Delmarva Model Railroad Club Showcases Layout Progress at Annual Holiday Open House

The Delmarva Model Railroad Club opened more than 8,000 square feet of operating layouts to the public during its annual holiday open houses, giving visitors a close look at multi-scale progress and the volunteer work that keeps the display running. The club staged open houses on the first and second weekends of January 2026, with earlier holiday dates in late November and early December 2025, drawing families and modelers to downtown Delmar.

Visitors toured layouts spanning Z, N, HO, O scale, O tinplate, S Gauge, G, and standard gauges, plus an N-track modular layout. The club’s rolling stock inventory includes "one of hundreds of locomotives, tanker cars, boxcars, cabooses, and the like," and HO locomotives on the layout measure "about eight or nine inches" compared with roughly 60-foot full-size units. On-site features included train videos, refreshments, and a White Elephant table run by volunteers.

Jeff Shockley, a long-time volunteer, framed the draw of the open house in personal terms: “January of 2003, I came up for an open house, stayed all day, and when I walked out, I was a member." Shockley noted his ongoing roles: "I'm on the board of directors. I handle the White Elephant Table, and I also do the monthly newsletter.” Another volunteer, Bill Deeter, added a touch of behind-the-scenes humor when Shockley pointed out planned scenery: “Upper level, we have our DuPont plant," Shockley points out. "Well, not yet, we don't," Deeter clarifies.

The club operates from Camelot Hall at 103 E. State St., second floor, in Delmar, DE 19940-1155. The venue is stairs only; parking is available behind St. Stevens Church, and State Street (Route 54) is the main east-west route through town. Admission was free, with Saturday hours from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday hours from noon to 4 p.m. Event supporters listed for the open houses included NPR, CPB, PRX, American Public Media, Salisbury University, and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.

Club communications remain active: the January 25, 2026 club newsletter summarized weekly Wednesday night meetings, open-house reports, layout progress notes, and upcoming events, and the club’s news archive documents recent newsletters and an upgrade to a DCS 240 command system along with associated problems. For immediate questions, the club can be reached by phone at 302-548-4586 or via its Facebook page, DMRRC.

The season's open houses reinforced the club’s role as a regional hub for model railroading, a place where layouts tell "a story about an America that once was" and where hands-on volunteer work keeps trains running. Expect the club to follow up on announced layout upgrades and to share attendance and technical updates in future newsletters; check the club’s phone or Facebook page before visiting, and note stairs-only access when planning your trip.