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A Unique Museum
for All Ages and All Gauges

We are continuing to make progress in construction of multiple layouts. We should be ready to open in the Spring. We have had lots of visitors coming in on the weekends to see what we are doing. Many are interested in the electronics and how the scenery is created. We love to show them how we do it. In fact, watching how the railroads are built may be the most interesting part of what we do for some people. Nevertheless, the enjoyment of the finished product will be spectacular. I'm excited about showing it off.

It sometimes takes years for model railroaders to build the layout of their dreams in their homes. They work on it in their spare time and most of them never really "finish" it, since they continue to add details and sometimes change a scene now and then. We are currently building multiple large layouts within a period of about three months, which will be remarkable if we can accomplish it. But like most model railroads, they won't be completely finished. We will always be adding to them and changing scenes, improving the automation and electronics, building better bridges and structures. So there will always be something new to see.

Please come in and visit whenever you can. Admission is free. Donations are welcome, but not solicited. We have wheelchair access. And we love to talk to our visitors and let them know what we are doing. Our hours are 12-6 on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Early construction of the N scale model railroad in the Model Railroad Museum of Hampton Roads.

Legos Coming Soon to our Museum

Exciting News: We are partnering with Legos! They will soon be setting up a display of Lego trains inside our Museum. I can't tell you exactly when yet but hopefully by the time we have our Grand Opening in the Spring. We can't wait!

Educational Programs and School Tours

We will be collaborating with local schools and will be hosting tours for school children soon after we open in the Spring. We plan to schedule these tours every Wednesday. School teachers who have visited the Museum are excited to hear about this and many have already agreed to participate. 

Our STEM/STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) Program will begin soon after that. We have received permission from the University of Illinois to use their program for children from K through 12. Our STEAM Educator, Greg Leiphart, is very familiar with the program. He is serving as our Director of Education and is making preparations for this now.

If you or your child might be interested in this program, please let us know. You can sign up on the website at MRMHR.org, or just call 757-816-8399.

Model Railroad Museum Library

We have an extensive library with many references related to railroads and model railroading, including books, magazines, photographs, computer programs and DVDs. This will be open to anyone wishing to do some research for anything from school book reports, to finding information about a prototype railroad you would like to model. We now have a librarian who has volunteered to help us organize our library so it will become easier to find items of interest.

The Birth of Virginia Beach Part 17: The Wreck of the USS Huron Part 2
By Warren Leister, Historian {Author’s notes are in brackets and italics}

  From an article in the Norfolk Virginian on November, 28, 1877 titled “Why was the Huron Lost?,” “Our exchanges, from all parts of the country come to us laden with regrets for the loss of the Huron and speculations as to its cause. The blame for the departure of the vessel is laid by some at the door of the Department at Washington from whence the order for sailing proceeded; by permitting the vessel to go to sea in such a storm; and others still think the Captain of the vessel should have delayed her departure on his own responsibility.”

  “With knowing what the rule or practice in the Navy is in such matters it does seem to us that every officer who is deemed worthy of a commission should be allowed and expected to exercise a discretion for which he should be held responsible to his superior officer.”

  “The Commanding General, on the eve of battle, issues his general orders for the fight, but he does not expect his subordinates to carry them out under all circumstances. They must obey them or give a good reason why they disobeyed them, that is all. And so the Commander of a vessel who receives an order today, to sail a day next week, should be expected to sail, unless he can show a reason why it was improper for him to do so. But if when the sailing day comes, he can not safely start his ship, the regulation, if there is any, which requires him to do so at the peril of his ship or his men except in case of overwhelming emergency, is both wicked and absurd.”

  “In the case of the Huron it would seem that Captain Ryan, being in the presence of his commanding officer, in Hampton Roads, if in doubt as to the propriety of sailing, should have referred the matter to Admiral Trenchard, and upon such reference the Admiral might well have taken the responsibility of delaying his departure.”

  “At the same time it is due to both these officers to say that the statements of the survivors clearly show that the loss of the Huron was not the necessary of direct consequence of her sailing. If her course had been a proper one the gale would not have harmed her. She was all right until she struck on the shoal from which she should have been 30 or 40 miles distant. If her officers had not been misled as to her course, there would have been no disaster. Whether the mistake was an error or unaccountable accident we shall probably never know, The reputation of her captain and chief officers, as sailors of unquestioned skill and ability, pleads with much force in behalf of the more charitable expansion.”

