5 Railroad Hobby Shows for Train Enthusiasts To Visit

Model railroading is often a solo activity, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a thriving hobby community. From online groups to in-person events, there are plenty of ways to meet your fellow model railroaders. Some vendors will even give you early access to new products! Check out these five railroad hobby shows for train enthusiasts to visit.

The Great American Train Shows

The Great American Train Shows (GATS) is a collection of railroad hobby shows by the same organization. These include four different show brands:

• Greenberg’s Great Train Show
• Great Midwest Train Show
• Great Train Show
• World’s Greatest Hobby on Tour

GATS is the only coast-to-coast traveling train show company in the United States. One of the nice things about these shows is that they take place all over the country, so you may not need to travel very far.

Railroad Hobby Show

The award for the largest railroad hobby show in the U.S. goes to the Railroad Hobby Show in Massachusetts. The well-known Amherst Railroad Society sponsors this show, and it’s been meeting since the 1950s. What started as a small hobby club has turned into a sprawling 400,000-square-foot event.

National Train Show

The National Model Railroad Association organizes the National Train Show, one of the country's largest railroad hobby organizations. They’re holding the 2023 convention in the Dallas-Fort Worth area of Texas in August, so be sure to mark your calendars!

Rocky Mountain Train Show

Branded as the largest train show west of the Mississippi River, the Rocky Mountain Train Show is another huge event taking place in Denver, Colorado. Guests can expect to see amazing layouts from the hobby’s biggest vendors.

Holiday Train Show

The Holiday Train Show is a famous event in New York City. It’s been around for over three decades and features a dazzling array of holiday model trains. One of the highlights every year is seeing all the miniature layouts of New York’s famous landmarks. There are plenty of things to see and do for the whole family!

We hope you’ve enjoyed this list of railroad hobby shows for train enthusiasts to visit. If you cannot attend a show in your area, you can still access hundreds of HO scale locomotives and other supplies at Midwest Model Railroad. We carry all the major model train brands, including scenery and electrical supplies. Contact us today if you have any questions!