The NMRA National Convention Is Underway in Chattanooga!
This week, model railroaders from across the country—and around the world—have gathered in Chattanooga, Tennessee, for the NMRA National Convention. The Scenic City has become the center of the model railroading universe as attendees spend the week learning, sharing ideas, touring layouts, and enjoying the fellowship that makes the National Model Railroad Association such a rewarding organization to be a part of.
Whether attending for the entire week or just stopping by for a day or two, convention attendees are immersed in every aspect of the hobby. Educational clinics, prototype tours, operating sessions, layout visits, Special Interest Group (SIG) meetings, contests, and countless informal conversations all combine to create an experience that simply can’t be duplicated anywhere else.
Learning Never Stops
One of the greatest strengths of an NMRA National Convention is the opportunity to learn from fellow model railroaders. Throughout the week, nationally recognized authors, Master Model Railroaders®, industry experts, and experienced hobbyists are presenting clinics covering virtually every aspect of the hobby.
No matter your interests—operations, scenery, structures, prototype modeling, DCC, weathering, photography, or layout design—there is always another clinic offering new techniques, fresh ideas, or a different perspective. Even seasoned modelers often leave with pages of notes and a long list of projects they’d like to tackle once they get home.
Chesapeake Division Members Are Sharing Their Expertise
The Chesapeake Division is well represented in Chattanooga this week, with members presenting clinics and participating in many of the convention’s activities.
Travers Stavac is presenting “Make Only New Mistakes,” the shorter, two-hour version of the Layout Design Bootcamp developed by leaders of the Layout Design Special Interest Group (LDSIG). The clinic guides attendees through the layout design process, beginning with the big picture before working toward the details. Participants explore questions such as “What story do you want your railroad to tell?”, decide what elements should be included—or left out—and learn how to fit their ideas into the available space. Using a real-world design example, the clinic demonstrates that successful layout design is an iterative process and gives modelers practical tools they can apply to their own railroads.
Scott Wooddell is making his first appearance as a clinician at an NMRA National Convention with a presentation on the Operations Special Interest Group (OPSIG) Achievement Program. The clinic provides an overview of the program, explains each of the Achievement Certificates and their requirements, and demonstrates how participation can help model railroaders develop realistic operating skills while adding another enjoyable dimension to the hobby. Whether attendees are experienced operating session hosts or are just beginning to explore operations, the presentation highlights how the Achievement Program encourages learning, recognizes accomplishments, and strengthens the operating community.
In addition to our clinicians, several other Chesapeake Division members are attending the convention and taking advantage of the many opportunities it offers, including clinics, layout tours, operating sessions, and prototype excursions. Their participation reflects the Chesapeake Division’s commitment to learning, sharing ideas, and supporting the NMRA at both the regional and national levels.
We’re proud to have Chesapeake Division members representing our region in Chattanooga. Whether presenting clinics or simply enjoying all that the convention has to offer, their involvement reflects the NMRA’s spirit of learning, sharing, and fellowship.
Incredible Layouts, Operations, and the Prototype
For many attendees, the highlight of the convention is seeing some of the outstanding layouts throughout the Chattanooga area. Home layout tours provide an opportunity to experience railroads that most people have only seen in magazines or online.
Operating sessions are giving participants the chance to experience a variety of dispatching systems, operating styles, and paperwork. Every session offers an opportunity to learn something new that can be adapted to your own railroad back home.
Convention attendees are also enjoying unique prototype experiences throughout the week. Rail excursions, including trips behind historic locomotives, local railroad attractions, and tours of model railroad manufacturers provide a behind-the-scenes look at both the prototype and the hobby. These special events are often among the most memorable parts of the convention, giving attendees experiences that simply aren’t available during a typical vacation.
One of the week’s most memorable events was a special excursion sponsored by Scale Trains in partnership with the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum (TVRM). Passengers boarded a train bound for Summerville behind Southern Railway 2-8-2 Mikado No. 4501, recently repainted into its classic Southern green livery. Upon arrival in Summerville, the locomotive was turned on the turntable while passengers enjoyed a local barbecue lunch before beginning the return trip to Chattanooga. Along the way, the train made a special stop for a photo runby, allowing photographers to capture No. 4501 in action. To commemorate the excursion, each passenger received a limited-edition Scale Trains observation car model to add to their collection, making the experience even more memorable.
The Best Part Is the People
While clinics and layout tours are certainly memorable, many attendees will tell you that the best part of the National Convention is reconnecting with old friends and making new ones.
It’s common to strike up a conversation while waiting for a clinic to begin, sharing a bus ride to a layout tour, or browsing the vendor booths. Before long, you’re exchanging modeling tips, discussing favorite railroads, or planning to visit each other’s layouts in the future.
The NMRA has always been about more than model railroading—it is about the people who make the hobby so enjoyable.
Inspiration Comes Home with You
One thing nearly every convention attendee has in common is returning home inspired.
Whether it’s a new scenery technique, an operating idea, a structure-building method, or simply renewed motivation to spend more time in the layout room, the National Convention has a way of recharging your enthusiasm for the hobby. The friendships made, ideas exchanged, and experiences shared continue long after the trip home.
Looking Ahead to Virginia Beach
If you weren’t able to make it to Chattanooga this year, don’t worry—another outstanding opportunity is just around the corner.
The Mid-Eastern Region Convention, Tracks to Tidewater, will be held October 15–18, 2026, in Virginia Beach, Virginia, bringing together model railroaders from throughout the region for a long weekend of clinics, layout tours, operating sessions, contests, vendors, and fellowship. For many Chesapeake Division members, this convention is much closer to home while still offering many of the same experiences that make the National Convention so rewarding.
If you’ve never attended an NMRA convention before, the Mid-Eastern Region Convention is an excellent place to start. You’ll have the opportunity to learn from talented modelers, tour outstanding layouts, meet fellow railroaders from across the region, and return home with fresh ideas and renewed enthusiasm for the hobby. We encourage all Chesapeake Division members to consider attending and helping make this year’s Tracks to Tidewater convention another outstanding success.
As the excitement continues this week in Chattanooga, we’re reminded that the true strength of the NMRA isn’t just found in the clinics, layouts, or prototype excursions—it’s found in the people who generously share their knowledge, inspire others, and build lasting friendships. We hope to see many Chesapeake Division members this October in Virginia Beach as we continue learning, sharing, and celebrating the hobby together.