2023 TEXAS EXPRESS
Featured Layout Tours

Updated 08/02/2023
  • Following are model railroad layouts in the Dallas Fort Worth area in homes and club facilities.

  • These layouts will be open for Layout Tours subject to their availability at convention time.

  • Layout tours are always a popular convention feature.

  • Tours will be grouped by bus or self guided visits.

  • Bus tour and self guide visit layouts may also be OPSIG and/or LDSIG activities.
    •
    Us About the Layout Tours


    REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED FOR INDOOR AND OUTDOOR LAYOUT BUS TOURS

    There are 4 indoor layout bus tours and 1 live steam outdoor bus tour.

    These 5 bus tours are the only layout tours listed on the Eventsquid Registration Page.


    Select this link and follow instructions to sign up for bus tours.



    Other than the necessary cancellation of a tour by the convention,
    tour registrations are not refundable.

    If a tour is sold-out, send request to be added to WAITLIST to
    Treasurer@2023TexasExpress.com




    BUS TOUR SCHEDULE & COSTS


      Monday 8-21-23

      Northeast Area Bus Tour

      Depart Gaylord 7:30 AM

      Cost $70
      Charles Goodrich

      Lee Bangma

      Jerry Hoverson

      LUNCH

      Art Cunningham
      Arrive Gaylord 3:45 PM
      Tuesday 8-22-23

      Central Area Bus Tour

      Depart Gaylord 8:45 AM

      Cost $70
      Stan & Karen Pirzchalski

      Tarrant County Modular

      Jim Packer

      LUNCH

      Chris Atkins
      Arrive Gaylord 4:45 PM
      Wednesday 8-23-23

      West Area Bus Tour

      Depart Gaylord 8:15 AM

      Cost $70
      Lorrie & Leo Palitti

      Mike Walter

      Michael Ross

      LUNCH

      Texas Western MRC
      Arrive Gaylord 4:30 PM
      Wednesday 8-23-23

      Live Steam Bus Tour

      Depart Gaylord 8:30 AM

      Cost $60
      Jack Haskins'

      Able Springs&North Texas

      LUNCH

      Richard Atchison's

      Bucksnort Northern
      Arrive Gaylord 4:45 PM
      Thursday 8-24-23

      East Area Bus Tour

      Depart Gaylord 7:45 AM

      Cost $70
      Mike Armstrong

      DFW O-Scalers MRC

      Texas Northern MRC

      LUNCH

      Tom Greco
      Arrive Gaylord 4:15 PM



    The Bus Tour Layouts are listed with thumb-nail photo links below
    that lead to descriptions and photos.



    Northeast Area Bus Tour (Monday)

    Before it is another fallen flag, follow the KCS northeast to see four truly beautiful layouts in HO, HOn3, O and On3. Lee Bangma, Charles Goodrich, and Jerry Hoverson (all three MMRs) layouts all depict Colorado railroading in both standard and narrow gauge. Lee’s layout (HO/HOn3) is double decked; Charles’s layout (O / On3) includes a realistic representation of Chama; Jerry’s layout (HO / HOn3) features a custom etched control panel. Art’s layout (HO) is a freelance combination of multiple California railroads. Scenery is mostly complete on all four layouts.



        Charles Goodrich, MMR
    D&RGW Railroad
    O/On3 Scale, Standard and Narrow
        Lee Bangma, MMR
    Chinook Southern (HO) /
    Poudre Valley (HOn3) Railroads
        Jerry Hoverson, MMR
    Rocky Mountain Central (HO)
    and the Colorado Pacific (HOn3) Railroads
        Art Cunningham
    Sierra Lines Railroad
    HO Scale




    Central Area Bus Tour (Tuesday)

    Follow the FW&W, Fort Worth’s local shortline, first to the layout of the late Stan & late Karen Pirzchalski, MMR. This fabulous layout will be open one more time because of the graciousness of his daughter Susan. Started in 1987 on a 4x8 sheet, the layout grew to almost 30 scale miles of fully signaled heavy duty mainline trackage in a 27’ x 67’ railroad. The Tarrant County Modular Club now enjoys their permanently set up, nicely sceniced modules in a strip mall. Next visit the famous, fully sceniced “Nevadun Railroad” of Jim Packer MMR. Don’t get frightened when Jim shuts the layout room door and the lights begin to dim from east to west. Then ride to Chris Adkins’s double deck layout set in Wyoming and Montana.


        Stan & Karen Pirzchalski, MMR
    The MDAK Railroad
    HO Scale
        Tarrant County Modular Model Railroad Association
    HO Scale
        Jim Packer, MMR
    Nevadun Railroad
    HO Scale
        Chris Atkins
    Sheridan and Everywhere West Railroad
    HO Scale




    West Area Bus Tour (Wednesday)

    Follow the Santa Fe west/southwest first to the Black Bear & Bayou RR of Lorrie and the late Leo Palitti MMR. Lorrie is allowing us to view this amazing layout one more time. In its own backyard building, the fully sceniced layout features floor to ceiling mountains, beautiful backdrops and a thunderstorm. Trains run from Colorado to the bayous of East Texas along the unique mushroom design. Ride a bit further to the Cheapskate and Ohio of Mike Walter, who has artfully combined O standard gauge with handlaid track, surrounding a Hi-rail layout to display and operate Mike’s pre-war Lionel collection. Scenery is about half done. Next is another large (1500 sq ft) O scale layout, the Virginian Railway of Michael Ross MMR, where long coal trains snake through fall Appalachian mountain scenery over handlaid track with ties, tie plates, four spikes per tie, and hand laid turnouts. On the way back, stop at the Texas Western Model Railroad Club’s HO / HOn3 layout replicating Fort Worth railroads including the famous Tower 55 crossing of the T&P (now UP) and Santa Fe (now BNSF) in downtown Fort Worth.


