Autumn Open House — Columbia Gorge Model Railroad Historical Society

The Columbia Gorge Model Railroad Historical Society, a Portland club, opens its HO scale model of the Columbia Gorge and surrounding areas to the public each autumn. The society says it holds its annual open house as an opportunity to support the club financially while keeping the hobby accessible.

The layout includes a miniature of Portland as it appeared in the early 1950s, with streetcars and a working model of the Steel Bridge; the Oregon Trunk Line, following coal trains from Bend to Troutdale; and the Hood River Lumber Company, a recreation of a 1950s logging railroad and mill.

The society's building is in Northeast Portland near the Moda Center. The open house runs on weekends and uses timed entry.

The society's HO scale layout of the Columbia Gorge and surrounding areas, including Portland in the early 1950s, the Oregon Trunk Line and the Hood River Lumber Company. Entry is by timed ticket, which the society uses to control how many visitors are in the room. Guided VIP tours of about an hour take visitors behind the scenes of the club before general admission opens.

Columbia Gorge Model Railroad Club, 2505 North Vancouver Avenue, Portland, Oregon, in Northeast Portland near the Moda Center. Limited on-site parking, including accessible spaces and a bike rack, plus curbside parking in the neighborhood; the building is also reached by bus routes 4 and 44. Buy a ticket for the time you plan to visit: the society enforces the timed entry. Children under 3 are free. Group bookings go through contact@cgmrhs.org.