Welcome aboard The HARM Switchlist, the monthly online bulletin of the Harford Associates for Railroad Modeling—where serious operations meet good company trackside. Each issue keeps members in the loop with a quick, friendly read: Pick-Ups looks back at the highlights and happenings from the past month, Set-Outs flags the upcoming sessions, events, and opportunities you won’t want to miss, and the YardMaster Report spotlights a member, organization, or manufacturer helping to keep the hobby rolling. Whether you’re here for the timetable precision or the coffee-and-conversation crew, grab your orders and let’s get to work.
Pick-Ups
Alan and Scott attended the Amherst Railroad Hobby Show the weekend of January 24. Due to the impending snowstorm, the weekend was cut short and they only attended the show on Saturday. Walking into the Amherst Railway Society Railroad Hobby Show for the first time was honestly overwhelming—in the best possible way. The sheer size of the show, packed with operating layouts, vendors, and crowds of enthusiastic modelers, made it feel like the Super Bowl of the hobby. They especially enjoyed seeing the different scales in action and talking with friendly exhibitors who were eager to share tips. It was a full day of inspiration, but it may be a few years before they venture back there again.
Running our T-Trak modules at the Great Scale Model Train Show in Timonium was a fun and rewarding experience. Bill M., Alan, and Scott handled the setup for the January 31–February 1 weekend, arranging the modules into an eye-catching T-shaped configuration that came together smoothly thanks to the modular design. Once trains started rolling, the layout drew a steady stream of interested visitors. It was especially enjoyable coordinating operations with fellow modelers and seeing how the combined modules created a seamless, lively railroad, leading to plenty of great conversations and new ideas for future setups. Many members also visited the train show over the weekend to gain inspiration for the various modular layouts or pickup supplies and equipment for their own model railroads.
Set-Outs
On Thursday, March 12, 2026, Scott W will be making a presentation to the Oxford Area Historical Association about the “Railroads of Oxford”. The presentation will be at 7 pm at the Ware Presbyterian Village (1162 Kensington Lane, Oxford, PA 19363) in the Auditorium at Vista Ridge Pavilion. Before the presentation, the Ware Village Model Railroad Club will be open at 6:30pm.
HARM is pleased to host the March 28, 2026 NMRA Mid-Eastern Region Chesapeake Division meeting at the Perryville Railroad Station and Museum. The program will feature presentations by members along with tours of local layouts, making it a great opportunity to share ideas and enjoy some outstanding modeling. If you’re interested in giving a presentation and/or opening your layout for the tour, please let us know—we’d love to include you in the day’s lineup. Doors open at 9:30am, meeting is 10am-noon, open houses from 1-4pm.
YardMaster Report
The National Model Railroad Association (NMRA) is the world’s leading organization dedicated to advancing the model railroading hobby through standards, education, and community. Founded in 1935, the NMRA develops widely used technical standards and recommended practices that help ensure equipment from different manufacturers works smoothly together. Beyond standards, the NMRA offers a wealth of resources including clinics, conventions, publications, and the respected Achievement Program that recognizes modeling skills.