  From the Richmond Dispatch published the same day as the last article was an item date lined at Fortress Monroe the day before. {there wasn’t yet a Navy base in Norfolk at Sewell’s Point in this time frame so Fortress Monroe or Fort Monroe as it is now known was the major Navy staging place in Hampton Roads} It read “In regard to the sailing of the Huron on Friday last in the face of a storm, it is stated that on Friday morning Admiral Trenchard signaled to Captain Ryan, inquiring if his draughtsman had arrived, and being answered in the affirmative, replied: ‘You can to go sea when you choose.’ A day later in the same publication there was a follow on to the previous message that stated that the Admiral’s message to the Captain left the question of sailing to the Commander’s discretion. Naval men will understand better than we whether the Admiral should or should not have ordered him not to sail. Certainly, with the then disturbance of the sea and the storm signals out, the Huron should have remained in the Roads.”

  “Then, it seems to us that with the well known dangers on the North Carolina coast the Huron should have been steered off into the ocean sufficiently far out to avoid the danger of that coast. But the Huron hugged the coast, so that under the darkness of the foggy night she found herself suddenly amidst the breakers {waves breaking as they approach a shoal such as a shallow area of water or the coastal beach itself}. It is reported that the ship’s compass was out of order, and this may excuse the commander for running too near the coast. Nevertheless, the loss of the vessel under the circumstances is an additional warning against running near enough to the coast to endanger the vessel from such accidents. Poor {Captain} Ryan was a martyr partly to an indiscretion and partly to a defective compass {and not having a suitable Plan B backup compass or other navigation aid upon which to rely}; but his fate should be a lesson to his professional brothers {as in lessons learned in today’s parlance}. It is inexcusable, where there is no necessity for it, to send a vessel out of a safe harbor in bad weather to encounter the perils of the Virginia and North Carolina coast. Certainly, however, when a vessel does go out at such a time it should strike for the ‘open ocean,’ where it would be safe from a dangerous shore when the wind is driving upon it.”
  Also cited in the Norfolk Virginian dated November 29, 1877 derived from an interview with Admiral Trenchard where he stated:”There were no {specific} indications of a storm when the Huron left. We have no {telegraph} signal station at Hampton Roads, where one is so needed, the nearest station being Norfolk. If cautionary signals were seen at Cape Henry it is not generally customary for vessels to put back {return to the harbor}. Commander Truxton of the navy yard expressed his inability to account for the disaster, and spoke in high terms of the officers of the Huron. He {also} said that there should be a signal station in Hampton Roads. It was a great harbor for vessels, and it was a great error that no station exists at that point.” 

  In a letter published December 10, 1877 in the Richmond Dispatch and other newspapers datelined Norfolk, December 8, 1877, in defense of Captain W. T. Truxtun and his handling of the Huron disaster and the aid that was rendered, Marshall Jr. wrote “The commandant of the United States navy yard at Norfolk {Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth, Va.}, Captain W. T. Truxtun, United States Navy, did all that he could to rescue the survivors and bring up the dead bodies of those who perished in the Huron. I offered my services to the Secretary of the Navy, by telegraph, to aid the commandant of the navy yard, to send down through the inland navigation via the Albemarle and Chesapeake canal. He directed the commandant to accept my services. Captain Truxton having informed me, I requested him to have a surgeon, provisions, and clothing, and an officer to accompany me; which he provided, and we left the navy yard at 8 p. m. Saturday, reaching the wreck at 12 Midnight on Sunday. All the survivors were cared for and brought back to the Norfolk navy yard on Monday, with all the dead that had appeared on the beach before we left, eight in number, who were landed at the naval hospital and buried with proper military honors. In the meantime orders were received from the Secretary of the Navy to send down an officer with a guard of marines to patrol the beach; to bury bodies taking care to mark them so that any friend could get them. This was done, and both officers and men were attended to. The guard is still there. Parties who came down were not willing to wait the mail boat that makes semi-weekly trips to that country, but chartered boats at heavy expense to go there. Of course, the commandant of the yard had no authority to get burial caskets for the dead, neither could he have a boat to that country all hours of the day. He did what he could do under lawful authority. If he had sent steam launches to that country we should probably had to record another loss of life, as they are not suitable to cross the Albemarle Sound except in fair weather. Captain Guthrie, superintendent of the life saving station, lost his life in attempting to land thirty six hours after the Huron went ashore. Signed Marshall Parks, President of the Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal Company, Norfolk.”

  From the Raleigh News and Observer on December 15, 1877 titled “Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal,” “Donn Piatt in a recent letter to the Cincinnati Enquirer says the Huron disaster has developed the fact heretofore unknown to the country, and of course neglected by the Government, that from Chesapeake Bay to the south end of Pamlico Sound there is an island sea and river navigation now open to vessels of not over five hundred tons, by which all the dangers of Cape Hatteras can be avoided. An expenditure of a hundred thousand dollars on the part of the Government in dredging a few channels would open this route to vessels of the heavier tonnage. And following the line of rivers and sounds connecting with them the Gulf of Mexico can be reached. The advantages of be gained are great in the way of trade, but the important fact is that with this improvement a long line of dangerous coast could be guarded by iron-clads that are found not to be seaworthy torpedoes, and the safe cheap transportation of troops, provisions, and materials of war provided and so escape the heavy expenditure of costly fortifications for which we have no guns, and a navy for which we have no money, nor, I appears, brain or honesty.”

