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In This Issue
August Calendar
August Presentation
Surplus Equipment Sale - August 8
Saturday Mornings at Amherst
Chasing 4014
Member Picnic - September 19
Belt Lines - Fall Show Schedule
Z-scale railroad for sale
Member Discounts - Apollo, Steaming Tender
Railroad Hobby Show - January 30 & 31, 2027
Upcoming Shows & Events
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Bill Stephens @ Amherst
For many of us Trains Magazine is an integral part of our railroad interests. It keeps us abreast of North American freight and passenger railroads, industry trends, and regulatory developments.
On Wednesday, August 12, Trains editor, Bill Stephens, will discuss how the collaborative effort of writers, photographers, editors, illustrators, and designers come together to produce the magazine each month.
This presentation begins at 7:00 pm, and is open to the public.
MORE about Amherst monthly presentations.
| | Surplus Equipment Sale - August 8 | | |
The next Surplus Equipment Sale will be held at the Pioneer Valley Live Steamers In Southwick, Massachusetts. The event will begin at 9:00 am and run to 1:00 pm.
If you have railroad or model railroad equipment that you would like to sell at this event, contact John Sacerdote at: showdirector@amherstrail.org
In addition to the sales event, Pioneer Valley will have trains running.
Pioneer Valley Live Steamers is located at:
108 Hillside Road
Southwick, Massachusetts 01077
| | Saturday Mornings at Amherst | | |
The Amherst Railway Society is open to the public most Saturday mornings. It’s a time when members are working on a variety of projects on our property in Palmer, Massachusetts - model railroads, the garden railroad, as well as our building and grounds.
For visitors, it is a good opportunity to actually see who we are and what we do.
The Amherst Railway Society is somewhat unique in that we include many facets of the railroad hobbies - modeling, photography, history, and train rides. We are not just a model railroad club.
The Amherst Railway Society is located at 1130 South Main Street in Palmer, Massachusetts. The property is closed major holiday weekends, as well as weekends when we are sponsoring events at other locations.
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Amherst members Zack Lauzon, Nathen Louis, and Miles Stratton captured Union Pacific 4014 at Steamtown on the locomotive's eastern leg of the Coast-to-Coast Tour of America.
As we receive more photos, we will post them on the Amherst Railway Society website.
More photos.
| | Member Picnic - September 19 | | |
Save the date
The annual picnic for Amherst members and families will be held on Saturday, September 19 from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm on our property in Palmer, Massachusetts. We often say we work together, we play together. Well, this is a day to play together.
The picnic is a great opportunity to enjoy our garden railroad (possibly with live steam running) and the HO-scale railroads in our clubhouse. And we will have plenty of picnic foods and drinks as well.
The picnic is also a big Thank You to everyone in the organization that contributes time and effort to our success. The Amherst Railway Society is recognized throughout the country as one of the premier railroad hobby organizations. And that recognition is the direct result of the skills, experience, and energy of our members.
The Amherst Picnic is open to all active Amherst Railway Society members and their immediate family members. A separate invitation will be sent with RSVP instructions. We need an attendance count to order the correct amount of picnic supplies.
| | Belt Lines - Fall Show Schedule | | |
The Amherst Belt Lines modular railroad will be participating in the following model railroad shows this fall:
RailFair 2026
October 3 & 4, 2026
Boxboro, Massachusetts
Great New York State Model Train Fair
November 14 & 15, 2026
Syracuse, New York
New England Model Train Expo
December 5 & 6, 2026
Marlboro, Massachusetts
Additional events are scheduled for 2027.
Full Belt Lines show schedule
| | Z-scale Railroad - for sale | | |
The Amherst Railway Society if offering a complete Z-scale railroad for sale. The railroad is approximately 3’ x 6’ and includes structures, locomotives, and rolling stock. All scenery is complete. The railroad is DC powered.
This is an impressive, European-themed railroad.
Asking price is $4000 for non-ARS members, $2500 for ARS members.
If interested, contact John Sacerdote at: showdirector@amherstrail.org
More photos
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Amherst members are eligible for 10% discounts at two Palmer area restaurants - Apollos and the Steaming Tender.
To qualify, your membership must be current, and you must show your Amherst Railway Society membership card.
| | Railroad Hobby Show - January 30 & 31, 2027 | | NOTE: the July newsletter incorrectly listed two different weekends for the Great Falls Open House. The correct dates for the event are August 22 & 23, 2026 | | |
August 16, 2026
Concord Model Railroad Show
Concord, NH
efmenter@aol.com
August 22 & 23 2026
Superhero and Princess Day
Kennebunkport, ME
trolleymuseum.org
September 12, 2026
Railyard Tour Train
Adams, MA
info@berkshirescenicrailroad.org
September 12, 2026
Flying Yankee Open House
North Conway, NH
flyingyankee.org
September 20, 2026
Old Colony Model Train Show
Taunton, MA
rickcross749@gmail.com
More Shows and Events
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August 22, 2026
Flying Yankee Open House
North Conway, NH
flyingyankee.org
August 22 & 23 2026
Great Falls Open House
Auburn, ME
greatfallsmodelrrclub.org
September 12, 2026
New Haven Historical
New London, CT
nhrhta.org
September 19, 2026
Upper Valley Model Railroad Show
White River Junction, VT
cvrr.railfan.net/cvmrr
September 26, 2026
Southern New England Open House
Gardner, MA
facebook.com/SNEMRR
| | Bachman Trains is an Allied Member of the Amherst Railway Society | | Rapido is an Allied Member of the Amherst Railway Society | | Scale Trains is an Allied Member of the Amherst Railway Society | | |
Spring Creek Model Trains is an Allied Member of the Amherst Railway Society
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Trainworld is an Allied Member of the Amherst Railway Society
| | Trainz.com is an Allied Member of the Amherst Railway Society | | Virtual Railfan is an Allied Member of the Amherst Railway Society | | Women in Model Railroading is an Allied Member of the Amherst Railway Society | | The Eight & Sand newsletter is a regular publication of the Amherst Railway Society. To submit information for publication, contact Gregory Maas at: webmaster@amherstrail.org. | | |
Amherst Railway Society
1130 South Main Street
Palmer, Massachusetts 01069
The Amherst Railway Society is a 501c3 nonprofit corporation
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