Our Objectives
The purpose of the club is to enjoy model railroading and share our hobby with the general public. We are a dynamic group of modelers trying to raise the standard of modular railroading. Our goal is to become regionally and nationally recognized for our work.
Who We Are
The Colorado & Great Western Modular Railroad Club is a registered Colorado 501c(7) non-profit club. Our club members interests in the club are in building, maintains and operating a large portable modular HO scale model train layout that the club will exhibit 4-6 times a year at various model railroad events along the Colorado Front range and at select model railroad events regionally. All members of the club are volunteers and pay annual dues to help cover costs incurred by the non-profit club.
Our History
The Colorado & Great Western Modular Railroad Club was started in 1997 by four model railroaders who at the time were all members of Colorado Rail Link club at the time. The four were frustrated with the state of modular railroading. They felt that visual experience of modular railroading was missing continuity and a high level detail. They decided to start their own club and began planning the construction of modules that could be interconnected to form large operating layouts showcasing the visual continuity of modular display and operation they desired.
The group started work in spring of 1997 in a members garage building four corner modules as common club property in order to accommodate the various modules planned by the individual club members. The four next built their individual modules adhering to the tenant of visual continuity for the club’s first show the Great American Train Show in 1997 held at the National Western Stock Show complex in Denver, Colorado. Other members joined the club and additional modules quickly followed like the canyon, farm and city and the layout began to grow as the four founding members had hoped. Over the years we continued to add modules until we are able to display a layout in various configurations in excess of 20′ X 80′.
Club Growth Leads to Formalizing the Club
As the group expanded, we took steps to formalize our operations. Monthly club meetings and work sessions became regular occurrences. Club officers were elected, and a board of directors was established. During these meetings, we addressed club business matters, while the work sessions focused on constructing and maintaining our modules to the highest standards.
By 1999, two members had left the club due to disagreements about its direction and rapid growth. However, The two remaining weresteadfast, ensuring the club’s continuity. Our membership steadily grew, reaching nearly 20 individuals. We witnessed the creation of more individual modules and the addition of new club modules, including a cityscape and an expanded canyon section.
The End of the Golden Era
In the spring of 2002, we lost Bob Drake due to complications following a heart attack. Bob was the driving force and guiding light for all of us in the club. His paternal wisdom and mastery of model railroading served as an inspiration to everyone. Bob was the face of our club, and his impact cannot be overstated; even today, his legacy continues to shape our journey.
During the early days, when Mizell’s Trains was our hub, Bob personally recruited each member from his stool at the back of the store. Without Bob’s influence, it’s safe to say that the club would not have thrived. He brought his wealth of modeling experience to the table, establishing the ideals and modeling standards that the Colorado & Great Western still adheres to today. His vision emphasized showmanship, seamlessly blending scenic continuity with smooth train operation—a recipe for an exceptional model railroad experience.
Those who knew Bob can attest that he orchestrated it all from his perch at Mizell trains. As club members, we sorely miss his leadership, wise counsel, and friendship.
For many of us, Bob’s passing marked the end of an era—the golden days of the club. At the time of his passing, our membership had grown from the original four founders to nearly twenty. To honor Bob Drake’s legacy, Warren Mizell retired the cherished stool from the back of the store. Additionally, the club commissioned its first business car, using the HO scale Kato business car. Painted in club livery and named the “Robert Drake,” this car now graces our layout at shows, with a representation of Bob in his pilot’s uniform on the back platform.
2006 Best of Show – Nebraska West-Central Division
2012 Best of Show – Nebraska West-Central Division
Best of Show
We have only done the Nebraska West-Central Division show twice over the years (2006, 2012) and both times we’ve taken home best of show honors.
Westminster Mall
2006 marked a significant year of growth for our club. Our transportation needs prompted us to purchase a utility trailer using funds raised collectively by all our members. This trailer allowed us to transport our ever-expanding layout to train shows. Additionally, we secured a permanent club space within the old Champ Sports area at Westminster Mall. A fellow club member, whose landscaping company tended to the mall’s grounds, assisted us in this endeavor.
With our new permanent space at the mall, we experienced a surge in membership. Finally, we had a dedicated area to tackle several large projects. One of our major undertakings involved rewiring all the modules from dual DC/DCC wiring to a streamlined DCC system. We also constructed indoor yard modules, providing a stage for trains within our layout floor plan.
In 2008, we bid farewell to the last of our four founding members, who relocated to Virginia for a new job. His departure marked the end of an era, but his leadership had been a stabilizing force as our club continued to thrive.
Within our club space, we diligently worked on modules and maintained a small display in the front half of the store. On weekends, we opened this display to the public. Despite the changes, we remained committed to participating in train shows in the area.
However, rumors soon circulated that the City of Westminster had plans to redevelop the mall into a mixed-use city center for south Westminster. Over the next few years, we witnessed the mall’s decline as retailers were lured away, and their leases expired. At one point, we were the sole occupied storefront in the north wing of the mall.
In March 2012, mall management informed us that we needed to vacate our storefront, as the city had finally acquired the mall property. By early April 2012, our club had moved out of Westminster Mall. A few months later, the entire mall was demolished in the fall of that year.
All Aboard Colorado at the History Colorado Center
All Aboard Colorado, was an exhibit as a tribute to train travel and will showcase that featured the two Denver area model trains clubs that ran from June 2013 through Labor day weekend that summer at the History Colorado Center museum. The exhibit featured our 1,200-square-foot modular train display that is evocative of Colorado landscapes and scenery. Motorized trains will operate at specific times.
How It Happened
In the spring of 2013 the History Colorado Center approached the Platte Valley & Western Model Railroad Club (PV&W) who had just lost their permanent layout space in the basement of Union Station about the exhibit the museum was planning for the summer of 2013. The PV&W was in the middle packing up its thirty-year-old model-train layout in the basement of Union Station and was unable to use its layout for the exhibit. Chris Rand from the PV&W suggested reaching out to the Colorado & Great Western since we are a modular layout, one that can be taken down and set up elsewhere; Chris was also aware that we had just lost our space at the Westminster Mall. The opportunity for the clubs to jointly work together turned out to be a great partnership with the PV&W members helping with manpower on our layout at the History Colorado Center.
Work Sessions
