The clubs that make it happen!

May 31, 2018

The Greater Cincinnati Garden Railway Society (or GCGRS) has been apart of EnterTRAINment Junction before EnterTRAINment even existed! It was the GCGRS alongside the Miami Valley Garden Railway Society (or MVGRS) that turned the dream of EnterTRAINment into a reality! Both clubs helped create our massive display and both clubs continue to develop and maintain the 25,000 sq foot layout.

Founded in 1990, The Greater Cincinnati Garden Railway Society was established to provide means for its members to exchange ideas, to learn, and to enjoy the hobby of large scale indoor/outdoor model railroading; all in a fun environment. There are members with a variety of interests including locomotives, layout construction, live steam, and digital controls. Regardless of someones interest, they all seem to enjoy learning more about the hobby and teaching the hobby to others.

The Miami Valley Garden railway society was found in 1992. Like the GCGRS, the purpose of MVGRS is to have a good time and promote the garden railway hobby. The hobbyists purpose is to share information about layouts and equipment while also having fun building and operating garden railroads.

Example of a garden railway layout

Backyard garden railway layout at the home of EnterTRAINment’s president, Don Oeters. 

The clubs typically meet once a month and offer presentations on how to build things and how to make their layouts and models even better. There are over 60 families involved in GCGRS all of whom are scattered across Cincinnati. The group even hosts annual garden railway tours in the summer which allows people to visit train displays of other members and enjoy all the hard work put into them. There is one coming up this summer which you can learn more about it here: http://gcgrs.org/tours

GCGRS has hosted 4 national conventions in Cincinnati. (One even came to EnterTRAINment!) This years convention will be held in Atlanta which you can learn more about by going to: www.ngrc2018.com