One of the most Picturesque and Largest Model Railroad Layouts in the United States - Cab Ride Layout Tour

Published on August 28, 2022

One gets the impression that model railroading in the United States leads to either very small train dioramas or to extremely large model railroad layouts. There is nothing in between - either very tiny timesaver switching layouts or hugely large MRR layouts that allow endless hours of operating sessions. However, in this video we discover one of these large, but lovingly built and weathered model train layouts that is operated by the Northern Virginia Model Railroaders (NVMR).

The Northern Virginia Model Railroaders (NVMR) is a club of model railroading enthusiasts headquartered in the historic train depot in downtown Vienna, Virginia. More than a hundred members use and maintain this large permanent HO scale layout inside the depot. The club is over 70 years old and has been at this location for more than 40 years. The railroad is open to the public twelve times a year, with members-only meetings and ops sessions also occurring weekly and monthly, respectively.

The beautiful HO scale layout depicts the Southern Railway from Spencer, North Carolina, to Asheville, North Carolina. While not every town on the line is present, many real locations are represented on the model rail layout. Many structures and details were kitbashed or scratch built by members. Much of the track is hand-laid, with an estimated 250,000 ties placed and spiked. While the model railway layout is permanent, maintenance and improvement is an ongoing effort. Thus, recent layout updates include a new computerized turnout control system and 3D printed structures.

Track Plan NVMR

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