Over the years we have built and re-built model railroad layouts in HO and O scales. HO scale is the most popular in the hobby due to size and availability of models. O scale is known as the King of Scales, probably because it was the first foray into scale model railroading, at the time it was also the largest scale modeled. Our members model in all scales, and many techniques used in model railroading are scale agnostic.
Historic Model Railroad Layouts
The below images and descriptions are of the model railroad layouts we have built over our 90+ year history. Most of these layouts were open to the public for viewing during the Winter Holiday season.
1613 N. Chester St – 1933 – 1944
The club built is first layout at 1613 N. Chester St, Baltimore, MD, and it was O-scale outside third rail. Electric trains were first manufactured as toys they used 3-rails for power But, some model railroaders wanted more accurate to scale models representing locomotives and cars of real (prototype) railroads they saw daily. These modelers were forced to build their own by scratch building or modifying existing toy models to be more accurate to the prototype. To make the track have a more prototypical look modelers moved the third center rail to the outside. This layout even had working signals, you can see one in the right side of this image. And you can see the outside third rail, it looks like a rail to the right of the running rail.
3305 Greenmount Ave – June 1, 1944 – 1947
In the 1940s the HO Baltimore Railroad Club merged with the BSME creating model railroad layouts in both HO and O scale for the first time. the HO layout is seen in this picture. The layouts were located in a unused ballroom above a bowling alley. The organizations’ layouts had become an attraction and people waited in long lines to glimpse the miniature world created by the modelers of the BSME.
1217 W. North Ave – 1947 – 1952
The next layouts were built in the basement of a commercial building located at 1217 W. North Ave. The organization’s stay here was short due to fire marshal restrictions on the number of people who could occupy the space. By this time the layouts were a tradition and donations from the sizable crowds was a major source of income so a new location had to be found. The picture to the left is of the HO layout built, but only seen by visitors at the annual anniversary celebration of the founding. No pictures are known to exist of the O-scale layout at this location and only two exist of the HO layout, at least that we have in our archives.
225 W. Saratoga St, 1952 – March 2019
Doug A. engaging visitors at one of our open house shows, while Kevin C. runs the trains from the overhead control panel. Again two layouts were built here in HO and O scale, each 12 x 65 feet, the largest to date. In addition to the layout space we had a library/meeting/workshop space. The O-scale layout did start out with outside third rail in the 1950’s and was converted to 2-rial in the 1980s, as a way to rejuvenate the membership of the O division. While both layouts went through changes through the years the overall track arrangement remained similar.
Current Model Railroad Layouts – April 2019 – present
We currently have five layouts in various states of completion and use. The three main layouts that we work on, display, and use are below. The two additional layouts are an On30 (O-scale, narrow gauge – 30 inch), and a HOn3 (HO scale, narrow ga
The current O-scale layout is modular and displayed multiple times a year at the Great Scale Model Train Show. The layout consists of John Allen’s timesaver switching puzzle challenge, and a mainline that runs by with two loops at either end. One will be a recreation of the town of Piedmont from our layout on Saratoga street, maybe even with trolleys. The other end will have engine servicing facilities and a small yard.
The 16×12 foot HO layout is at our club space. Located in the Woodberry Neighborhood at 3500 Parkdale Ave. Expansion of the layout is under way. And once complete we will have operations, switching industries and moving goods. This picture is when it was on display at One Charles Center in December 2019.
We have been honored to build an O-gauge 3-rail display layout for the Howard P. Rawlings Conservatory. This display layout is a cross between the traditional snow covered Christmas Train Garden and a more scale like display. It utilizes buildings that we salvaged from our O-scale layout on Saratoga street as well as the traditional ceramic Christmas Village buildings. The Baltimore City Hall building is provided by the Conservatory. The layout is part of the annual Holiday Poinsettia Show and sale that happens every December.
Future layouts
Plans are to find a new permanent home that will house layouts in multiple scales. In the past we had only HO and O scale layouts we hope to add N and S scale layouts at a new much larger facility.
Join us and help with any of these layouts and our plans for the future of our historic organization. Check out the membership page for more info, no experience is necessary.