Evaluated categories include:
      • Steam Locomotives
      • Diesel and other Locomotives
      • Traction
      • Passenger Cars
      • Freight Cars
      • Cabooses
      • Non-Revenue Equipment
      • Structures – On-Line
      • Structures – Off-Line
    • There are also the following contests:
      • Photo Contest
      • Arts and Crafts Contest
      • Modular Contest
      • Special Awards
• Evaluators Are Needed. The Orange Blossom Special Show Room needs evaluators to help evaluate models entered for NMRA Awards Program. If you are interested, please sign up at the show room and there will be a mandatory training session at 11:00 am on Friday prior to preforming the evaluations in the Board Room. Evaluation will take place from 1:00 to 4:00 pm on Friday in the Show Room. Did you know you can get points toward you Volunteer AP Certificate by helping evaluate?
• Please be aware that we have only listed some of the highlights above, about the model train convention. We recommend to visit the Orange Blossom Special 2021 website because it is filled lots of information and events.
• When on the Orange Blossom Special 2021 convention website, please remember to find the clinics, tours and events you are interested in and please book early as there is limited attendance for each event.

October 9, 2021, Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to noon (PDT) - In-Person Swap Meet and Layout Tour

• In-Person Swap Meet: The North County Model Railroad Society will have their fall Model Train Show and Swap Meet on Saturday, October 9, 2021 from 8 a.m. to noon, and will include raffle prizes.
• The Swap Meet will be at the North County Model Railroad Society, located in Heritage Park at 230 Peyri Drive, Oceanside, California. Please remember, the entire park is a no-smoking park.
• This is one of the largest model train Swap Meets in San Diego County.
  • The Swap Meet is free for all visitors. (Sellers pay $10.00 per table. Sellers please RSVP here: swapinfo [AT] ncmrs [DOT] org)
  • There will be food trucks at the park that day where you can purchase drinks, snacks and lunch.
  • The San Diego Division will have a table at the Swap Meet and will sell train cars, hobby books, model train and real train memorabilia, and more. The San Diego Division will also use our Swap Meet table as a recruiting table.
  • While some people are ready to leave the Swap Meet at noon, you are welcome to stay and talk with North County Model Railroad Society's model railroaders and visit the layout. 
• Layout Tour: The layout tour will be at the HO scale North County Model Railroad Society in the Train Depot building in Heritage Park.
  • The North County Model Railroad Society was founded in 1990 and has been in several different locations in North County. The club began construction of its current layout, in its latest home in Heritage Park, on June 18, 2014.
  • The club's railroad is a two-level layout modeling from San Diego to Oceanside, then going through Temecula and ending in Colton, California. The layout includes railroad stations, railroad yards, a helix, industry spurs, many towns, multiple industries, multiple tunnels, bridges and more. The layout has nighttime capability including buildings with lighting, street lighting and the layout also has thunder and lightning effects. 
  • The club is open to the public, has Wednesday Work Nights and the layout has been designed with Operations Sessions in mind. The club has regular Operations Sessions throughout the year. The club invites model railroaders of all ages to join their HO scale model railroad club.
• Please mark your calendars for this Meet, as this is the largest annual event the San Diego Division schedules each year. 

November 13, 2021, Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 3 p.m. (PST) - In-Person Meet at the San Diego Model Railroad Museum

• In-Person Meet Follow-up: The Meet had a total of 31 people in attendance. This Meet allowed people to reconnect and new friendships were made among model railroaders. The food was fresh and delicious and there were plenty of desserts and drinks.
  
• The Meet will take place at the San Diego Model Railroad Museum in the event room, located in the rear of the museum. The museum is located in Balboa Park in the Casa de Balboa building. The museum's official address is 1649 El Prado in Balboa Park.
  • We recommend to park in the parking lot behind the museum and you will enter through the doors in the rear of the San Diego Model Railroad Museum. 
  • The San Diego Model Railroad Museum is one of the largest model railroad museums in North America.
• Clinic #1: Jim McClain will present an informative clinic on the Erwin Welsch Research Library housed at the San Diego Model Railroad Museum. Jim is a longtime volunteer and expert on the library.
• You will learn about the resources available to model railroaders and railroad enthusiasts, and learn about the benefits the library offers to NMRA members. Be sure to write down questions you may have in advance or that you have during his talk because there will be Question and Answer period after his clinic.
  • Here is a synopsis of the library clinic:
    
    • Eight Page Handout: The Erwin Welsch Research Library clinic was extremely informative and an eight page handout was distributed to everyone in attendance.
    • Library Collection: The clinic revealed that the library has over 6,000 books, 800 magazine titles, 40,000 photos and slides, many types of maps, timetables, railroad calendars, 2,000 VHS and DVDs, 400 file folders (filled with additional information) and has information about the four model railroad clubs which are located inside the museum.
    • Online Research: The library has its contents indexed online and shared the best way to research their collections using the San Diego Model Railroad Museum's website.
    • Donations: The museum accepts all donations and has shelves of books and other items for sale at reasonable prices.
    • Library Type: The library is a research library and not a lending library.
    • Volunteers Needed: The library is currently looking for volunteers.
    • Open To The Public: The library is open to the public and can be used by anyone with or without an annual museum pass.
• Show & Tell: Bring a project or model and show off your work. We had several people who participated in the Show & Tell.
  
