San Diego Model Railroad Museum

Founded in 1982 in Balboa Park’s Casa de Balboa, the San Diego Model Railroad Museum preserves railroading heritage through large-scale model layouts and has become the largest model railroad museum in North America. Its origins reach to the 1935 California Pacific International Exposition and the work of pioneer model railroader Minton Cronkhite, whose displays helped popularize the hobby and train travel. The museum’s galleries interpret California railroading through detailed layouts in several scales, including recreations of the San Diego and Arizona Eastern Railroad and Tehachapi Pass. Maintained by local nonprofit clubs, it also serves as a research center and community project devoted to California rail history.

San Diego, California · United States