Sacramento Central Railroad

Serving the transportation needs of the Central Valley of California from Gerber to Stockton with courtesy, reliability and convenience.

Becoming a member

Club activities

Computer switchlists

DCC

How to reach us

International Railfair

Layout size

Light-weight modules

Links to other RR sites

"Mainline Express"

Member Modules

Modeling expense

Module cost

Module construction

Modular setup

Module operation

News

Newsletter

Operation schedule

Parallel web site

Pictures of our modules

Present industries/ operations

Public shows

Storage

Switch lists

Visitors

Where we meet

Work sessions

This is the official website of the Sacramento Central Railroad, operated by the Sacramento Modular Railroaders (SMR) of Sacramento, California. Sacramento Modular Railroaders is a non-profit, educational-historical organization registered by the state of California. The Sacramento Central (SCRR) is a large HO scale modular railroad, operating between the cities of Gerber, CA in the north and Stockton, CA in the south with major yard facilities in Roseville.

This website includes the dates and locations of SCRR public operating sessions. Unforeseen rescheduling or cancellation of Sacramento Central Railroad operations will be posted immediately.

We are a club for model railroaders, beginners or experienced, who enjoy any or all parts of this exciting hobby. During our operating sessions we pick up cars from and deliver cars to computer generated locations on the layout set up on that particular day, while passenger and special trains operate on the mainline.

Our interchangeable modules connect in various ways to quickly set up a portable model railroad in many sizes and shapes. Any module can be flipped end for end because of our unique electrical connections. SMR owns a large switching yard, corner modules, end loops, some SCRR cars and locomotives and the electrical system. Members own the other modules and their own rolling stock. Club standards assure that all modules match up at each end, but members are otherwise free to apply scenery, track and industries to their own modules. In the view to the right, the club-owned Centennial Mills module contains a double crossover connecting the two main lines beneath the signal bridge and forms a block boundary. In the distance is Robert DeWitt's Perkins module. The track at the far left is a long passing siding.

SMR-owned equipment has developed gradually for more than 25 years. A basic member-owned module, two by four feet, with frame and basic track, wiring and scenery, can be built for about $50.00, and can be carried and transported inside most vehicles. Industry buildings and track add to the overall cost of the module.

The cost of a good-running locomotives start at about $30 and the cost of freight cars start at a few dollars. There's no rush. Members can purchase one our ready-made modules when they wish and buy locomotives and freight cars over a long period of time.

Visitors are welcome to attend our meetings and operating sessions, but only through prior arrangement, as for example by contacting us by e-mail or by talking to a member at one of our public shows. SMR has only enough formal structure to make the club work. Dues are $20 a year. Members are expected to wear a cap and/or vest at public operating sessions which are sold at cost. Each member receives SMR's official monthly newsletter, Mainline Express.

Club activities include cosponsorship of International Railfair every November (second weekend), public shows, club operating sessions, occasional "how-to" clinics, work sessions and a few railfan events. This is the Northern California Model Railroad Show. We do not have a permanent headquarters. Usually, our monthly meetings are held at a church on the third Saturday of the month. A one or two-day operating session begins immediately after our monthly business meeting. Several times a year, meetings or events are held elsewhere. For more information, see our SCRR Operating Session Schedule.

The Sacramento Central Railroad is an operating railroad. We regularly operate our trains over more than 200 feet of double track main line with passing sidings. Branch line and industrial trackage add to the overall size of the Sacramento Central.

SMR's computer generates switch lists for our yard crew. The program is reconfigured each operating session according to the relative position of each of the modules on that day. This program is available to anyone as freeware by the developer. When a local train is assembled, it is moved to an arrival/departure yard where a diesel locomotive (or steam engine) and caboose (yes, we still use cabooses!) are assigned. An engineer moves the train from the yard to a main line in the direction indicated on his switch list. the train will stop at each module to move cars out of the industries and replace them with cars from his train. Because other local trains and main line trains are also working on the railroad, train engineers must keep in contact with our dispatcher via two-way radio. The railroad thus serves the many industries along its right of way by dispatching computer-selected rolling stock to them and distributing the products of those industries to the rest of the world.

When a local train has completed its work, the train is returned to the yard and moved back to the switching yard (Stockton, Roseville or Gerber). An important rule at our operating sessions is that when members place their freight cars and locomotives on the track, they become available for all members to use during that operating session. We share and enjoy each other's equipment.

