The Denver HO Model Railroad Club, Inc., is one of the oldest and largest model railroad clubs in the Rocky Mountains. The Club is housed in the lower level of the Colorado Railroad Museum, 17155 W. 44th Ave., Golden, Colorado 80402. To view a map of our location and obtain directions click on this MapQuest^® link. The layout features HO, HOn3 and traction, which replicates the various types of Colorado mountain railroading.

The Club began in 1947 by meeting in private homes of members. About 1948, the Club obtained space in an unused coal room in the basement of the Izet Building. In 1950 the Club was forced to move due to remodeling of the building. We relocated to the basement of the Mayan Theater, where we remained for 13 years. But in 1963 we again had to find a new home. For three years the Club met in members' basements until we found our current home at the Colorado Railroad Museum.

We have been in the Colorado Railroad Museum's lower level since February 1968. From February to June of 1968, we remodeled the room and built the replica of the side of passenger car to wall off the railroad layout while allowing visitors unlimited viewing opportunities. Our first benchwork was started in June of 1968. Approximately 4,000 work-hours per year are represented here.

Click on trackplan below for a larger image.

Even though the trackplan shown above is not completely accurate, it still provides a good representation of the Club's general arrangement. Click Track Diagrams for town/yard track configurations. Placer Yard is currently undergoing reconstruction; the configuration shown on the Track Diagrams page is current (as of 1/21/08), but may not be final. The layout has been configured to operate either with DCC or DC. A Digitrax DCC system is used with both wired and wireless controllers. Although DC operations are possible, all regularly scheduled operating sessions use DCC control.

Thanks to a coin box, visitors to the Museum can always get to see a train run for a mere 25¢ donation, even when no members are present. The coin-operated train only runs on the front portion of the layout. Another 25¢ coin box allows visitors to operate the Amusement Park with all of its rides.

To learn more about the club you can click on the cover below to read the article about us that appeared in the December 1990 issue of Model Railroading magazine. The article is presented here with permission, and you are free to download and/or print the article for your personal use. If you choose to download the file rather than just view it online, please be advised that it is a large file...2.76 MB, so it will take some time depending on your connection speed. (Adobe^® Reader^® 5.0 or later required.)