The Club

Welcome to the online presence of the Guelph Model Railroad Society – the home of Pacific Western Rail. Founded more than 50 years ago, the club currently maintains a large point-to-point HO scale layout with over 800m of track and hundreds of items of rolling stock.

We are an operating club. The railroad operates most Wednesday evenings running through-freights, switched freight trains, and passenger trains using a card system. The layout includes both mainline and branchline operations situated in the 1960s and 70s.

Our layout is completely DCC equipped and supports both wireless and plugged throttles. We use a Digitrax command station. There are three main yards on the layout with many intermediate destinations for dropping and picking cars.

Whether you are an avid model railroader with years of experience, or brand new to the hobby looking to learn how it all works, the Guelph Model Railroad Society is ready to welcome you. All you need to be is over 18* and have a keen interest.

We have different classes of membership. Our highest class ( Engineer members) comes with keys to the layout so that you can run trains whenever you wish, 24/7/365. (Yes. Some of us are train-crazy.) Becoming an Engineer Member is a great way to make our layout into your layout.

If you would like to explore joining our club, drop a note to join@guelphmodelrailroad.ca and one of our members will get back to you. We will arrange to have you join us for an operating session — usually held on Wednesday evenings — and you can learn all about membership and our layout.

Watch for announcements of upcoming Train Shows when we welcome everyone interested in model trains to visit the layout. (Details of our next Train Show can be found on the VISIT OUR LAYOUT tab. ) It’s a great outing for children with lots for them to spot. They might find a hidden dinosaur or maybe an HO scale Thomas the Tank Engine on a flatcar on its way to the service yard.

Regrettably our lower level facility is not mobility accessible.

* Teenagers under 18 can join with parent or sponsor.

VISIT THE LAYOUT

We are pleased to slowly open again as COVID restrictions ease.

WATCH THIS SPACE FOR DETAILS OF OUR NEXT TRAIN SHOW. MOST LIKELY IN FALL 2024.

Bring the family and enjoy a day of fun. Explore the small towns and industries on our layout and watch while trains make their way through tunnels and over impressive trestle bridges.

Children are welcome and there is lots for them to see. Hidden around the layout are dinosaurs, airplanes, trucks crashed into a river. Sometimes an HO scale Thomas the Tank engine can be seen being carried on a flatcar headed for the service yard! We have a list of scavenger hunt items for children to find on the layout and lots of step stools so they can get up a bit higher for a good view.

All we ask is that children (and their parents LOL) look but don’t touch the layout. The trains and the scenery are fragile.

Admission is $5. Children under 12 are free. (We don’t have a debit machine so cash only please.)

The layout is is down one flight of stairs and sadly is therefore not mobility accessible.

We are located in the basement of a twine factory at 50 Crimea St in Guelph. Crimea St runs between Edinburgh Rd and Alma St right at the heart of the Guelph Junction where CN and CP can interchange. There is even a full sized Y. The big trains lumber past outside while our little trains zoom around on our layout. We can railfan right in our back yard!

If you use the what3words app, our location is ///spice.rehearsal.ramp.

During train shows we’ll have someone in the front lobby to greet you. If coming at another time when you know someone is at the club, the building doors are kept locked outside of normal business hours so simply ring the doorbell mounted to the right of the front doors which will blare loudly in our basement layout room. We’ll come up right away to let you in. (It’s always best to have checked with us ahead of time so we know to expect you.) If you become an Engineer member you get your own keys so the front door is no longer an obstacle.

About

Guelph Model Railroad Society Inc is an incorporated not-for-profit club dedicated to HO scale model railroading. We are located on the lower level at 50 Crimea St in Guelph, Ontario.

Contact

If you would like to find out more about the club please send us an email at info@guelphmodelrailroad.ca.

We are always on the lookout for new members. No experience necessary! Our members will have you up-and-running trains quickly And if you are an experienced model railroader you’ll love our massive fully DCC and landscaped layout. (Yup! A layout where the scenery is complete. If you’ve ever had your own layout you’ll know what a treat that is.) Send us an email at join@guelphmodelrailroad.ca and we’ll get back to you quickly. We’d love to have you join our club.