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San Diego Model Railroad Museum

A Space where Imagination is Beautifully Engineered

panning over 28,000 square from scratch. Minton would go on
feet of trains, trestles, and to build several other model scale
Stracks, the San Diego Model railways throughout the 1930s and
Railroad Museum (SDMRM), early 40s.
North America’s largest model rail- For the 1935 California Pacific
road exhibit, is located in the heart International Exposition, Cronkhite
of California’s natural beauty was asked by the Atchison, Topeka,
framed by the majestic backdrop of and Santa Fe Railway Company to
Balboa Park. The Museum features build a replica of the AT&SF
interactive toy trains, Lionel-style railroad system in the Ford Building,
electric trains, and a 20-scale mile the present-day Air and Space
long rail crossing of the Sierra Museum. This layout was the “Chief
Nevada mountain range. Plus, this Transportation Feature” of the
museum is the only accredited rail- Model of San Diego Union Station at San Diego Model Railroad Museum Exposition. Today, the San Diego
road museum in the United States. Model Railroad Museum is proud to
SDMRM was opened for the public in 1982 as “a space where imag- have pieces from that original display in its permanent collection.
ination is beautifully engineered.” The Museum features both indoor
and outdoor exhibits and offers programming for children of all ages. Information Resource
“The Museum’s mission is to research, collect, preserve, and present Contained within the Museum is the Erwin Welsch Research
the heritage of American railroading using educational programs, Library are over 10,000 books, serial publications, drawings, manu-
displays, toy trains, and scale models of California railroads. Every scripts, maps, sound recordings, computer files/databases, and folders
twist, turn, and tunnel will spark curiosity with the educational containing additional pieces of railroad ephemera (catalogs, travel
programming that includes milestones like critical thinking, creativity, brochures, pocket maps, dining car menus, and newspaper clippings)
and problem solving. The exhibits transform little engineers to with time tables from over 160 railroad lines covering lines from
modelers who tinker with engines and nail down track to build and Boston to California, Canada to Florida, and everywhere in between,
transform something from nothing.” from the late 1800s to start of this twenty-first century. The Library
also has over 15,000 photographs and slides. The library’s focus is
History prototypical railroading in North America and worldwide with a
Minton regional emphasis on Southern California and the Southwest.
Cronkhite was an
avid model builder Collection and Exhibits
from Connecticut Intricately recreated model railroad lines are presented in the
with a sharp focus Museum with startling accuracy by local railroad clubs. There is a
for accuracy and section of permanent exhibitions in the museum that displays famous
high detail. In 1928 and Southwestern lines including The San Diego and Arizona,
at the age of 40, Southern Pacific on the Tehachapi Pass, and Pacific Desert Lines,
Cronkhite had sold among others. The Museum also is in constant motion as additional
his successful busi- permanent exhibits continue to be built.
ness and with the
profit he made he
turned his attention
to creating model
railroads on a full-
time basis. He was
hired to create rail-
roads to be exhibited
Model of the Santa Fe Railway engine created by in the world fairs
master model builder Minton Cronkhite in 1935 and at major exhibi-
tions where the idea was to boost a city’s financial state during the time
of the “Great Depression.” The display of railroad models in the World
Fairs was instrumental in building people’s interest in train travel.
After he moved to California, Cronkhite became intrigued with the
Santa Fe Railway and began building layouts based on it. At this time,
the hobby was not very developed and there was not much when it
came to model trains and accessories. Cronkhite built a 110-by-30-foot
layout of the San Marino and Santa Fe, and each piece—including the
engines—were built by him and fellow model builder Jack Parker From the display of the Pacific Desert Line

32 Journal of Antiques and Collectibles