About / Club History
The Galveston County Model Railroad Club started meeting in 1989 in the Galveston Railroad Museum. During those early years the club did not have free reign to spaces afforded them by the museum so shortly thereafter they looked for a home to occupy. They found an affordable home in the declining days of the Galvez Mall.
In 1991 the Railroad club started building a modular railroad. Modular railroads consist of components that are joined together to make a larger layout. Each module is normally two feet wide and four feet long. One club member can usually work on a module in their own home. Once the module is working properly it’s joined to other club modules to run a complete layout.
The club stayed in the Galvez Mall until it closed in late 1995. As the Railroad club looked for a new space they heard about the old JC Penny building in Texas City. The Texas City Museum was on the first floor of the JC Penny building; however the second floor was not in use. As things worked in the club’s favor they were able to occupy the second floor if they would just clean up the mess on the second floor!
The second floor was a mess after JC Penney left. Over a period of years the club completely renovated the second floor by picking up pins and needles used for apparel, tearing down walls and putting up new walls, cleaning and shampooing carpets, installing a drop ceiling, installing electrics for proper code, installing new lights, painting, and many more enhancements.
The club has been located on the second floor of the old JC Penny building... now the beautiful newly refurbished Texas City Museum since 1996. The Galveston County Railroad Club has the largest operating model railroad in South East Texas running in over 5,000 square feet.
They operate many different scales: Z, N, HO, O, and G. The club operates both DC and DCC trains.
In 1991 the Railroad club started building a modular railroad. Modular railroads consist of components that are joined together to make a larger layout. Each module is normally two feet wide and four feet long. One club member can usually work on a module in their own home. Once the module is working properly it’s joined to other club modules to run a complete layout.
The club stayed in the Galvez Mall until it closed in late 1995. As the Railroad club looked for a new space they heard about the old JC Penny building in Texas City. The Texas City Museum was on the first floor of the JC Penny building; however the second floor was not in use. As things worked in the club’s favor they were able to occupy the second floor if they would just clean up the mess on the second floor!
The second floor was a mess after JC Penney left. Over a period of years the club completely renovated the second floor by picking up pins and needles used for apparel, tearing down walls and putting up new walls, cleaning and shampooing carpets, installing a drop ceiling, installing electrics for proper code, installing new lights, painting, and many more enhancements.
The club has been located on the second floor of the old JC Penny building... now the beautiful newly refurbished Texas City Museum since 1996. The Galveston County Railroad Club has the largest operating model railroad in South East Texas running in over 5,000 square feet.
They operate many different scales: Z, N, HO, O, and G. The club operates both DC and DCC trains.
