Trains O Scale - Model Train Shows For May 2011

Here is the May 2011 list of the major and not so major model train shows and auctions which will happen all across the U.S. It’s an abbreviated list this month as no shows are planned on Memorial Day weekend.  

You should also check out swap meets and open houses hosted by your local railroad club where you can browse around, check out trains for sale, view layouts and learn something about model railroading.

So, check out a model train show in your area. Then join me at Trains O Scale where you can learn more about getting started in building your own dream model railroad layout.

MAY 2011

MCR Convention
Geneva-on-the-Lake, Ohio (Apr 28 - May 1)

Great Midwest Train Show
Wheaton, Illinois (May 1)

9th Annual Franklin Model and Toy Train Sale and Show
Franklin, New Jersey (May 1)

AVRA Spring Model Railroad Show
North Haverhill, New Hampshire (May 7)

Maurer Toy Train Auction
Spring City, Pennsylvania (May 7)

Southeast Garden Railroad Show
Dalton, Georgia (May 13-14)

NMRA Pacific Coast Region Convention "Sonoma Short Line"
Santa Rosa, California (May 13-15)

Twin City Model Railroad Museum Show & Sale
St. Paul, Minnesota (May 14)

Maurer Toy Train Auction
Spring City, Pennsylvania (May 14)

Pasadena Model Railroad Club Spring Show
Los Angeles, California (May 14-15)

Wayne Train Show
Wayne, New Jersey (May 15)

NMRA Sunshine Region Spring Convention
Ocala, Florida (May 19-22)

16th Albuquerque Railroad Fair
Albuquerque, New Mexico (May 21)

Regal Railways Presents Train Show & Swap Meet
Pinellas Park, Florida (May 21)

The Big Train Show
Ontario, California (May 21-22)

Great Lehigh Valley Train Meet
Allentown, Pennsylvania (May 21-22)

Pasadena Model Railroad Club Spring Show
Los Angeles, California (May 21-22)

Brick Train Show
Brick, New Jersey (May 22)

Model Railroaders to Attempt Guinness World Record

Model railroaders from the Wilmington Railroad Museum are going to try and set a new Guinness world record for having the longest model train this Saturday at the Wilmington Convention Center.

The current record holder is the incredible Miniatur Wunderland which is located in Hamburg, Germany.

Doors at the  Wilmington Convention Center open at 10 a.m. and the attempt is planned for 1 p.m. Check out the details here: Railroad Museum

Let's wish them well and check it out if you in the neighborhood.

Trains O Scale

Famous model train exhibit will debut at Railroad Museum of LI

A historic Lionel model train exhibit will be unveiled April 9 at the Railroad Museum of Long Island’s Riverhead location.

The 7,000-pound train layout sat for nearly two decades at the Chesterfield, Mich. visitor’s center of Lionel, one of the world’s largest model train manufacturing companies.

The display attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the world, until the center closed in 2008.

The display is designed after a layout built in 1949 for the Lionel’s headquarters on Madison Avenue in Manhattan, where train lovers flocked for decades.

Check out the whole story here: Lionel model train

Visit us at Trains O Scale to learn how to build your own special layout.

Restaurant theme reflects owner's love of model trains

Jimmy Rushton plays with trains, which is pretty obvious if you visit his establishment.

Rushton opened a train-themed restaurant called Jimmy's Newtown Station last December in Hanover Township. The restaurant's decor displays his love of trains.

If you go there you will find model trains circling around the restaurant on tracks which have been mounted high up on the walls and also on a platform constructed right in the middle of his main dining room. You will also notice the figure of a life-sized train conductor standing in the corner.

You can read more about the restaurant here: Jimmy's Newton Station

Then you can visit Trains O Scale to learn how you can create an amazing model train layout of your own.

Trains O Scale - Model Train Shows For April 2011

Here is the April 2010 list of the major and some minor model train shows which will happen all across the U.S. There are also swap meets and open houses hosted by local railroad clubs where you can browse around, check out trains for sale, view layouts and learn something about model railroading.

