WASATCH N-SCALE
The Best N-Scale Model Railroad Club In Utah!
UPCOMING SHOWS
Shows coming to The
Wasatch Front!
Wasatch Front!
Click on event title for info
Click on picture for event location
Click on picture for event location
Yearly Shows
2024 Show Schedule:
Show has been cancled until a new show location can be found.
Show has been cancled until a new show location can be found.
2020: Out on the Main Floor
2024 Show Schedule:
Fri March 1st, 3:00 to 8:00 PM
Sat March 2nd, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM Sun March 3rd, 9:30 AM to 3:00 PM
Fri March 1st, 3:00 to 8:00 PM
Sat March 2nd, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM Sun March 3rd, 9:30 AM to 3:00 PM
2022: At the Ogden mall this year.
2023 Show Schedule:
Fri Nov 4th, 4:00 to 8:00 PM
Sat Nov 5th, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Davis Conference Center: 1651 North 700 West, Layton UT
Fri Nov 4th, 4:00 to 8:00 PM
Sat Nov 5th, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Davis Conference Center: 1651 North 700 West, Layton UT
Special Shows
Conventions and one time shows
Click on the location or picture for directions. Click on the title for show info
Intermountain Shows
Shows in the intermountain region
Click on the location or picture for directions. Click on the title for show info
Wasatch N Scale Club History
As Members Remember It
The Wasatch N Scale Model Railroad Club was formally organized in 2006, but its
roots reach back into the late 1970s or early 1980s according to the account of one of the original members of 'Utah N Rail Modelers', or UNR, as it was called.
UNR was an N Track modular club which over the years grew quite large with members from Ogden to the Provo area. Among many other shows the Club attended was the first N Scale Convention in Golden, Colorado circa 1985, and it was invited in 1987 to bring their modules to Eugene, Oregon for the National NMRA Show.
Locally the Club one year had their modules set up in a vacant store at the Brick Yard, operating it for the public on Fridays and Saturdays, another year it was invited to the University Mall to be part of the Collector's Fair, again running trains for the public on Fridays and Saturdays.
Eventually the Club began to lose members as some moved away and some lost interest. It ceased to exist under its original name somewhere in the mid 1990s and with some of the remaining members evolved into "UNR 2".
UNR 2 adopted some of the N Track standards, such as main line track spacing in order to be able to join to some of the quality N Track modules that were to be kept. Height of modules was changed to 46" from the floor to the bottom of the ties, track standards were established using Code "55" track. N Track electrical standards were kept.
Members' modules were set up in a large area at a member's home where members could work on their modules. The lay-out was a complete loop, had an inside staging yard and was an early user of wireless DC throttles. UNR 2 did not attend many shows because it was based on a sectional (as opposed to modular) system which required all members to be available to attend a show. Losing the space where members had set up their modules was the main cause why the Club finally disbanded in 2005.
Several of the UNR2 members decided to band together and agreed in 2006 on a name change to "Wasatch N Scale Model Railroad Club". A formal Board structure was created with provisions for five officers on the Governing Body, their duties clearly defined and rules to elect them. The Club has By-laws and Rules, a membership- and dues structure.
The Club uses a modular system with end loops, offering great flexibility in assembling a set-up without requiring all modules to be available for a show. Many Standards were adopted from UNR 2, such as main line track spacing, use of Code "55" track, 46" height, electrical standards including a block control system, yard or industry tracks where N Track's blue line was.
Wasatch N Scale, or WNS, was a much smaller group but soon gained more members and established a web presence besides their Yahoo groups page. In March 2007 WNS attended their first Hostler's Show in Ogden in the Old Timers Room (see Hostlers shows in the "Photo Gallery" on the WNS web site).
Over the years members have come and gone, key members have stayed the same and the Club keeps growing. Many modules have been built, straight modules of lengths from 4 feet to 12 feet in sections, corner modules for inside/outside corner use, a staging yard and end loops; others are still under construction.
The Club strives to attend several major shows every year, starting with Thanksgiving Point in January, the Hostlers Show in Ogden in March, the Evanston Roundhouse Festival in August and the NMRA Show in November. WNS often is invited to display at smaller events, for instance at This is the Place Heritage Park in May for their Train Day in previous years, at the Utah State University in Logan in February 2019 and at the University Mall in Orem in June of the same year.
Wasatch N Scale tries to keep pace with new developments in technology by being able to use either DC or DCC control systems, adding signaling capability to new modules and using a Raspberry Pi to enable members to use their cell phones to control their engines.
Among members a great team spirit and camaraderie exist which can be witnessed especially at set-up and tear-down times at shows where members help each other until the last detail is put in place or the last peace of equipment is loaded. Collectively WNS's membership is a vast fount of information from railroad history to electronics to craftsmanship in many areas, always ready to share their knowledge and skills to teach and promote their hobby which is their passion.
In closing let it be said that the organizers of Wasatch N Scale gleaned from their forebears what is usable for their purpose, discarded what was not, added or subtracted and modified until they created a system that works best for their scheme.
