Pasadena Model Railroad Club

This club is amazing.
If you are a parent of a youngster, this is a wonderful, eye-​opening, jaw-​dropping experience. The guys will talk to you and answer questions. There are stools for the youngsters to use, and there is plenty to see!
I expected to be in and out in less than 30 minutes, I stayed for almost 2 hours. My 2 yr old son was so amazed and entertained — frankly — so was I!
I love this place — thank you for showing me a hidden gem of LA!

Worth a visit! One of the largest in the world and over 70 years old! Take the kids! It’s great!

No words can express how amazing this place is. Came for the $ 3 Open House. One does not need to be interested in trains or train models to appreciate this incredible place.

Being from Los Angeles, I don’t think there’s a lot that really surprises me. I was definitely speechless at how whimsical and innocent this place is. This place was opened in 1980 and you can see the delicate care these people have given over the years to expand. You walk in and there is a row of men operating the main electrical line of this model railroad world. There are multiple sections affectionately named by all the letters of the alphabet from Alhambra to Zion. There are men on the floor attending to their sections. And if you’re lucky you’ll have one of them point out the details you would never have caught like the few Star Wars characters scattered throughout such as the stormtrooper or sand personal figurines. I really enjoyed the various trains that have evolved throughout history represented here from the steam engine to our very own Los Angeles Metrolink. Tucked in a section of Los Angeles you would never have a reason to go through, it’s definitely a hidden gem.

I came for the $ 3 open house where they open their doors to interlopers like me for a few days, twice a year. They are very friendly to visitors and encourage joining regardless of model train experience. Their members come from LA County and beyond — largely because a layout this big is rare. They are not really located in Pasadena, but really close to Alhambra in a somewhat scary neighborhood at night.
The Railroad Club is cool because they have a huge a 70×70 foot layout with wires and switches galore. But they have so many members running trains, it’s too congested and the trains are constantly stopping. The layout has suffered a bit from track overgrowth where it is covered with rails. The San Diego Railroad Museum has a better balance between landscape and track. It’s still an impressive setup and was worth seeing.

If you are into trains or have a little one that is, you definitely need to visit the Pasadena Model Railroad Club. They are only open on Tuesdays and Saturdays unless it is during their Open House which is held in May and November.
Their building houses a 5000 square ft. HO model railroad with over 30,000 feet of hand-​laid track, none of that out of the box stuff! All eras are represented, including steam, diesel, Amtrack, passenger, freight, etc, etc. Some of the trains you can see operated are over 30 ft. long!
This place is definitely one of the hidden gems of Los Angeles. You gotta see this even if you are not a train enthusiast. Cool place to bring out-​of-​towners too.