SMR's modules and equipment are stored inside a secure trailer so the railroad can be moved to any location. The entire railroad can be assembled in less than two hours. Power tools are not necessary. Each module has legs that fold down from under the module. Power cables under the modules are plugged into the cables of the adjacent modules. The modules are clamped together under each end.

International Railfair

The Sacramento Modular Railroaders are proud cosponsors of 29th annual International Railfair, to be held November 11 & 12, 2006. IRF is the largest Model Railroad Show in Northern California. Model railroads of all gauges and sizes operate inside (and outside) the big display/event buildings at the Placer County Fairgrounds in Roseville, California. Model railroad vendors offer for sale thousands of products, supplies, clothing, tools, railroadiana, books, etc. Members of the many operating railroads will answer all your model railroading questions! More information, including a map to the fairgrounds, is available at the International Railfair website: http://internationalrailfair.com

Lightweight Modules: At occasional work sessions during the year, we now mass-produce new super lightweight modules for members who do not have a module. The cost to the member is for supplies and materials and is based on the size of the module the member wants. The modules are assembled on a jig thus maintaining a standard length and assuring true 90 degree corners. By making many modules simultaneously, we are able to purchase hardware in large quantities at a discount and to cut the lumber to minimize waste which keeps the individual cost of the modules as low as possible. Our experienced modelers help our new module owners with construction, wiring and track installations. The specifications for these new lightweight modules are provided here.

Paul, one of our members, has photographed the construction details of the Sacramento Modular Railroaders base module. By clicking here, you can visit that page and learn how to build a durable, light-weight, easily transportable layout module.

Present Industries and Operations

Sacramento Central trains already travel through member-owned modules consisting of beautiful meadows, swamps, hills and farms. Trains switch intermodal facilities, numerous interchange yards, grain silos, factories and a large refinery designed and built by one of our members. Mainline track crosses bridges and curved trestles. Some modules include working grade crossing warning lights and gates. Click here to learn about many of the modules which create the Sacramento Central

SMR Projects

SMR trains are operated by DCC (Direct Command Control). After a long trial period, we have determined that DCC is totally compatible with SCRR's operations. Since we began DCC operation, the price of the locomotive modules has gone down while features have increased and size has become even lower.

The first DCC run was held February 28, 1998. Cars dispatched from the main yard were shunted by DCC-equipped locomotives to industries in Perkins and Hazelton.

If you would like to consider becoming a member, you must attend three meetings or activities and actively participate to the best of your ability at each meeting. Each member is expected to set up club modules at the beginning and take them down at the end of the day's operation. After the third meeting, an applicant who agrees to pursue the goals of the Sacrmento Modular Railroaders will be eligible for membership. Eligible applicants need a 2/3 vote of approval to join the club and can then become full members after payment of his/her annual dues of $20. S/he is also expected to purchase a vest and an optional SMR red baseball cap to wear at public shows. For a detailed description of membership requirements, click here.

A person under the age of 18 may become an Associate member if a club member is willing to act as his/her sponsor. The Associate member may participate in club functions as their age and maturity allow. Associate members do not vote or pay dues. Sponsors accept full responsibility and liability for Associate Members including full adherence to all club rules.

We do not discriminate on the basis of gender, ethnicity, religious or sexual preference or handicap. Since we began, we have had a wheel-chair bound individual and set our table height at 36" rather than the usual 40" for that reason. We now have two wheel-chair bound members.

Public Operation Schedule - 2006

Please note that dates listed are subject to change. Please check this site for updates before driving to attend a sceduled operating session.

Nov. 11-12, 2006: International Railfair - Placer County Fairgrounds. SMR will not be on display at this show in 2006- but come look at many other beautifully designed operating model railroads.
Tentative: November 24-26, 2006: California State Railroad Museum - Sacramento

Private Operation Schedule -2006

This page is constantly under construction and will be updated frequently. Bookmark this page for the latest information on where we will set up future modular displays.

You may e-mail us at Saccentral@railfan.net
You may contact the webmaster at evolz@protel-com.com

Page last updated on November 30, 2005

These web pages designed and maintained by Eugene Volz.

Contents © 2003-2005 Sacramento Modular Railroaders, all rights reserved.