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Welcome to the World's Greatest Hobby


 
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Welcome Beginners

Free booklet
This booklet can only offer a glimpse into the exciting world of model trains. A lifetime of joys and challenges lies ahead. We hope you decide to join us on this magical journey. All aboard!  Click here to download this booklet.


Building Your First Model Railroad -DVD
Free on line video
The Building your first model railroad video is now available on line via You Tube. Click on the scene you want to view: 
Free Information available on this web site:


St. Albans C & O Modelers held successful Cus Scout day 
Jim Butler of the St. Albans C & O Modelers reports a very successful cub scout day in this link:  http://www.sa-com.org/whatsnew.php
 
WGH active in Sioux Falls 
Alan Saatkamp reports how he and others are promoting  Model Railroading in Sioux falls. Click here to read this great story.

News about the World's Greatest Hobby Program:
The World's Greatest Hobby Program wants to help local model railroad clubs promote their open houses and club events.

We can help you with public relations and advertising materials. We need at least 8 weeks notice. If you would like our help, please send an E-mail to info@greatesthobby.com and include the following information:
  • Name of club/event
  • Date  of event
  • contact person
  • contact person's e-mail address
  • past history of event
  • capacity of the club/event
  • Admission and parking considerations
  • What items you would like help doing
We have a limited capacity to help with these events, so we do need at least 8 weeks notice and we can only assist a limited number of events which we will do on a first come first served basis
               
Upcoming Model Railroad Events:
Massachusetts, Shirley – The Nashua Valley Railroad Assn’s 44th annual Railfair 2009  & Open House will be held Sunday, March 29, 2009, 10am-4pm at each of the following locations:
 
Railfair 2009:
Shirley Middle School
1 Hospital Rd
Shirley, MA
 
Open House:
NVRRA Club Quarters
2 Shaker Rd  Unit E-205
Shirley, MA
    
Admission:  $5 Adults, $3 Seniors & Teens (12-18), Free under 12

Both locations a short walk from the Shirley MBTA Commuter Rail stop! 

Dealers, displays, exhibits, clinics.   More info: www.nvrra.com  
Dealer inquiries/other questions: Showchair@nvrra.com.
             
More news about the World's Greatest Hobby Program:

We have some exciting news for the World’s Greatest Hobby program.  The program has received a commitment of an additional 3 years of support from some of the hobby’s most influential companies. The following companies have agreed to sponsor the program for another three years:

-          Atlas Model Railroad Co.

-          Bachmann Industries Inc.

-          Caboose Industries

-          Digitrax Inc.

-          Kalmbach Publishing Co.

-          Kato U.S.A.

-          Wm. K. Walthers Inc.

The significant financial contribution each of these companies is making to the program is a clear indication of the importance of the program. 

Another important change for the long term viability of the program is that it has become a non profit educational corporation. This will allow for additional public relations benefits for the program when dealing with the news media. This new non profit corporation’s board of director’s is comprised of some of the most important executives in the model railroad industry and include:  Thomas Haedrich - Atlas Model Railroad, Hiroshi Kato - Kato USA, Bud Reece - Bachmann Industries,  Terry Thompson - Kalmbach Publishing and Phillip Walthers - WM. K. Walthers Inc.

The World’s Greatest Hobby Board of Directors has engaged Competitive Intelligence Advertsing Incorporated to provide administration and promotion assistance for the program.  Competitive Intelligence Adverting Incorporated is well known in the industry as a successful marketing and promotion company.  They managed the very successful World’s Greatest Hobby on Tour shows since 2004.  They will continue to use their expertise in marketing and public relations to take the program to another level.  Their President, Dave Swanson, will serve as executive director for the World’s Greatest Hobby program.

Because of these changes there is new contact information for the program. The Website address will remain the same www.greatesthobby.com and it will be updated over the next few months. The new mailing address is World’s Greatest Hobby - PO Box 11, Elmhurst, IL 60126. The new e-mail address for the administration of  the World’s Greatest Hobby is info@greatesthobby.com. The new phone number is 630-592-1894 and the new FAX number is 630-214-4113

Please send any updates for the club, model railroad, or hobby shop directory to info@greatesthobby.com.










   
Model Trains in the news:
     
Tacoma has a model-train fest and more
Seattle Times - United States
Model Train Festival at the Washington State History Museum, Dec. 26, 2008-Jan. 3. 2009, Zoolights and Point Defiance Zoo through Jan. ...
   
Sci-Port hosts Toy Train Extravaganza
Marshall News Messenger - Marshall,TX,USA
Features include a giant model train display provided by the Red River Valley N-gineers group, plus several hands-on activities relating to "railroad ...
     
Hobbyists create small small-town America
Yuma Sun - Yuma AZ,USA
What do Tombstone, a Pennsylvania farm and a mill with Barney Fife have in common? They all can be seen at the Southgate Mall Friday and Saturday when the Yuma Model Railroaders bring their modular display to the old RadioShack location....
     
