The Rensselaer Model Railroad Society (RMRRS) was founded in 1947 making it the second oldest university model railroading club. The RMRRS consists of seasoned modelers and ones new to hobby. Club activities include construction of a new model railroad (still to be named), modeling clinics, ops sessions at local layouts, and trips to train shows. The club is open to all students and meets in our modeling room in the ’87 Gym Tuesday nights 8-9pm!
Brief History of the Late NEB&W
In 1972, The Rensselaer Model Railroad Society constructed an exhibit depicting the Delaware & Hudson and Rutland Railroads, which would be come known as the New England, Berkshire, and Western (NEB&W). Set in 1950, the layout represented life in Troy, New York and points north in the Hudson and Champlain Valleys. The 1950s were a period of immense change for American railroads and the places they served. The transition from steam to diesel power marked a massive reduction in railroad employment. Growth of automotive culture shifted the center of town away from the tracks and downtowns. The layout captured the tail end of the railroad era – a time when railroads were the main movers of people and products and when most institutions were within walking distance of the tracks.
In 2019 the New England, Berkshire, and Western was disassembled and moved into storage. The RMRRS worked hard to find the layout a new home, but in 2025 the Institute abruptly ended the lease on the storage space for the NEB&W and no new space was available to store the layout. The club partnered with the Northeast Region of the National Model Railroad Association to preserve as much of the NEB&W as possible in different collections across the Northeast. For more information on this process please visit: https://nernmra.org/nebw/