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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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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
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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.
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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.
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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
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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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