The Romance of the Rails
Wall Street Journal - USA
Now, the semi-retired former bank executive commands a model-train empire at his house in western New Jersey. As many as a dozen passenger trains race along ...
       
RIT train show displays models and makes of all kinds for enthusiasts
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle - Rochester,NY,USA
Ten-year-old Ben Stacklyn of Webster wanted to come to the show because a friend had just given him his first model train set. "It's fun to play with," said ...
       
Model trains draw hobbyists
Ventura County Star - Camarillo,CA,USA
The brothers were among model train enthusiasts young and old drawn to the expo, which continues today. The show features 35 vendors, nine large model train ...
         
Model train layout on display in Lenape Park
Suburban News - Cranford,NJ,USA
A spectacular 1600 square foot model train layout is on display for the holiday season, complete with a light and sound show, at Union County's Lenape Park ...
   
The Express Track to Delight
Wall Street Journal - USA
A meticulous scale-model replica of a Union Connecting Railroad train crossing over the Port Jervis-Arch Bridge. That boyhood memory of my beautiful Lionel ...
   
Crosslake Cub Scouts Visit Model Train Club
Northland Press - Outing,MN,USA
Northern Trackers Model Railroad Club of Crosslake (NTRRC) hosted the local Tiger Den part of Pack 102 last Monday night. Twelve first grade boys, ...
   
'Clear the tracks'
Zanesville Times Recorder - Zanesville,OH,USA
He gets all the train stuff for kids his age," said Nate. The ZTNT was featured in a PBS documentary this past year called "Tracks Ahead" and in "Model ...
   
Local model railroad buffs keeps the trains running on time
Napa Valley Register - Napa,CA,USA
The club formed in 1955 to construct an HO scale model train set and promote the hobby of model railroading. ...
   
Model Trains Featured at iHobby Expo
ABC7Chicago.com - IL, USA
It's hard to find anyone who doesn't like model trains. For many people, fascination with miniature trains starts when they're children. ...

Trains N Things gets back on track with grand opening
The Times of Trenton - NJ.com - Trenton,NJ,USA
"Every Christmas I knew I was getting a train." The model train business began in his basement, then moved to a garage before he opened a store at the ...

Forest Hill club displays massive model railroad on Saturdays in ...
Fort Worth Star Telegram - Fort Worth,TX,USA
By CHRIS VAUGHN The Texas Western Model Railroad Club is again signaling all aboard to marvel at the 4400-square-foot re-creation of railroading in the ...

The Great Train Story
Chicago Tribune - United States
At the Museum of Science and Industry's massive model train set—which stretches more than 3500 square feet and replicates the trip from downtown Chicago to ...

Public invited to view model trains
News-Herald.com - Willoughby,OH,USA
By Jenny May Model railroad enthusiast Bruce Lutheran knows it’s not unusual for people to walk into the Western Reserve Model Railroad Museum in Mentor and ...

Trains on display
Miramichi Leader - Miramichi,New Brunswick,Canada
The Miramichi Crime Stoppers held their fifth annual Model Train Show in the city recently. Michael Walz, son of Nick and Lisa Walz, and Taylor Palton, ...

See largest train layout, but hustle
fwdailynews.com  - Kendallville,IN,USA
He says his model railroad, which includes 2000 feet of track, tunnels, canyons and a lighted village, is the “largest model train layout in Indiana. ...

Train collectors, enthusiasts flock to Old 97 Rail Days
Madison Messenger - Danville,VA,USA
Organizations from Lynchburg, Richmond, Raleigh, NC, New Jersey and Pennsylvania participated in the Old 97 Rail Days N-Scale Model Train Show. ...

Conductor opens model train store in Antioch
Waukegan News Sun - Waukegan,IL,USA
By RYAN PAGELOW rpagelow@scn1.com ANTIOCH -- Waking up to a model train tooting around the Christmas tree has been an American tradition for decades. ...

Pepperell Siding Model Railroad Club's train show on track for Oct. 5
NH Broadcaster - Lowell,MA,USA
That means it must be time for the Pepperell Siding Model Railroad Club's annual model train show at the Varnum Brook Middle School and open house at the ...

Railroad history to be highlighted
Connellsville Daily Courier - Connellsville,PA,USA
... sets up their modular layout at Train Collectors Association meets, Greensburg Train shows, model railroad shows, and community festivals and events. ..

Husband's hobby grows into model train shop in Somerville
Scarlet Scuttlebutt - East Brunswick,NJ,USA
Model trains can allow people to flex their artistic muscles by decorating the tracks' surroundings, build cars and train-related structures, or carry their ...

GREATER TULSA AREA TRAIN SHOW INFORMATION (plus photos from a ...
Bixby Bulletin - Tulsa,OK,USA
The Foster & Guess G Scale Layout will be operating their garden size model trains plus the Tulsa Garden Railroad Club will also be there.

Model train show brings out hobby enthusiasts
Dothan Eagle - Dothan,AL,USA
Model trains have always had fans of all ages. The show at the National Peanut Festival brings train nuts of all ages to Dothan. ...

 

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