This site
sponsored by

Club History

In the fall of 1977, five model railroaders met in the projection room of Jones Hall at the Placer County Fairgrounds. These modelers cleaned out the mess left by the previous tenants and began constructing what became the first permanent layout of the Roseville Roundhouse Model Railroad Club. The club remained in this location for 14 years, constructing HO, HOn3, and N gauge layouts. As part of rental agreement with the Placer County Fair Board, the club opened the layout to visitors during the annual County Fair. In 1988, increasing rents and failure of the Fair Board to properly maintain the building forced the RRMRC to vacate this location.

Without a home for a permanent layout, the club decided to concentrate on modular layouts. After several years of modular operation, the club members became disenchanted with the limitations of modular operation and began searching for a new location to construct a permanent layout. Following a disasterous experience in a leaky building in old town Roseville, the club relocated to a building on Grant Street near the Southern Pacific freight yards in 1993.

Club members built two layouts in its new home. The N Scale layout measured 7 feet by 40 feet with a mountain theme extending along the north wall of the building. There were two yards, a large marshalling yard encompassing one entire end of the layout and a smaller staging facility midway through the continuous loop railroad.

The HO layout on the opposite wall measured 10 feet by 24 feet. The railroad was configured with four levels beginning at four feet from the floor and rising to over six feet. An HOn3 layout sat atop the uppermost level. This arrangement allowed for four independent operations as well as HOn3 operation at any time. The RRMRC was forced to vacate this location in 1999.

In 1999 the club moved out of the building on Grant St. In December, 2000, the RRMRC moved to a new location at 304 Lincoln Street in Old Town Roseville. The Club was located in the historic Barker Hotel building across from the Pacific Street Cafe.

In November of 2005, the RRMRC was able to return to the Fairgrounds, locating in the Patio Room of Johnson Hall.

We open our displays several times a year for various Fairgrounds activities. Currently on display are HOm, N, and T-Trak layouts.

Current RRMRC Operations

RRMRC is still actively involved in modular railroading. The club hosts a model railroading show each spring and also is a co-founding participant of International Railfair, a popular event held each November for the last 30+ years at the Placer County Fairgrounds in Roseville. In addition, the modular railroaders display their talents at several shows throughout the year.

Community Service - an RRMRC Tradition

The RRMRC membership believes it has a responsibility to promote the pleasure of model railroading and railfanning to the community. To this end, the club has participated in many public service projects throught its history. Most recently, the club constructed a layout at the Shriner's Hospital in Sacramento for the exclusive use of the children hospitalized there. The club also worked with the Roseville Historical Society to construct a layout depicting Roseville of the past. This historical diorama is currently on display at the Carnegie Museum on Lincoln Street.