Can I get a list of public layouts?

Members take flyers to hobby shops/train stores and leave them for others to pick up.  The same with train shows.  Lots of train shows have tables where flyers can be left.

This is an interesting project Steve, I've been considering a similar thing here in Australia. I will watch your progress with great interest. Are you paying commercial rent, or is it more a peppercorn arrangement?

these are some of the clubs I have come across.

 

http://www.rmli.us/RMLI/Welcome.html

 

http://pandprr.com/newpandprr/Home.html

 

http://www.clrctrains.com/index_user.asp

 

http://www.maine3railers.org/

 

and my favorite;

http://www.sdmrm.org/

 

http://www.sd3r.org/

 

if you have never seen the san diego layout you might change your mind about which one is the mother ship.  in my opinion.

The Angels Gaate Hi-Railers Model RR Club in San Pedro, California, is the largest 3-rail layout in Los Angeles County.  We began in 1995 by rehabilitating an old U.S. Army building in old Fort MacArthur.  It was deeded to the City of Los Angeles by the Dept of Defense and the bulding we occupy is owned by the L.A. City Recreation & Parks Department. 

   In 2010, we became a Non-profit (501(c)(7) public benefit corporaton.  We are open to the public every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Wednesday afternoons and evenings.  Admission is free, but we do take donations.

   We are in the process of creating a flyer to generate new members.  Currently, there are 28 active members. 

    The layout has about 2500 feet of track, on three connecting loops, a large staging yard and a through yard midway through the layout.  We can run 8 to 12 trains simultaneously.   We recently completed an upper loop, installed a working pit turntable and a scratch built 5-stall roundhouse.

    If we can be of any assitance to you as you organize and built your club, please contact us.    Angles Gate Hi-Railers Model Railroad Club

          3601 S. Gaffey St.  Box 4

          San Pedro. VA 90731

email:    Bob Armstrong at boba3@cox.net  

That Fellow Bob is one of our officers at AGHR, he just pulled off a slight Miracle working with the city of Los Angeles. When he say he has a way you can get something done you can bet big money on it. There are some very talented fellows at AGHR so take him up on it.

John

Don't forget the http://www.chi-townunionstatio...tabs/our-history.htm north of Detroit.  I am going to get there one of these days.

Paul Gribble is the owner of the Chi Town Union Station layout.  He has the Guiness world record for longest 2 rail hopper train pulled.  Paul could probably give you a good idea of traffic and costs.  He is usually open friday-sunday 10 - 5 or 6 October - Mar/April.

 

Also, you could check out the Detroit Model Railroad club in Holly Michigan - they also have a website, but I do not have it right now.  Paul used to be the president of the DMRR.  Both of the layouts cross advertise the other.

 

Hope this helps.

OK San Diego can be the mother ship.  We can be the father ship. 

 

Your Muffinness

I believe since you are starting from scratch and have a large following here on the forum you might create a thing called Associate member or something similar to that   You can generate some up front cash with these memberships and can tie it in to run time at the layout while in the area  You can sign me up as associate number one.  As long as its mostly Erie Lackawanna

steve

on long island when we get posted in the friday events section of the Newsday (long island newspaper it means an extra 4-500 attendees at our open house events. find out what type of ads you can get placed for free.

 

Also you might check with Lou Palumbo who has a Pa train storethat has a layout for holiday shows

best of luck

Steve TMB Model Train club 

Houston Tinplate Operato=er's Soc:

 

www.htos.org

Not o scale, but in Cincinnati there are two large public layouts. Cincinnati in motion (s scale)at the museum center, gets good traffic, and entertrainment junction ( g scle)located of I 75. Both get good turn out, and are of a large floor plan. You mat get some ideas from there. Good luck.

Steve: That other magazine did a story on Public Layouts in the March 2012 issue.  They also had a reference to a list on their website.  Here’s a link to that list:

http://ctt.trains.com/Operating/Layout%20Visits.aspx

 

HTH,

 

Bill

Less then 1 block from my house:

 

http://www.bsmrm.org/