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that is a fascinating look at their contributions
(https://www.sdmrm.org/ironwomen). One example
is the section called “Innovation” that focuses on just
one of the many patents held by women over the
years. Just between the year of 1864 and 1894, at least
62 women received 96 patents in railroading.

Online Exhibit: 75 Years of Thomas
The other current online exhibit is all about
Thomas the Tank Engine and its 75 historic years.
Learn about the beginning of this friendly group
found at Shining Time Station. In the exhibit kids,
parents, and collectors can learn about all the many
characters, listen to stories, and create their own island
of railway island of Sodor.
(https://www.sdmrm.org/thomas-and-friends)

This Museum continues to pay homage to the grand
era of the railroad with precise re-creation of scenes from
the past with the technology and mindful display
practices of the future.
The San Diego
Model Railroad
Model Santa Fe Diesel Locomotive moving along one of the many scenic and accurately recreated Museum is located
railroad lines on permanent display at the San Diego Model Railroad Museum
at 1649 El Prado
Built to Scale in San Diego, California.
The Cabrillo Southwestern O-scale layout is 1/48 of the actual size Visit the Museum online at
and measures 2,700 square feet and 120 feet long. The actual route is https://www.sdmrm.org
from San Diego to Sacramento. The model is a composite of highlights
along the route. This is unlike other layouts that try and model a full
actual area. The focus is on California as it looked circa 1955. The San All Aboard! The entrance to the San
Diego Model Railroad Association operates the Cabrillo Southwestern Diego Model Railroad Museum located
O Scale layout and the San Diego and Arizona Eastern HO layout. downstairs from the San Diego History
The Southern Pacific-Santa Fe Tehachapi Pass layout is HO scale, Center in the Casa de Balboa building.
and the two-level project shows the Tehachapi Pass in Kern County.
This section helps connect Bakersfield to the Mojave Desert. The La
Mesa Model Railroad Club operates the Southern Pacific-Santa Fe
Tehachapi Pass Layout. Everything in this layout operates to scale,
including the actual time of operation and the speed of the trains.
Another interesting layout is the N scale (1/160) display of the
Pacific Desert Line (shown). This railroad line was planned but never
built. The exhibit features scenes in downtown San Diego and up to
Carlsbad Flower Fields.

Centennial Railway Garden
To commemorate the 100th anniversary of Balboa Park in 2015,
SDMRM created the Centennial Railway Garden exhibit. This exhibit
is technically advanced as it is solar-powered, and the plants are
unaffected to droughts. This exhibit is one of the only green technology
exhibits in Balboa Park.
The Centennial Railway Garden honors the innovation of the
1915 Panama-California Exhibition, combining traditional railroad
models with modern iPad interactivity, and providing visitors with a
memorable cross-disciplinary learning experience. It is a unique repre-
sentation of, and tribute to the museum, the Park, and the heritage
and spirit of each.

The Toy Train Gallery
The Toy Train Gallery is operated by the San Diego 3-Railer’s
Club. This fantasy layout features O Scale “Lionel Type” toy trains
running on 3 rail O gauge track. One of the highlights of the gallery is
the “Choo-Choo cam” fitted onto a running train which provides vis-
itors with a first-person virtual view of the layout. The exhibit was rated
one of the top ten layouts by Classic Toy Trains magazine in 2012.

Online Exhibit: Iron Women
The Museum also offers online exhibits that enable it to explore
other areas of railroad history, such as its current exhibit titled
Iron Women. Clicking through on each subhead in the presentation
brings in the historic details regarding women and the railroad

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