rails on wheels
Washtenaw County, Michigan's HO modular model railroad club.

Updated: 28-DEC-2008

About Rails on Wheels

Rails on Wheels was formed in 1988 by a group of model railroaders interested in constructing, displaying and operating a high-performance HO scale model railroad. At the time, only one of the members had the space available for a permanent layout, so we each began to build small, portable sections that could be joined together, incorporating the specifications that would eventually become the Rails on Wheels Module Standards. This layout is usually stored dismantled between public showings.

To promote our goals of educating our members and the public about railroading and the hobby of model railroading, our activities have included monthly meetings and workshops, layout setups at over 40 train shows and the NMRA National Conventions in 1992 and 1997, private layout setups, railfanning outings and trips to train shows and swap meets.

In 1998, several Rails on Wheels members who had developed an interest in prototypical operation branched out and began to develop the Operations Road Show. These members constructed a second dedicated layout which resides in a member's basement and is used to hold operating sessions using timetable and train order operating rules. This layout was publicly unveiled at the Maple Leaf 2003 NMRA National Convention in Toronto, where 135 attendees participated in operating sessions. Our success in Toronto was repeated at the Cincinnati Limited 2005 NMRA National Convention. Our plan is to take this layout out for public operations demonstrations far less frequently than we show the display layout, probably no more often than once every two or three years, as the design of this layout does not lend itself to easy viewing by large numbers of people.

Rails on Wheels provides a forum through which members can learn techniques and get help from persons experienced in layout design, benchwork, scenery, electronics and wiring, rolling stock construction and structure building. We have developed new approaches and techniques to meet our specific construction needs, techniques which we feel have in some small way contributed to the advancement of the hobby.

We are continually expanding and upgrading our HO scale modular display layout, and welcome new members, regardless of their level of experience. Our members range from beginners to people with over 40 years' experience in the hobby.

Anyone interested in HO model railroading, from beginners to experienced craftsmen, is welcome to join. Rails on Wheels is an independent club not formally affiliated with any other organization. Membership is always open. You need not own or build a module to participate.

Rails on Wheels is a founding member of the Michigan Modular Alliance.

---

Club News

Club Activities

Our next activities will be:

08-JAN-2009		Business Meeting, Saline Depot Museum, 8:00pm
22-JAN-2009		Social Meeting, Saline Depot Museum, 8:00pm

Activities related to the Operations Road Show layout are listed on the Operations Road Show section of this site.

We usually meet at the Saline Historical Society's ex-NYC depot at Ann Arbor and Bennett Streets in Saline. Our meetings at the depot are open to members and non-members alike. Click here for a map.

 

---

2008 Train Show

Rails on Wheels' annual Southeast Michigan Train Show and Sale was held on Sunday, November 30. This year's show was another success, with approximately 30% more attendees than 2007.

Next year's show will be on Sunday, November 29, 2009.

---

Upcoming Exhibitions

We will be displaying our layout at the following upcoming events:

05-APR-2009		Mid Michigan Model Train Show & Flea Market, Finch Fieldhouse, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, Michigan
28-APR-2009		Toledo Model Train Show, Key Street Rec Center, Maumee, Ohio
24-JUL through 26-JUL-2009		Train Festival 2009, Steam Railroading Institute, Owosso, Michigan

Do you have questions or comments regarding this Web site? E-mail to railsonwheels@yahoo.com
All original contents of this Web site are Copyright © 1999-2008, John F. ("Fritz") Milhaupt on behalf of Rails on Wheels,, All Rights Reserved.