The Northern Utah Division Story

In 1984 the first annual Model Railroad Exposition was presented to the public under the auspices of the Wasatch Division, NMRA.  The division was formed to promote the hobby of model railroading.

In 2013, the division changed its name to Northern Utah Division, NMRA.  Its continuing goal was to provide fun, fellowship, and learning for model railroaders regardless of their chosen scale.  It does this by monthly events where members can meet fellow model railroad and railroad enthusiasts, socialize, discuss the latest events being held along the Wasatch Front, and participate in various clinics to learn new skills.

The Division sponsors Layout Tours whereby one can visit a myriad of home layouts to see what other modelers have accomplished and get inspiration and ideas to incorporate on their own railroad empires no matter how large of small. Another bonus has been the Division Operation Group (DOGs)  that was invited to join some of the premier operating layouts in the area and learn how to run trains in a prototypical manner, opening up a new and fascinating aspect of the hobby.  Some of the members of the DOGs have since been invited to join the regular operating crews.

The Division encourages members to take part in the National Model Railroad Association’s Achievement Program, starting with the Golden Spike Award all the way to attaining the status of Master Model Railroader (MMR).  You can learn more about the Achievement Program here.

The Division maintains a library of books, magazines, and DVDs that are available for checkout by members to facilitate learning new skills and entertainment. The Division hosts the premier hands-on train show along the Wasatch Front, the Intermountain Train Expo usually held the first weekend in November each year. The Division also participates in other Train Shows in the Region, notably those held in Kanab UT, Ely NV, Thanksgiving Point, and Ogden.

The Division also sponsors the Pizza Box Layout Railroad Club.  The club offers instruction and materials to students from 5 to 100 years of age so they can build a 2’ x 2’ model railroad diorama.  The classes are offered the second Saturday of the month in the South Salt Lake Valley area and _____ in the Orem area.  Participants get an opportunity to display their remarkable efforts at the local Train Shows as well as in national publications.  The club has gained recognition at the National level and being promoted to all Regions and Divisions through the auspices of the National Model Railroad Association.

The Division also has many areas whereby one can become more involved with the hobby through volunteer positions.