CLUB HISTORY
For more than three quarters of a century, the Olde Newburgh Model Railroad Club has been a fixture in the Orange-Dutchess County area. Founded in 1942 by a group of avid model railroaders, the club originally met in members’ homes. The group continued to meet until the late 70's when membership had dwindled. Early in 1979, one of the last remaining members helped form a successor to the original club. This organization, known as Town of Newburgh Model Railroad Club, was associated with the Newburgh Recreation Dept. For several years the club met at the Recreation Center building on Route 32. Club members experimented with a new form of model railroading known as modulization. This concept allowed members to build portable sections that could be joined to form a complete layout. In time complete HO and N scale layouts were completed. One of these sections actually traveled across the country where it was included in a model railroad convention in western Canada.
Since its rebirth in 1979, club open houses and displays at train shows, festivals and county fairs have exposed more people to the modular railroad concept. Over 1 million people have viewed club layouts at various area shows and functions. The club has also held private shows for the YMCA, IBM and Scouting organizations. Because they are from a common plan, club modules have also joined with other area club modules to create massive railroad displays: Through this modular concept, club exhibits are ever changing) as new modules are built to replace the older ones.
For more than three quarters of a century, the Olde Newburgh Model Railroad Club has been a fixture in the Orange-Dutchess County area. Founded in 1942 by a group of avid model railroaders, the club originally met in members’ homes. The group continued to meet until the late 70's when membership had dwindled. Early in 1979, one of the last remaining members helped form a successor to the original club. This organization, known as Town of Newburgh Model Railroad Club, was associated with the Newburgh Recreation Dept. For several years the club met at the Recreation Center building on Route 32. Club members experimented with a new form of model railroading known as modulization. This concept allowed members to build portable sections that could be joined to form a complete layout. In time complete HO and N scale layouts were completed. One of these sections actually traveled across the country where it was included in a model railroad convention in western Canada.
Since its rebirth in 1979, club open houses and displays at train shows, festivals and county fairs have exposed more people to the modular railroad concept. Over 1 million people have viewed club layouts at various area shows and functions. The club has also held private shows for the YMCA, IBM and Scouting organizations. Because they are from a common plan, club modules have also joined with other area club modules to create massive railroad displays: Through this modular concept, club exhibits are ever changing) as new modules are built to replace the older ones.
In early 1987 the club nearly became extinct when it lost its home. But because of the modular design, the layout was dismantled in the hope of finding a new location. Shortly after, the club moved to the Masonic Temple in Newburgh. This was home for nearly 10 years and almost saw the completion of the HO scale layout. But in December 1998, with the building being sold, another move became necessary.
At that time, we were very fortunate to have the Walden VFW agree to take us in. We moved into the 3rd floor of the VFW building in Walden, NY and for over 25 years we have been located at this location. During that time, we have created two permanent club layouts, a 23' x 26' HO scale layout and an 8' x 16' N scale layout. Although we used the dismantled layouts as a starting point, we took the opportunity to reconfigure the HO scale layout into a "U" shaped design to make the mainline run almost twice as long. We also had room to start expanding our permanent N scale layout.
At that time, we were very fortunate to have the Walden VFW agree to take us in. We moved into the 3rd floor of the VFW building in Walden, NY and for over 25 years we have been located at this location. During that time, we have created two permanent club layouts, a 23' x 26' HO scale layout and an 8' x 16' N scale layout. Although we used the dismantled layouts as a starting point, we took the opportunity to reconfigure the HO scale layout into a "U" shaped design to make the mainline run almost twice as long. We also had room to start expanding our permanent N scale layout.
CURRENT STATUS
Everything was going fine until around September of 2024 when we were informed that the VFW was intending to close and sell the building. For the next nine months there was no news concerning when the VFW would be closing. However, at the beginning of June 2025 the VFW served the club eviction papers stating that the club must vacate the building by the end of June 2025 (this was later extended to the end of July 2025). Currently, both layouts have been dismantled and packed away into shipping containers. Some of our members are hopeful that if/when we find a new home that we will be able to salvage these layouts. Unfortunately, at the moment we have not been successful in finding a suitable (ie: affordable) location.
However, on the bright side, the club is still in operation and looking for a new home. Although our future is unclear, we still have our modular HO scale and our N scale T-Trak layouts that we intend to take to shows in our local area.
Everything was going fine until around September of 2024 when we were informed that the VFW was intending to close and sell the building. For the next nine months there was no news concerning when the VFW would be closing. However, at the beginning of June 2025 the VFW served the club eviction papers stating that the club must vacate the building by the end of June 2025 (this was later extended to the end of July 2025). Currently, both layouts have been dismantled and packed away into shipping containers. Some of our members are hopeful that if/when we find a new home that we will be able to salvage these layouts. Unfortunately, at the moment we have not been successful in finding a suitable (ie: affordable) location.
However, on the bright side, the club is still in operation and looking for a new home. Although our future is unclear, we still have our modular HO scale and our N scale T-Trak layouts that we intend to take to shows in our local area.