So, check out a model train show in your area. Then join me at Trains O Scale where you can learn more about getting started in building your own dream model railroad layout.

6th Annual Collis P. Huntington Model Train Show
Dunbar, West Virginia (April 1-3)

Delaware Train Show
New Castle, Delaware (April 2)

Bunker Hill Train Club Show
Ranson, West Virginia (April 2)

AMROC Model Train Show at Columbia Kids Day
Columbia, South Carolina (April 2)

Greenberg's Train & Toy Show
Edison, New Jersey (April 2-3)

Springfield Train Fair 2011
Springfield, Illinois (April 3)

Medina Model Railroad & Toy Show
Medina, Ohio (April 3)

Chicagoland Railroad Collectibles Show
Glen Ellyn, Illinois (April 3)

Norwalk & Western Railroad Spring Train & Toy Show
Milan, Ohio (April 3)

New England O Scale Train Show
Hudson, Massachusetts (April 3)

60th H&R Train Show
Pinellas Park, Florida (April 8-10)

35th Florida Rail Fair
DeLand, Florida (April 9)

Ozarks Model Railroad Association Spring Model Railroad Show
Springfield, Missouri (April 9)

9th Annual NC Railroad Expo
Hickory, North Carolina (April 9)

Great Scale Model Train Show
Timonium, Maryland (April 9-10)

Great Midwest Train Show
Wheaton, Illinois (April 10)

Spring Into Summer Train Show
North Tonawanda, New York (April 10)

Toms River Train Show
Toms River, New Jersey (April 10)

Nashua Valley Railroad Association 46th Annual Railfair 2011
Shirley, Massachusetts (April 10)

26th Annual Upper Valley Model Railroad Show
West Lebanon, New Hampshire (April 10)

49th Buckeye Train Show
Columbus, Ohio (April 16)

Regal Railways Presents Train Show & Swap Meet
Brooksville, Florida (April 16)

Western Reserve Model Railroad Museum Train Show
Mentor, Ohio (April 16-17)

Supertrain 2011
Calgary, Alberta, Canada (April 16-17)

Western Heritage Division NMRA Spring 2011 Show
Omaha, Nebraska (April 17-18)

Granite City Train Show
St. Cloud, Minnesota (April 30)

French Broad e'N'pire Spring Rails 2011
Hendersonville, North Carolina (April 30)

Model Railway Layouts and DCC

When building model railway layouts you have the option of buying trains that use DCC (Digital Command Control). What DCC will do for you is allow multiple locomotives on the same track to move independently of each another.

Under the good old DC system two trains on the same track would move in the same direction and at the same speed, but with DCC that's a thing of the past. Not only can you control the trains speed and direction separately but you can also do the same with sound and lights.

Naturally, everything is not perfect with DCC. It's wiring is a bit more complex and it costs more especially if you want to add a bunch of options.

But if you want to have complete control of multiple locomotives on your model train layout then Digital Command Control is the way to go.

For more info visit: Railway Layouts

An Incredible Indoor G-Scale Model Train Layout

Doug Wead is a presidential historian and was special adviser to President George H.W. Bush.

Doug Wead has authored more than 30 books.

Doug Wead is a philanthropist and organized the first Charity Awards event and co-founded Mercy Corps.

Doug Wead seems like a pretty cool guy.

So why am I writing about him? You guessed it, like Rod Stewart and countless others before him he is into model trains... Big Time.

By big time I'm not just referring to the size of his layout (which is immense) but also because he models in G-scale, the big boy of model trains.

I have never seen anything quite like his layout in terms of quality or elegance, it is simply magnificent.

Just watch the video below and enjoy.


Obviously most of us don't have the kind of money it takes to create something like this, but you can still build your own dream layout.

Check out Trains O Scale to learn how it's done.