Greater Houston Train Show Returns to Pasadena with Contests and Operating Layouts

The Greater Houston Train Show, organized by the San Jacinto Model Railroad Club, took place Saturday, February 21, 2026 at the Pasadena Convention Center, 7902 Fairmont Parkway in Pasadena, Texas. The event ran 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and the GCMRRC event listing shows admission as “Adult and Youths $5 Under 12 Free.”

The show’s floor program matched the club’s long-standing format: vendor tables, operating layouts, clinics and model and photo contests were on the schedule, as described on San Jacinto Model Railroad Club materials and in the original event listing. Operating layouts and contest tables were prominent features in the main hall, echoing the club’s lineup noted on its website and in promotional summaries.

San Jacinto Model Railroad Club continues to hold the show in its traditional February slot. The club’s site states, “The Greater Houston Train Show is (traditionally) held every third Saturday in February. It features Model & Photo Contests, Operating Layouts, Clinics, and Vendors from all over the Southwest.” That tradition was visible in 2026’s return to Pasadena, following past editions that paired the show with regionals and conventions.

The show’s clinic program has a recent precedent of partnership with the NMRA Lone Star Region. San Jacinto’s 2024 site text notes the 2024 clinics were set up “in partnership with the 2024 NMRA Lone Star Region Convention,” which ran at the Pasadena Convention Center February 15–17, 2024. Cantonfair’s promotional write-up for the series also emphasized clinics and recommended arriving early for the best views of operating layouts, repeating the practical advice: “Make sure to plan your visit strategically; arrive early to get the best views of the operating layouts and talk to the vendors.”

Vendor registration history and 2026 sale status diverged in the available material. San Jacinto’s 2024 posting advertised that “Vendor tables for the 2024 Greater Houston Train Show are currently on sale” and provided a point of contact, Robert Ashcraft, at crash8473@comcast.net. Cantonfair’s 2026 planning note said vendor tables for 2026 “have not yet gone on sale,” so exhibitor sign-ups for the 2026 edition remained pending in the published listings.

Social and club channels mirrored the official schedule. An Instagram post reproduced the event details in all caps: “GREATER HOUSTON TRAIN SHOW SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2026 10:00 10:00-4:00 4:00 HOUSTON Pasadena Convention Center 7902 Fairmont Parkway.” The GCMRRC listing also included the address and the admission line and concluded its event blurb with “For more info visit our web site.”

Regional club activity remains active around the show. GCMRRC listings include a separate October 3, 2026 club festival at the Texas City Museum, 409 6th Street, and schedule notes for Houston Area Live Steamers free rides at Zube Park, 17802 Robert’s Road, running March through November 2025. Club pages list layout scales ranging from S scale to Z scale and name member home layouts such as John Camp’s N scale and Ed Bundrum’s Z scale.

With the Greater Houston Train Show back in Pasadena on February 21, 2026 and the familiar mix of contests, clinics and operating layouts intact, San Jacinto Model Railroad Club has kept the event on its traditional third-Saturday rhythm while vendor and clinic details for future shows remain to be finalized.