About the Amherst Railway Society
The Beginning
The Amherst Railway Society was formed in the mid-1950s by a small group of University of Massachusetts students and faculty members who shared a common interest in railroads. The group held regular meetings to share railroad knowledge, photographs, and stories.
Railroad Hobby Show
In the early 1960s, the group started a railroad themed “bring & buy” swap meet on the university campus, and it was an instant success. Over the next few years, the group moved to increasingly larger floor space, added railroad and model railroad vendors to the meet, and built a small modular model railroad for display.
In 1982, the university space the group normally used for the swap meet was unavailable because of building renovations. So the fledgling group decided to take a risk and move the swap meet to the New England Building at the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield, Massachusetts.
The show ended up being a huge success – and that was the start of the Railroad Hobby Show as we know it today.
The annual Railroad Hobby Show now occupies four buildings at the Eastern States Exposition, draws 25,000 people, and is one of the most respected railroad shows in the country.
Northeast Large Scale Train Show
With over 50 years of experience running the Railroad Hobby Show, Amherst is adding a Large Scale show in April, 2023. The Northeast Large Scale Train Show provides an opportunity for S-scale, O-scale, G-scale, and larger scale modelers to exhibit their work, learn about new products, and enjoy the company of other Large Scale modelers.
The Large Scale show is held at the Eastern Sates Expostion fairgrounds in West Springfield, Massachusetts.
Amherst Belt Lines
The Amherst Belt Lines is the Amherst Railway Society's HO-scale modular railroad system. Members learn the intricacies of modular model railroading, and display their handiwork at six or seven shows each year, including a large layout at the Railroad Hobby Show.
Through the Belt Lines, Amherst Railway Society members build and strengthen friendships, support other railroad groups, and promote model railroading to the general public.
Philanthropy
As the Railroad Hobby Show grew, and the revenue with it, the now not-so-small group of rail enthusiasts realized that they could be supporting the efforts of other railroad-focused organizations. In 1991, the Amherst Railway Society put on a philanthropic hat and started the annual grants program.
In the years since, the Railway Society has donated $814,373 to railroad preservation and restoration projects all over the United States.
Meetings
The Amherst Railway Society holds regular meetings and presentations at our clubhouse in Palmer, Massachusetts. Meetings feature slide shows, historical information, and presentations on a wide variety of railroad related and model railroad related topics.
Meetings are open to the public.
Community
We are a group of railroad enthusiasts. If you like railroads the way we like railroads, the Amherst Railway Society gives you a place to expand your knowledge, make new friends, and simply do what you like doing best.
Our Vision Statement
The Amherst Railway Society exists to give as many people as possible the opportunity to experience and learn from the railroad and model railroad hobbies. Because - we believe that enthusiasm for railroads and model railroads makes a positive difference in people’s lives.
- it builds community
- it excites learning
- it unleashes creativity
- it teaches important technical skills
Our Mission Statement
The Amherst Railway Society is a community that promotes the knowledge, awareness, and passion for railroads and railroading, past, present and future including the hobbies that surround them.
Our Culture Statement
The Amherst Railway Society is a hybrid group of railroad hobbyists. We are modelers, photographers, train riders, historians, and more.
We are all of those things - an inclusive organization that values diversity, equality, and a willingness to work together to promote the hobbies of railroading.
All of our varied railroad interests and experiences contribute to a fascinating, collaborative, energetic group of people that learn from each other, support each other, and just plain have fun together.
Notes about the three statements:
Our “Vision Statement” is the future, where we are headed, the desired long term results of our efforts (that’s why it is listed first). A vision statement reveals what an organization most hopes to be and achieve in the long term. A vision statement should serve as our organization’s guiding light -it is the over-arching, umbrella statement under which the mission and culture statements reside.
Our “Mission Statement” is akin to a business plan. It is a statement of what we are trying to do as an organization.
Our “Culture Statement” is a compilation of our organization's mission values, traditions and beliefs. Our culture statement guides our management team and members in their actions, priorities, and decisions toward that mission statement.
All three statements are “baked” into the Amherst Railway Society. They serve as guard rails as we make decisions and work on projects.