October Newsletter

October 24 & 25, 2026

THEY'RE BACK!! - Track or Treat Halloween train rides.

Saturday, October 24 - Springfield to Hartford and return.

Sunday, October 25 - Hartford to Springfield and return.

Details and Tickets

In This Issue

Track or Treat - October 24 & 25

October Calendar

Belt Lines @ Boxboro - October 3 & 4

Railroad Hobby Show - preview: Ringling at the Railroad Hobby Show

Amherst Garden Railroad - update

Railroad Hobby Show - January 30 & 31, 2027 - advertising options

Member Discounts - Apollo, Steaming Tender

Upcoming Shows & Events

This Month

October 3 - Belt Lines @ Boxboro

October 4 - Belt Lines @ Boxboro

October 10 - Work Day & Kids ON TRACK

October 14 - October Presentation

October 17 - Work Day & Kids ON TRACK

October 21 - Board of Directors

October 24 - Work Day & Kids ON TRACK

October 31 - Work Day & Kids ON TRACK

Full Calendar

Belt Lines @ Boxboro

The Amherst Belt Lines will have a large modular model railroad running at Railfair 2026 in Boxborough, Massachusetts on October 3 & 4.

This is a big show with a variety of operating model railroads and a good selection of exhibitors offering a wide variety of model railroad products.

The Belt Lines crew will begin setup on Friday afternoon, October 2.

If you would like to participate in this Belt Lines event, contact the modular coordinators at: AmherstBeltLines@amherstrail.org.

Full Belt Lines show schedule

Railroad Hobby Show - preview

Ringling - at the Railroad Hobby Show

The Ringling Brothers circus trains were American icons. Institutions, really. Trains that we thought would always be there - until they weren’t. The passing of these long silver and red trains has left an immense void in this nation’s cultural landscape.

However, one man, John Rezuke, has meticulously recreated the thrill of the Ringling Brothers trains, in HO-scale. And, John’s train will be running at the 2027 Railroad Hobby Show, on the Dry Hill Model Railroad in the Mallary Building.

Amherst Garden Railroad - update

It's Autumn in New England, and the Amherst Garden Railroad never looked better.

Railroad Hobby Show - January 30 & 31, 2027

Railroad Hobby Show - advertising options

The audience for the 2027 Railroad Hobby Show is expected to be in excess of 25,000 visitors. To reach this audience, exhibitors have three advertising options.

• Print ads in the 28-page Show Guide

• Static ads on the monitors in the Better Living Center and Mallary buildings.

• Video ads on the monitors in the Better Living Center and Mallary buildings.

Ad specs and pricing information can be found HERE.

To reserve ad space for the 2027 show, contact Meaghan Royce at: showoffice@amherstrial.org.

For questions about ad specs, contact Greg Maas at: webmaster@amherstrail.org.

Member Discounts

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.

Upcoming Shows & Events

October 3 & 4, 2026

Railfair 2026

Boxboro, MA

nvrra.com

October 24, 2026

Flying Yankee Open House

North Conway, NH

flyingyankee.org

November 7, 2026

470 Club excursion

North Conway, NH

conwayscenic.com/excursions/470-club-excursion

November 27, 28, 29, 2026

ExTRAINaganza

Auburn, ME

greatfallsmodelrrclub.org

More Shows and Events

October 17, 2026

Great Falls Train Show

Auburn, ME

greatfallsmodelrailroadclub.org

October 31, 2026

Great Northern New England Train Show

Dover Elks – Dover, NH

efmenter@aol.com – 603-363-4300

November 7, 2026

Madnock Railroad Train Show

Peterborough, NH

larrycmpmonadnock1@gmail.com

November 21 & 22, 2026

ExTRAINaganza

Auburn, ME

greatfallsmodelrrclub.org

November 29, 2026

Upper Valley Model Railroad Show

White River Junction, VT

cvrr.railfan.net/cvmrr

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

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