building in downtown Oakland. Here, the club created
two layouts, HO and O, one of them being the layout
modeled on Santa Fe very similar to the one housed in
the Point Richmond location now. They added a third, N,
ten years later. The letters (HO, O, and N) are not just to
label the railroads, but to describe the size of the train in
comparison to a real train. Though there are other sizes as
well, the most commonly used are HO, 1/87th of a real
train, O, 1/48th the size of a train, and N, 1/160th the size
of a train. The East Bay Model Engineers Society, though
their own club, held regular open houses for the public
to view the models. Their goals were the same as they are
now: to provide entertainment and education on model
railroading.
The building in Oakland, however, was never in great
shape, so in 1985, the club moved to their current location
in Point Richmond. Unfortunately, many of the model
trains and tracks did not transport well and on relocation,
everything had to be rebuilt. This allowed the engineers
to more closely examine the layouts and space of the new
building to increase the flow of traffic and ensure the
best possible experience for visitors. Faithful customers,
however, may still fondly recognize some of the salvaged
structures from the Oakland location.
It was during this time the Golden State Model Railroad
Museum was incorporated. The purpose then was the
same when the East Bay Model Engineers Society was
founded: to provide not only entertainment, but education
in model railroading and railroad operations. David Illich,
general manager of the museum, states that though the
purpose hasn’t changed, the cost of model railroading is
higher, and technology is pushing them into the future. In
the 1940s, all switches were operated by a remote control
panel; now, trains can be controlled through the engineer’s
cellphone. As the saying goes “there’s an app for that.”
The museum has gone through many changes, from club
members to location to layouts, but one thing that remains
is their commitment to model railroading and their
growing experience in the field. A great experience for
both adults and kids, the museum is open April through
December, the trains running on Sundays. Make sure to
tell them Marketplace sent you!
Golden State Model Railroad Museum | 900 Dornan Dr., A, Richmond, CA 94801 | 510-234-4884