Coast Division, PCR

Welcome to the Coast Division of the NMRA/Pacific Coast Region.

The Coast Division covers the Bay Area, including the Pacific coast down to the Monterey Peninsula, as well as Hawaii.

The Coast Division is an exciting group to engage to become a better model railroader and extend your group of friends and model railroad contacts.  The Coast Division is an active group that sponsors participation and growth with virtual, local, and regional model railroading activities.

We normally have four major meets every year: two Coast auctions, and two Coast Division meet-ups.

The auctions are a great way to get rid of excess inventory or to get items for your layout. Typically,  300-500 items are auctioned in the afternoon – anything could be there from balsa wood to brass engines. Come in the morning for modeling clinics .

The Coast Divisional meet-ups are focused on clinics, contests, and layout tours. These events are a great way to meet other modelers, improve your modeling skills, compete with your models, and be inspired by some of the great layouts built by Coast Division members.

In addition to the auctions and meetups, the Coast Division does two to four trips a year to local railroad attractions. These are generally a morning activity followed by local layout tours.  Recent events have included a trip to the California State Railroad Museum (by train no less) to see the NMRA exhibit.  The tour was led by Charlie Getz, past NMRA president and leader of getting the NMRA museum established. Other tours included the Niles Canyons Railroad and a visit to the Golden State Model Railroad Museum in Richmond.  These trips enable Coast members to get a “behind the scenes” view of railroad facilities, public layouts and popular attractions as well as visits to member layouts in the area.

Finally, through the Covid pandemic and on to today, the Coast Division hosts a Zoom meet every other week on Saturday morning.  These often include a clinic as well as Coast members showing their modeling and new projects. It is a great way to meet new modelers and learn new techniques. Videos of these meeting and clinic can be found on the Coast Division YouTube channel.

I look forward to meeting you at one of our events. If you are not already an NMRA member, please join us at one of our events to see how NMRA membership and Coast participation can dramatically improve your modeling experience. Learn more by visiting both the NMRA website as well as the Pacific Coast Region website.

In the interim, keep on modeling and stay safe.

Phil Edholm

Coast Division Superintendent