North Texas Council of Railroad Clubs

01/19/2026

Thank you to everyone who came out this weekend — families, longtime railfans, first-timers, vendors, clubs, and volunteers! The energy, support, and love for the hobby truly made this show something special.

A huge congratulations to Easton, the winner of this year’s Pay-It-Forward Layout Raffle! 🙌 This was our largest layout yet, and we loved seeing the excitement around it.

If you missed it — or you’re already ready for more — we’ll be back this fall!👇
📅 September 26–27

Mark your calendars, and be sure to follow us so you don’t miss updates and details. We can’t wait to do it all again! 🚂✨

01/18/2026

🎉WE HAVE A WINNER!🎉

A big congratulations to Easton, the winner of this year’s Pay-It-Forward Layout Raffle! 🙌🚂

01/17/2026

Thank you to everyone who came out today 🚂✨
It’s been wonderful seeing families, railfans, and future engineers enjoying the show. Still plenty to see on tomorrow!

The crowds are loco today. Lots of energy and trains. Come on down to the Plano train show

01/17/2026

🚂 The show is in full swing!
Huge crowds, amazing layouts, and lots of smiles today😁

01/16/2026

🚧 Setup in progress — getting everything ready for a big family weekend! 🚂✨

01/15/2026

🚂 True train fans — this one’s for you!

Don’t miss your chance to win an incredible HO scale layout at this year’s Dallas Area Train Show!

The Newbie Valley Layout is a fully built, highly detailed 9’ x 13’ modular railroad packed with features:

• 10 modules with 2 mainlines & multiple sidings
• Digitrax DCC system with handheld + Wi-Fi control
• 2 DCC-equipped locomotives + rolling stock
• 40+ structures (kit, wood, 3D printed & paper)
• 170+ trees & 200+ figures — yes, including Big Tex 👀
• Roads, bridges, tunnels, rivers, water features and more!

🎟️ Raffle Tickets: $5 each or 5 for $20
📅 Winner announced Sunday!

This isn’t just a layout — it’s a whole world waiting for a new home 🚂✨

01/13/2026

Want to dive deeper into model railroading? 🚂

The Dallas Area Train Show offers a full schedule of educational clinics led by experienced modelers, covering everything from beginner fundamentals to advanced techniques.

📍 Clinic Presentations — Hillhaven Room

Saturday, January 17
11:00 AM – Intro to Model Railroading — James Knabb
12:00 PM – Painting Backdrops — Wayne Weehunt
1:00 PM – Tips & Tricks to Become a Better Model Railroader — Duane Richardson, MMR
2:00 PM – 3D Printing in Model Railroading — Eric Smith
3:00 PM – Introduction to Scales, Explained in Detail — Dan Darrouzet

Sunday, January 18
12:00 PM – Making Model Trees — John Runnells (John’s Trees)
1:00 PM – Intro to Model Railroading — James Knabb
2:00 PM – Roads — It’s That Simple — Jeff Palmer, MME

Whether you’re just getting started or refining your layout, these sessions are designed to help you build smarter and model better.

01/13/2026

You just found your weekend plans 🚂✨

The Dallas Area Train Show is happening THIS WEEKEND at the Plano Event Center — you don’t want to miss it!

📆 Jan 17–18
📍 Plano Event Center

See you this weekend 👋

01/10/2026

The wait is almost over 🚂✨
Join us at the Dallas Area Train Show!

📆 Jan 17 | 10 AM – 5 PM
📆 Jan 18 | 10 AM – 4 PM

📍 Plano Event Center

🎟️ Admission:
• $10 Cash | $11 Credit
• Kids 12 & under FREE
• Cash & credit accepted at the door

✨ Activities & Attractions:
🎟️ Hourly door prizes
🚂 The Choo Choo Express (a kids’ favorite!)
👷 Junior Engineer Academy
🎁 Layout Raffle — enter for a chance to win your very own model train layout

This weekend is going to be big!

01/05/2026

Lake Highlands Advocate recently shared a feature highlighting the passion behind train collecting. It’s always great to see the hobby and the community around it getting local recognition!

🔗Read the article here:

The first floor of Lloyd Keyser’s Lake Highlands home is like most others in the neighborhood, with a dining room, kitchen and study. Climb the stairs to the second floor, though, and you’ll be stepping into another world. The retired mechanical engineer from

01/02/2026

This is how we’re starting the new year 🚂✨

Join us at the Dallas Area Train Show
📅 January 17–18, 2026
📍 Plano Event Center | Plano, TX

Experience one of the largest model train shows in Texas — featuring incredible layouts, vendors, collectibles, and family-friendly fun for all ages.

Who’s joining us in January?
👉 Follow along for show updates, highlights, and sneak peeks!