The GADSDEN-PACIFIC TOY TRAIN OPERATING MUSEUM is a charitable, not-for-profit 501 (C) (3) corporation dedicated to the hobby of model railroading by providing the public with an interactive museum of operating toy train layouts, displays and exhibits.
Today’s museum started as a club of twenty-five individuals in 1980 and has grown steadily over the years to over 130 members. In 1988, the GPDTTOM first opened its doors to the public with the dedication of its O gauge layout in the Foothills Mall. The Foothills Mall facility contained a 19′ x 35′ display designed to accommodate three-rail O gauge equipment of all manufacturers. It also included an American Flyer S gauge layout. The HO gauge layout was the other major display. The G gauge and standard gauge layouts were displayed on a “bookshelf” type layout, mounted eight feet above the floor, running over 200 feet in length around the display room. The N gauge had a smaller layout in the corner. The museum in the Foothills Mall closed its doors in August, 1997. Construction of the museum’s new, 6000-square foot, wholly-owned facility began in January 1998, with building construction completed on August 28, 1998. Construction of new layouts and exhibits has progressed significantly ever since. Since then the museum has grown to include G gauge, standard gauge, S gauge, HO gauge, N gauge and Z gauge operational layouts throughout the display area. Visitors may operate the trains and accessories throughout the museum by pushing buttons located with the displays.
Our new building has provided us with the opportunity to have much larger layouts of all the popular model railroading scales, all at tabletop level to give visitors a better view of all trains.
Keeping the Trains RollingThe Gadsden Pacific has and will continue to meet many of its financial needs through donations and gift shop sales, but as we grow we must charge admission to sustain the museum and one day hire staff. With paid employees we may one day remain open several days each week. Meanwhile, our donation box is mounted on a mining car and features an N scale train that runs twice around its loop each time someone donates. Our gift shop features all sorts of toys and souvenirs, including trains! The museum volunteers greatly appreciate your generous donations and purchases.
The Gadsden Pacific Division Toy Train Operating Museum is never finished. It grows and changes every year as our volunteers imagine new miniature frontiers, tear down the old and create new or add to its wonder. We’ve collected a gallery of photos of the types of work we do inside and out.