        Leo and Lorrie Palitti
    Black Bear and Bayou Railroad
    HO & HOn3 Scales
        Mike Walter
    The Cheapskate and Ohio Railway
    O Scale & Lionel O Gauge
        Mike Ross, MMR
    The Virginian Railroad
    O Scale
        

    		Texas Western Model Railroad Club
    HO Scale




    East Area Bus Tour (Thursday)

    The T&P ran east-west through the DFW Metroplex. First take a short jog railroad west to Mike Armstrong’s 30 x 40 ft. Rock Island Lines HO layout. You may have already ridden Mike’s RI when it was the cover photo and main feature of the March, 2019, Model Railroader. Then travel back to the railroad's east to the DFW O Scalers layouts, a 15’ x 36’ standard gauge modular layout and their 3’ x 22’ traction layout that runs on overhead wire. Club principal Jim DeBruin has a special interest in and rebuilds older O scale equipment, and you’ll see some classic equipment running smoothly. Other club members favor contemporary equipment. Next visit the Texas Northern Model Railrod Club, the largest and oldest club in the area with 90 members. The 1700 sq ft layout handles 100 car trains, is wonderfully sceniced with area industries including a steel mill, intermodal yard and grain elevator. The club also has an N scale display. Finally, head to Tom Greco’s layout that combines the Baltimore & Ohio in 1929 and the Colorado Midland in 1898.



        

    Mike Armstrong
    Rock Island Railroad, Mid-Continent Route
    HO Scale
        DFW O Scale Club
        Texas Northern Model Railroad Club
    HO Scale
        Tom Greco
    Baltimore & Ohio and Colorado Midland Railroad
    HO Scale



    Live Steam 7 1/2 Inch Gauge Bus Tour (Wednesday)


    Want to ride on an 7½" gauge outdoor live steam trains?

    TAKE A RIDE ON 2 OUTDOOR LIVE STEAM RAILROADS



    Inbound to and Outbound from the Convention
    Pre-Arranged Layout Visits


    Let's say you're on the way to the convention OR on the way home from the convention and you wonder if there is model railroad in that town just up ahead. Well, there might be. Take a look at our "Layout Visits Inbound to and Outbound from the Convention" link below. These are not tours but visits that must be arranged ahead of time.



    Self Guided Tours (Open House Visits)


    Layouts on this Featured Layout Tours page may be available as an Open House Visit. Upon check-in at the convention, handouts will be available listing layouts available for self guided visits with addresses, contact information, and the days and times they will be open.
  • There is no additional costs for self guided visits.

  • Table below lists all Self Guided Open House Visits.

  • Below the table are links to all Self Guided Layouts.

    • OWNER NAME
    SCALE
    MILES FROM
    GAYLORD
    Mike Armstrong
    HO
    10
    Harold Berenzweig
    HO
    32
    Jeff Brauer
    N
    16
    Keith Brewer
    HO
    22
    Kyle Creel
    On30
    21
    DFW 'O' Scalers
    O
    22
    Dean Ferris
    N
    45
    John Garfield
    HO
    42
    Tom Greco
    HO
    32
    David Heyde
    HO
    30
    Jack Huffman
    G
    43
    Lloyd Keyser
    HO
    24
    Mark & Jean Kraus
    HO
    13
    Marc LaChey, MMR
    Sn3
    28
    Lone Star High Railers
    O Ga.
    3
    Mike Mackey, MMR
    HO/HOn3
    32
    Speed Muller
    N
    31
    Don Murphey
    HO
    7
    Jim Packer
    HO
    10
    Lorrie Palitti
    HO/HOn3
    30
    Mike Ross, MMR
    O
    38
    Jerry Schoenberg, MMR
    HO
    13
    Mike Walter
    O/O Ga.
    38

    Self Guided Open House Visit Layouts

    Click the Thumbnail Photo to See Layout Description and Photos



        

    Mike Armstrong
    Rock Island Railroad, Mid-Continent Route
    HO Scale
        Harold Berenzweig
    Front Range and Santa Fe Railroad
    HO Scale
        Jeff Brauer
    Midwest Terminal Railroad
    N Scale
        Keith Brewer
    Wichita Falls Division
    Fort Worth & Denver Railroad
    HO Scale
        Kyle Creel
    Grizzly & Dilapidated Railway
    On30 Scale
        DFW O Scale Club
        Dean Ferris
    Oregon Joint Line Railroad
    N Scale
        John Garfield
    Erie Railroad, Buffalo Division
    HO Scale
        Tom Greco
    Baltimore & Ohio and Colorado Midland Railroad
    HO Scale
        David Heyde
    MKT Railroad
    HO Scale
        Jack Huffman
    Garden Railroad
    G Scale
        Lloyd Keyser
    Chicago and North Western Iowa Railroad
    HO Scale
        Mark & Jean Krause
    GNW Railroad
    HO Scale
        Marc LaChey, MMR
    Cripple Creek & Tincup Railroad
    Sn3 Scale
        Lone Star Hi-Railers Club
    O Guage
        Mike Mackey, MMR
    Texas & St. Louis Railroad
    HO & HOn3 Scale
        Speed Muller
    TxNamib Railroad
    N Scale
        Don Murphey
    St. Louis, Atlantic & Pacific
    HO Scale
        Jim Packer, MMR
    Nevadun Railroad
    HO Scale
        Leo and Lorrie Palitti
    Black Bear and Bayou Railroad
    HO & HOn3 Scales
        Mike Ross, MMR
    The Virginian Railroad
    O Scale
        Jerry Schoenberg, MMR
    The Allegheny Railroad
    HO Scale
        Mike Walter
    The Cheapskate and Ohio Railway
    O Scale & Lionel O Gauge

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