• Clinic #2: Pete Steinmetz will be providing an important clinic on "Glue." This is a new clinic by Pete. It is designed to be interactive with the audience. A different format. He will be bringing a lot of bottles of glue that he uses and have used in the past. He will tell you what he uses them for and why he likes them. The attendees will be encouraged to ask questions and share what their favorite glues are. Please be sure to write all your questions and glue tips before hand, for Pete's clinic.
  • Pete's Glue Clinic was very well received and there was lots of input and questions from the group.
  • Pete noted at the beginning of his clinic that he has five glues which are always on his model train workbench. They are:
    • Formula 560 (Made by Pacer) - This is a canopy glue and glues different types of material together, such as plastic to metal or plastic to wood. The glue also adheres the same material together. The glue drys clear.
    • Faller Super Expert 170490 and Faller Expert 170492 glue. - This is a styrene glue.
    • Extra Thin Cement (Made by Ammo MIG Jimmenez) - This is a styrene glue.
      
    • Micro Liquitape (Made by Microscale Industries, Inc.) - A tacky adhesive for temporarily joining two parts together.
    • Crafter's Pick, The Ultimate (Made by The Adhesives Products, Inc.) - This is another canopy glue and is a non-toxic white water-based super glue which adheres the same or two different types of material together. The glue dries clear.
• Lunch: Subway sandwiches will be delivered. The cost of lunch is a $5.00 donation. Click HERE to RSVP for a lunch, so we order enough.
• Bingo For Trains: Bingo For Trains is always a fun time and there will be great prizes! Don't forget to bring cash so you can purchase one or more $5.00 bingo cards. Follow-up: There were lots of great prizes including rail cars, books, building kits and more.
  
• Raffle: The raffle was unannounced ahead of time, was free and was available to everyone who stayed to the end of the Meet. More prizes were won by our members.
• Self-Guided Tour Of The Museum: After the Meet, you are welcome to take a self-guided tour of the entire San Diego Model Railroad Museum and its exhibits. The museum officially closes its doors at 4:00 p.m. and this is when the model train clubs stop running their trains. We will have a little leeway to stay at the museum after it closes. 
• Some San Diego Model Railroad Museum Information:
  • Please remember, there are four model train clubs at the museum.
  • The San Diego Model Railroad Museum is one of the largest model railroad museums in North America.
    
  • The San Diego Model Railroad Association train club has both a HO scale layout and an O scale layout. The San Diego Club has also modeled a narrow gauge track industry, be sure to try to find it on their layout.
  • The San Diego Society of N Scale operates an N scale layout, enclosed by glass, at the museum.
    
  • The San Diego 3-Railers club operates a toy train layout enjoyed by all children, teens and adults.
  • There is also a small outdoor interactive Garden Railroad layout in the rear of the museum which is not owned by any club.
  • The pièce de résistance of the museum is the HO scale La Mesa Model Railroad Club. It has been said that the La Mesa Model Railroad Club could possibly be the largest model railroad club layout in the world which models a real railroad.
    • The mainline track has at least 30 HO scale miles of track, possibly more.
    • When you add all the track at the La Mesa Club, including the mainline track, the sidings, industry spurs, railroad yards, storage tracks, balloon tracks, the return loops, helixes and the wyes, it has been estimated there is over 90 HO scale miles of track on the layout.
    • The La Mesa Club's layout occupies approximately 10,000 square feet inside the museum.
    • The La Mesa Model Railroad Club models from Bakersfield, California (USA), through the Tehachapi Mountains to Mojave, California (USA) in the era of the early 1950s.
    • The La Mesa Club uses DCC & Sound to control the locomotives. 
  • Be sure to stop by the Erwin Welsch Research Library and see for yourself, the many resources the library provides.

 

Note: Pacific Daylight Time starts March 14, 2021 and Pacific Standard Time starts November 7, 2021. In the USA, in general, Daylight Time starts the second Sunday of March and Standard Time begins the first Sunday in November. In Europe, summer time begins the last Sunday of March and ends on the last Sunday in October. 

We do not have a physical office, permanent meeting room or layout. Each month, we meet at various locations throughout San Diego County. With the exception of during a pandemic, we hold virtual meetings.

Last Updated: 24 November 2021 24 November 2021