As part of the Railroad Hobby Show weekend, the Amherst Railway Society and CTrail are working together to provide train rides for anyone interested.
We are calling the program the Railroad Hobby Show Rail-Pass, and for $10, you can ride all day on any CTrail trains between Springfield, Massachusetts and New Haven, Connecticut. For kids 12 and under, the pass is only $2, And, kids 2 and under, ride free.
Tickets can be purchased at the CTrail exhibit at the Railroad Hobby Show - Better Living Center, section 15. Or, at Customer Service in either New Haven Union Station or Hartford Union Station.
In addition, the Railroad Hobby Show offers a FREE shuttle service between Springfield Union Station and the Eastern States Exposition fairgrounds on Saturday and Sunday, January 25 & 26.
Please note: Railroad Hobby Show special tickets are not valid on Amtrak trains.
Women are playing an increasing important role in the model railroad hobby. According to a recent survey by UK-based model manufacturer Hornby, women now make up 28% of the model railroad community. And, that number is growing.
In recognition of this developing trend, the National Model Railroad Association (NMRA) established a special interest group (SIG) in 2022 - Women in Model Railroading (WIMRR) - with the goal of introducing, encouraging, and connecting women interested in the hobby.
Women in Model Railroading will play a significant role at the 2025 Railroad Hobby Show.
On Saturday evening, January 25, 2025, WIMRR will host a special model railroad operating session on the Dry Hill Model Railroad in the Mallary Building. The event will give women (of all ages) a chance to learn more about the hobby, meet other women that share their interest, and just plain have fun running trains.
The event will run from 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm, and there will be refreshments.
Then, on Sunday morning, January 26, 2025 at 10:30 am, WIMRR will sponsor an educational session in the Clinic Room in the Young Building. The Women In Model Railroading SIG will be explained, plus there will be an opportunity to meet women that are leaders in the railroad and model railroad industries.
The session will run til noon.
If you are interested in participating in either the operations session on Saturday evening, or the educational session on Sunday morning, or both, please contact Michelle Kempema at:
michellekempema@gmail.com or 970-590-7661.
Women In Model Railroading is an Allied member of the Amherst Railway Society.
The National Model Railroad Association (NMRA) will hold its Winter board meeting on Friday, January 25, 2025 in conjunction with the Railroad Hobby Show in West Springfield, Massachusetts. NMRA board members from Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States will be in attendance.
The NMRA will also have a booth at the Railroad Hobby Show the next two days - January 25 & 26. NMRA board members and department heads will be on hand to answer questions about the NMRA and promote the 2024 NMRA National Convention.