The Model Railroad Committee Maintains Three Operating Layouts

In the following series of pictures you will see some of the many aspects of the Museum's model railroads. If these inspire you to investigate model railroading further we recommend a visit to the web site maintained by the National Model Railroad Association. Their introduction to model railroading information page can be found at www.nmra.org/beginner/.

More photographs of our model railroad layout can be seen on "flickr". Click on this URL to have a look -http://www.flickr.com/photos/47241512@N06/show/

In the Children's Area

You will find our Lionel/O-Scale layout with five operating trains, including Thomas the Tank Engine

Thomas making his rounds.

An overview of the O Scale layout as it nears completion.

Several of our smaller visitors enjoying the Children's Play Area.

In the Model Hall

You will find the largest museum model train display in Southeastern North Carolina

A view of the new HO operating layout under construction in the Model Hall, June 2007.

Work steadily progresses on the spectacular HO and N layout in our Model Hall. With 1500 sq. ft. of floor space, the modelers are doing a great job building scenery and realistic structures. Here are a few details about the layout, along with conversions to real-size equivalents, where applicable.

· Layout area: 750 sq. ft.

· Scenic highlight: Re-creation of ACL Wilmington freight and passenger terminal area and surrounding buildings as they were in the 1950s

· Length of dual mainline: 286 ft. (4.72 scale miles)

· Total installed track: 1200 ft. (19.80 scale miles)

· Viewing perimeter: 198 ft.

· Volunteer time so far: over 18,000 hours total and over 15,000 hours on the model railroads.

With countless details as buildings and scenery are developed, the layout is gradually taking shape (after all, we have several scale square miles to finish). However, there already are twelve operating trains, and many scenic features are well under way.