November is Model Railroad Open House Month!
November is a great time to get out and enjoy some model railroads! Model Railroad Open House Month returns this fall, giving model railroaders throughout Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey an opportunity to open their layouts to visitors and share the hobby with others.
Throughout the month, participating model railroaders will welcome visitors into their homes and layout spaces to see railroads representing a variety of scales, eras, prototypes, and operating styles. Whether you are looking for scenery ideas, track-planning inspiration, operating concepts, or simply want to spend an afternoon enjoying trains, an open house is a great way to see what other modelers are doing.
Consider Hosting an Open House
Have a layout you would like to share? You don’t need to have a huge or completely finished railroad to participate. Open houses are about sharing the hobby, meeting other model railroaders, and exchanging ideas.
If you are interested in hosting, visit ModelRailroadOpenHouse.com during the month of September for information on registering your layout for this year’s event. Hosting an open house is a great opportunity to introduce visitors to your railroad and become part of this annual model railroading tradition.
Plan Your November Layout Tours
If you’d rather do the visiting—or want to visit some layouts in addition to hosting your own—check the website again in October, when the complete schedule of November open houses will be available. With layouts located throughout the four-state region, you can often put together a day of visits and see several railroads in one trip.
Several Chesapeake Division members in Harford and Cecil counties will be opening their layouts on Sunday, November 22. This will be an excellent opportunity to visit some of our Division members’ railroads, see what they have been working on, and enjoy a day of model railroading close to home.
Model Railroad Open House Month is also a great reminder that one of the best parts of our hobby is sharing it with others. You may come home with a new modeling idea, discover a different approach to operations or scenery, or simply make a new friend in the hobby.
So mark November on your calendar, consider opening your own layout, and start planning a few layout visits!
For more information, visit ModelRailroadOpenHouse.com. If you have questions about participating, feel free to contact Scott Wooddell at scottwooddell@gmail.com or event coordinator Karen Darling at modelrailroadopenhouse@gmail.com.
We hope to see plenty of Chesapeake Division members—both hosting and visiting—during Model Railroad Open House Month!