UNR was an N Track modular club which over the years grew quite large with members from Ogden to the Provo area. Among many other shows the Club attended was the first N Scale Convention in Golden, Colorado circa 1985, and it was invited in 1987 to bring their modules to Eugene, Oregon for the National NMRA Show.
Locally the Club one year had their modules set up in a vacant store at the Brick Yard, operating it for the public on Fridays and Saturdays, another year it was invited to the University Mall to be part of the Collector's Fair, again running trains for the public on Fridays and Saturdays.
Eventually the Club began to lose members as some moved away and some lost interest. It ceased to exist under its original name somewhere in the mid 1990s and with some of the remaining members evolved into "UNR 2".
UNR 2 adopted some of the N Track standards, such as main line track spacing in order to be able to join to some of the quality N Track modules that were to be kept. Height of modules was changed to 46" from the floor to the bottom of the ties, track standards were established using Code "55" track. N Track electrical standards were kept.
Members' modules were set up in a large area at a member's home where members could work on their modules. The lay-out was a complete loop, had an inside staging yard and was an early user of wireless DC throttles. UNR 2 did not attend many shows because it was based on a sectional (as opposed to modular) system which required all members to be available to attend a show. Losing the space where members had set up their modules was the main cause why the Club finally disbanded in 2005.
Several of the UNR2 members decided to band together and agreed in 2006 on a name change to "Wasatch N Scale Model Railroad Club". A formal Board structure was created with provisions for five officers on the Governing Body, their duties clearly defined and rules to elect them. The Club has By-laws and Rules, a membership- and dues structure.
The Club uses a modular system with end loops, offering great flexibility in assembling a set-up without requiring all modules to be available for a show. Many Standards were adopted from UNR 2, such as main line track spacing, use of Code "55" track, 46" height, electrical standards including a block control system, yard or industry tracks where N Track's blue line was.
Wasatch N Scale, or WNS, was a much smaller group but soon gained more members and established a web presence besides their Yahoo groups page. In March 2007 WNS attended their first Hostler's Show in Ogden in the Old Timers Room (see Hostlers shows in the "Photo Gallery" on the WNS web site).
Over the years members have come and gone, key members have stayed the same and the Club keeps growing. Many modules have been built, straight modules of lengths from 4 feet to 12 feet in sections, corner modules for inside/outside corner use, a staging yard and end loops; others are still under construction.
The Club strives to attend several major shows every year, starting with Thanksgiving Point in January, the Hostlers Show in Ogden in March, the Evanston Roundhouse Festival in August and the NMRA Show in November. WNS often is invited to display at smaller events, for instance at This is the Place Heritage Park in May for their Train Day in previous years, at the Utah State University in Logan in February 2019 and at the University Mall in Orem in June of the same year.
Wasatch N Scale tries to keep pace with new developments in technology by being able to use either DC or DCC control systems, adding signaling capability to new modules and using a Raspberry Pi to enable members to use their cell phones to control their engines.
Among members a great team spirit and camaraderie exist which can be witnessed especially at set-up and tear-down times at shows where members help each other until the last detail is put in place or the last peace of equipment is loaded. Collectively WNS's membership is a vast fount of information from railroad history to electronics to craftsmanship in many areas, always ready to share their knowledge and skills to teach and promote their hobby which is their passion.
In closing let it be said that the organizers of Wasatch N Scale gleaned from their forebears what is usable for their purpose, discarded what was not, added or subtracted and modified until they created a system that works best for their scheme.
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Makers of custom signals for Z, N, HO and now S scale. These are the signals we use on our layout.
www.customsignalsystem.com
Come visit the museum! Fun and activities for the whole family. Come check out the new Bingham mine railroad layout!
MEMBER SWAPMEET
Members can sell here for free! Items should be railroad related.
Here's some stuff from
Dave
LINKS
Here are some links to some interesting sites
XTrkCAD is a pretty decent railroad modeling tool. It's not as fancy as some, but it's an absolute free-be!
SCARM or Simple Computer Aided Railway Modeller is
another free railroad modeling tool. It has more than 125 libraries and can display your design in 3D.
another free railroad modeling tool. It has more than 125 libraries and can display your design in 3D.
Here's the UTA Website
The NMRA's National
Website
Website
Everything you ever wanted to know about diesel locomotives
A site dedicated to all the US signage past and present. LOTS of pictures and dimentions. A must if you want to create that perfect sign.
This is a website for those
who are into large scale
models. Lots of info!
who are into large scale
models. Lots of info!
Guide to 17,000 rail-related websites including train travel, model railroading, railfan resources, train simulators, and railroad industry sites
Our Local NMRA guys
OTHER CLUBS AND
ORGANIZATIONS
THAT CLUB MEMBERS
BELONG TO
ORGANIZATIONS
THAT CLUB MEMBERS
BELONG TO
The Sterling Singers Choir
Salt Lake Astronomical Society
Utah Rocket Club
Wasatch Gem Society
Brought to you...
... by steam power
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