Our History: Building the Verdugo Valley Lines Since 1949
The story of the Glendale Model Railroad Society begins on April 4, 1949, when a group of dedicated model railroaders gathered in a local hobby shop with a shared dream: to build a permanent home for a detailed HO scale railroad. Within months, this passionate group located an abandoned building, purchased it, and moved it to a city-provided lot across from Fremont Park in Glendale. From these humble beginnings, the club built its first 15′ x 40′ layout—complete with hand-crafted scenery and intricate details.
That early work quickly gained attention. In 1956, film students from the University of Southern California produced a short motion picture about the layout called “Clickety Clack“, and in December 1960, Model Railroader magazine featured the club for a nationwide audience. The Verdugo Valley Lines was officially on the map.
Rebuilding From Disaster (1963–1968)
On April 4, 1963, exactly fourteen years after the club’s founding, tragedy struck: a devastating fire consumed the building and destroyed nearly everything inside. Years of craftsmanship and creativity were lost in a single night.
But the members were determined. Resourcefulness, grit, and the support of an insurance policy allowed the club to rebuild. By 1968, work had begun on a new—and far more ambitious—25′ x 40′ layout. This second-generation Verdugo Valley Lines incorporated:
- Over 3,000 feet of rail
- 400 feet of single-track mainline
- Three full classification yards
The railroad depicted the Southern Pacific line from Los Angeles to Bakersfield, crossing the rugged Tehachapi Mountains during the transition from steam to diesel in the mid-1950s.
To deepen the realism, two iconic elements of California railroading were added:
- A Pacific Electric interurban line, capturing L.A.’s famous “Big Red Cars”
- A branch running from Mojave to the Owens Valley, representing both standard- and narrow-gauge Southern Pacific operations of the era
Opening the Doors to the Public
On December 11, 1971, the public was invited to the first open house at the rebuilt layout—held alongside the reopening ceremony for Fremont Park. More scenery, more tracks, and more details followed, leading to a formal open house several years later.
Since then, generations of visitors have come through our doors to experience Southern California railroading in miniature.
The Digital Age Arrives (2012–2016)
As the world embraced the digital era, so too did model railroading. Digital Command Control (DCC) revolutionized the hobby by allowing multiple locomotives to run independently on the same track with realistic lighting and sound.
For years the club debated whether to tear out the existing layout and build something entirely new. Ultimately, in 2012, members decided instead to modernize the existing Verdugo Valley Lines, preserving decades of craftsmanship while bringing operations into the 21st century.
Key milestones included:
- June 2012: Final DC operation after more than 40 years
- September 2013: Narrow gauge and half the mainline converted to DCC
- November 2013: Public open houses resume
- Early 2016: Branch line and Owenyo transfer yard fully converted to DCC
With the conversion complete, operations became richer, more realistic, and more accessible for new members.
A Club That Keeps Moving Forward
Today, the Glendale Model Railroad Society continues to preserve and operate the Verdugo Valley Lines as a living, evolving tribute to Southern California railroading. Members maintain and improve the layout, research historical operations, and run monthly sessions that simulate real freight movement—picking up cars, delivering loads, and keeping the railroad running just like the real thing.
For more than 75 years, our members have worked together, learned together, and passed down their knowledge to future generations. We honor those who came before us by continuing the club’s tradition of craftsmanship, storytelling, and community.
The Glendale Model Railroad Society remains as active and passionate as ever—and we invite you to be part of our continuing story.
