Royersford Modular Model Railroaders

The RMMR web site is being updated to make it more compatible with smart phones. Most pages are still in the older format, which looks better on a computer screen than on a phone. Please bear with us as we go through the updating process.

During the winter season, we are one of several area clubs participating in the publication of the annual multi-club show schedule - the well-known "Green Sheet"
The 2024-2025 version of the "Green Sheet" is now available.

Our next scheduled show will be at the Greenberg's train show in Oaks, PA on January 11 & 12, 2025 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days.

HOME PAGE
Event Schedule
Photos
Our Modules
RMMR Modular Standards
General Model Railroad Information
Rolling Stock Tips
Track and Electrical Information
Operations
Links to Other Sites

MEETINGS
Club members meet from time to time - sometimes in person, sometimes via zoom - usually on Tuesday evenings, to work on their modules or plan future shows. Shows and occasional work sessions are held on selected weekends. Most of the in-person meetings are now held at members' homes, since we have left our location in Royersford. While we were glad to have the opportunity to use that space for several years, the space no longer fit our needs.

If you are interested in joining the club, or just want more information, please contact the coordinator at fred_monsimer@yahoo.com

Club History
When the North Penn Model Railroad Club lost its lease in Lansdale in 1994, that club dismantled its model railroad display and dissolved, but several of the former members began a new club in Oaks the following year.
Unfortunately, after six years of building, and before even one public show could be held, they lost their home there, and had to repeat the demolition and moving process.
After that experience, members decided that wherever they moved the club in the future, they would build a "modular" railroad layout, to allow it to be easily moved when needed.

RMMR was formed early in 2002, and presented its first show in August of that year in Norristown. Most of the founding members had been members of the Oaks Model Railroad Club. Some have gone, but others have joined us. Although we are still not a large club, we have been able to improve the display layout and present successful shows for over 20 years, and hope that the club will grow, and remain successful for a long time to come.

The Modular Concept
It is simple - like a train: add more cars and you have a longer train; take a few cars away and you have a shorter train. Our modules connect together like the cars of a train; just as any railroad car can be connected to any other because they use the same standardized track and connections, our modules can connect to any other modules built to the same standards, or to compatible specifications.
By making the layout in small sections, or modules, we can take it apart, transport it, and set it up with relative ease.

Modular Advantages
Because the layout is easily moved, we can bring the railroad to the people, rather than waiting for them to find us.
The layout can also be different every time it is set up. Modules can be added, removed, and rearranged as needed to create completely different layouts. This may be done to fit a specific show location, to introduce new scenes, to remove sections in need of work, or just to keep things interesting and new.

Each member is free to build his or her own modules. They can take these with them if they move away, or take them home to work on them.
If the club needs to move to a new headquarters, we could move in a weekend, and be ready to have shows the same week. Compare that to a permanent layout, which would take months to demolish, and years to rebuild.

Modular Standards
Our club standards are based on the N.M.R.A. modular standards, which are used by many other modular groups, so our modules can be used with modules belonging to other individuals or other clubs. Someone moving from one city to another doesn’t need to start over from scratch.
The club itself has a number of modules; mostly "special" pieces like corners, which are indispensible at shows. The yard is also club-owned.
The locomotives, cars, and some other modules belong to individual members.

Model railroad clubs with large permanent layouts sometimes say that their layout contains "two scale miles of track" or covers "over 2,000 square feet." Statistics like these are not as easily given for modular layouts, because they can be different every time a layout is assembled. How large is our layout? The answer you get today may be very different from the one you get next week. We can leave out modules to fit into smaller spaces, or add modules when more space is available. The display can even change shape, being a square one time, a long narrow rectangle another time, and even "L" shaped or "U" shaped when that is required to fit a particular location.

We will continue bringing our modular layout to shows where it can be seen by the public. We enjoy sharing our hobby with you and welcome any of you who think you may be interested in model railroading to ask us questions. Even if we don’t know the answer to a question, we may be able to find an anwer for you - and also learn something new.

Membership
We are always looking for new people to join us.
You do not need to be an expert model builder.
There are only two requirements:
Be willing to learn and to teach; none of us knows everything, and should be willing to share what we know with others, while learning from them also.
Be willing to work with others; each member has special talents, and through cooperation, we can achieve more together than we can alone.

More Information
For more information, talk to the club members at one of our shows or contact us via email at fred_monsimer@yahoo.com

Thank you for your interest in our club!

Entire site ©2002-2025 Royersford Modular Model Railroaders.
No portion of this site may be copied in any form without the express, written authorization of the site manager.
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Persons interested in more information about any images on this site should contact the site manager.

This web site developed and managed by: Frederick Monsimer