NE Large Scale Train Show
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Attending the Festival

Plan Your Visit

There’s a lot to do at the Festival. This page will help you make your visit a memorable experience.

Show Hours

Saturday 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Sunday 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Please register upon arrival and pick up your show lanyard

Admission

All Ages There is no admission charge for the Festival. However, registration is required. Please register in advance if you plan to attend. While there is no admission charge, donations are appreciated to help offset costs of sponsoring this event.
Register Online

Venue & Directions

The Amherst Railway Society - 1305 South Main Street, Palmer, MA 01057

Check-in

When you arrive at the Festival, please check-in at the Information Desk.

 

Here, you will be given a lanyard and name tag that will identify you as a Festival attendee. The lanyard is your “ticket” to the various events occurring throughout the weekend.

Daily Schedule of Events

Tentative Festival Schedule


Saturday - 9:00 am to 9:00 pm

Operating Sessions - Amherst Garden Railroad - raised tracks, garden level tracks

Making Trains Fun - hands-on clinics for children 15 & under

Graham Central Railroad - 7.25 gauge railroad
Pioneer Valley Railroad - 7.25 gauge railroad

Garden Railroad Tours

White Elephant Table

Festival Raffle Table

 

Sunday - 10:00 am to 2:00 pm

Operating Sessions - Amherst Garden Railroad - raised tracks, garden level tracks

Making Trains Fun - hands-on clinics for children 15 & under

Graham Central Railroad - 7.25 gauge railroad
Pioneer Valley Railroad - 7.25 gauge railroad
Waukashum Live Steamers - 7.25 gauge railroad

Garden Railroad Tours

White Elephant Table

Festival Raffle Table

Hotel Accommodations

Palmer area hotels

 

Trainmasters Inn

Parking & Shuttle Service

There is limited parking on the Amherst Railway Society property. However, there is additional parking across the street. 

The Steaming Tender

The Steaming Tender is a landmark Massachusetts restaurant located in the 19th-century Boston & Albany/New York Central Palmer railroad station. Rail enthusiasts from around the world make it a point to find their way to this unique restaurant.

Amtrak, CSX, Mass Central, and New England Central trains pass the station on a daily basis.

Operating Sessions

The Outdoor Railway Festival is a chance to run a train - ours or yours - on the G-scale Amherst Garden Railroad. Operating sessions are planned for all three days of the fetival. An operating sechedule will be available at the Information Desk.

The Amherst garden has a large section of raised tracks primarily for live steam operations, as well as ground level tracks.

If you have G-scale locomotives or cars that you would like to operate, you are welcome to do so. All tracks in the Amherst garden are dead-rail, so battery power or steam will be need to run your train.

Clinics

Making Trains Fun

A special hands-on clinic for children 15 and under. Two clinics on Saturday, and two more on Sunday.

Making Trains Fun will be held in the upper level of the Amherst Building.

Riding Railroads

Three 7 1/4 gauge railroads are part of the Festival. These are trains you can ride.

Graham Central Railroad

Pioneer Valley Live Steamers

Waushakum Live Steamers

Directions and a schedule for all three railroads will be available at the Infnormation Desk.

Garden Railroad Tours

Self-guided tours of area garden railroads are available all three days of the Festival.

Directions to each railroad, and hours of operation are available at the Information Desk.

Palmer area Railroads

Four railroads run through Palmer: Amtrak, CSX, Mass Central, and New England Central.

All are visible from the Steaming Tender restaurant.