Winter in Northern Indiana has been keeping us on our toes — snow one day, rain the next, followed by a warm-up or a deep freeze. If you don’t like the weather, just wait until tomorrow! Despite the ever-changing conditions, EMRRC has been buzzing with activity. Many members have kicked off the new year by gathering at the clubhouse to run trains and proudly show off the new locomotives and rolling stock they received for Christmas.

Be sure to visit the EMRRC YouTube channel to catch videos of the wide variety of locomotives and train cars that make an appearance most Fridays at 7:00 PM. And mark your calendars: January 22, 2026, will be EMRRC’s first operating session of the new year. Remember, operating sessions only happen once each quarter — you won’t want to miss it!

 

Featuring hundreds of scale miles of track, expansive scenery, and a computer-controlled operating system, the Elkhart Model Railroad Club is continually hard at work on maintenance to keep the railroad in top shape.

 

The steel mill area on the N-Scale layout keeps growing, made possible by the ongoing efforts of several hardworking members.

 

 

On the HO-Scale layout, the bump-out along the north wall has been removed, creating additional aisle space and making it much more comfortable for members in what was previously a crowded area. This improvement allows for better traffic flow and gives operators more room to enjoy the layout.

As part of this change, the junkyard scene that once occupied the bump-out is being relocated farther north into a more open area of the layout. The move will provide more space for the scene to expand while better fitting into the overall layout design.

 

Many new trees have been planted around the paper mill area, further improving the scenery and adding realism to this section of the layout.

The 21st Annual Nappanee Train Show is fast approaching, and excitement continues to build. All vendor tables are officially sold out, and marketing efforts are well underway. With strong interest from vendors and the public alike, we believe this year’s show is shaping up to be our biggest and best yet.

We hope everyone has a great month, and we invite you to consider stopping by the Elkhart Model Railroad Club. Now in our 76th year, the club is open to the public most Fridays at 7:00 PM. Be sure to check the schedule on this page for the latest information—we’d love to see you there!