Hi my name is Matt. I was looking for a Model RR Club in the Central Florida area (the Orlando/Kissimmee/Lakeland area). I have looked on the internet (including the list on this site) and sent inquiring email to some but with no response. The frustrating thing about looking for these on the internet is that a lot of the links are outdated from 2001 and the sites don't work or their is no linked site at all.
Anyone from Florida have an updated list? A little background on myself and my skill level (or lack thereof)
I am relocating my family (myself, my wife and nearly 2 year old daughter) to Davenport Florida from the suburbs of Detroit Michigan in the next month. I tinkered with a layout briefly about a year ago but set it aside when I began planning the move. I was also a little discouraged because while I LOVE TRAINS and I am utterly fascinated by model trains, I have no knowledge of the electricity know how to property wire my layout. I also don't have the craftsmen skills to build the great platforms for the layouts I see at shows and in magazines. With no one to really work with me or show a beginner the right way to do things, I sort of set it aside. Now that I am starting new in the sunshine state, I'd like to meet up with some like mind people and get some much needed skills!
Thanks!
Matt, welcome to The Sunshine State.
There's a great HO scale club in Winter Park called The Orlando Society of Model Railroaders (OSMR). They have a great modern era layout with over 6 scale miles of mainline and numerous industries; I visit them every time I travel to Orlando. I recommend that you contact their president, Paul Sartori at 407-207-5790 for more information. OSMR is located at 7208 Aloma Ave. which is east of SR 436 between Forsyth and Goldenrod Roads. Take the driveway to the rear and left between McAbee Vet and Tangerine Professional Center.
Here's a link to their web page:
http://osmr.netfirms.com/
I hope you find this information useful.
Cheers
Ted M.
got trains?™
See my photos at: http://tedmarshall.rrpicturearchives.net/
I live near Lakeland but am an O Scaler so no club. For H O not too far from Davenport look up the club in Lake Wales . They are working on a pike located in the former freight station. A little farther away is a club layout in a former school in Plant City.
I am a member of the OSMRR and the information given is correct except that the veternary clinic was closed and the site now has an Auto-Zone parts store.
There is another HO club in Orlando on the west side of town. The best place to get information about local clubs would be Colonial Photo & Hobby near the intersection of S.R. 50 and U.S. 17/92 a little east of downtown Orlando. They have a pretty good train department.
Here's the link to their website:
http://www.centralfloridarailroadmodelers.org/CFRRM_Website_2010/Home_Page/Home.htm
Rick