  “We sincerely hope that the attention of the Congress as well as ‘the country’ will be attracted to this development, and that measures will be inaugurated to take advantage of the facilities offered the Federal Government for inland navigation in Eastern Carolina. They are unquestionably of national importance as will some day be found out.”



End of Part 17

This concludes “Birth of Virginia Beach Part 17”

Train Song of the Month

The City Of New Orleans

Song by Arlo Guthrie 1972

https://youtu.be/fF1lqEQFVUo?si=1q12j_EgbMXpyJaX

Other notable versions:
Steve Goodman 1970
Judy Collins 1975

“City of New Orleans" is a country folk song written by Steve Goodman  (and first recorded for Goodman's self-titled 1971 album), describing a train ride from Chicago to New Orleans on the Illinois Central Railroad’s City of New Orleans in bittersweet and nostalgic terms.

The City of New Orleans train was first initiated by the Illinois Central Railroad in 1947 as a daytime complement to the Panama Limited, a night train dating back to 1911.  In 1971 both routes conveyed to Amtrak which retained only the Panama Limited.  In 1981, Amtrak revived the City of New Orleans name for the train, still on an overnight schedule, on the heels of the popular song.

Arlo Davy Guthrie (born July 10, 1947) is an American folk singer-songwriter.  He is known for singing songs of protest against social injustice, and storytelling while performing songs, following the tradition of his father, Woodie Guthrie. 

Video of the Month...

A Family Railroad

Advertising in the Museum Newsletter and/or Website

Our museum is dedicated to preserving and promoting the love of model railroading, attracting enthusiasts, families, and visitors from across the region. If you believe that your business would be a good fit for our audience, we’d love to help you reach more potential customers by providing advertising for you.

We offer three affordable annual advertising packages including

Priority 1:

✅ Full-page ad in our monthly newsletter (distributed to hobbyists, museum members, and visitors)
✅ Full page ad placement on our website (viewed by train enthusiasts across the region)
✅ 8” x 11” poster advertisement displayed prominently in our museum

✅ Your brochures or business cards available for pick-up by visitors in the Museum

✅ A scaled Billboard advertisement displayed prominently on all of our layouts in the Museum. (G, O, HO and N Scale)

Cost: $365 per year

__________________

Priority 2:

✅ Half-page ad in our monthly newsletter (distributed to hobbyists, museum members, and visitors)
✅ Half-page ad placement on our website (viewed by train enthusiasts across the region)
✅ A scaled Billboard advertisement displayed prominently on one of our layouts in the Museum. (G, O, or HO scale.)

✅ Your brochures or business cards available for pick-up by visitors in the Museum.

Cost: $180 per year

___________________

Priority 3:

✅ Business card size ad in our monthly newsletter (distributed to hobbyists, museum members, and visitors)
✅ Business card size ad placement on our website (viewed by train enthusiasts across the region)
✅ Your brochures or business cards available for pick-up by visitors in the Museum.

Cost: $60 per year

____________________

This is a fantastic opportunity to showcase your business to a highly engaged audience of model railroaders and collectors. If you're interested, please reach out to us at secretary@mrmhr.org, or 757-816-8399. We’d be happy to discuss the details and help design an ad that best represents your business.

Thank You!

Thank you for reading Making Tracks. Come and visit us at MacArthur Center, second floor, directly below the Regal Cinema.

We're open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays 12-6pm while we are building the Museum.

Volunteer

(Endorsed advertisement)

Welcome to

New Tracks Modeling!

New Tracks Modeling is an exciting digital opportunity to obtain mentoring to help you improve your modeling.  You will meet talented modelers and manufacturers from all over the world who will share their model building expertise and artistic advice.  New Tracks Modeling is open to all modelers of all skill levels in any scale or gauge.

Our Shows are live every Wednesday evening at 7pm Eastern/4pm Western on Zoom and YouTube. By subscribing to our website newtracksmodeling.com you’ll receive email notices containing links to both the Zoom and YouTube presentations.

New Tracks Modeling Mentoring Scholarship

Your donation will help to provide scholarships for model railroaders who are HS graduates and continuing their education in a STEAM field.Your generosity is greatly appreciated!

To donate click on this link.

https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/038439bf-a552-44e2-9b46-ef54aaa0e274

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The Model Railroad Museum of Hampton Roads will be a fantastic community center based on running, operating and even building your own model railroads! There's something for every age here.

Learn about the real history of this area and how important it was in the building of America. Watch how railroads were built, the people involved, where America's roots were formed. 

As they build their own railroads, students will be learning about science, electronics,  architecture, technology, engineering, mathematics, and the art of 3 dimensional model landscaping. They can earn rewards for completing projects and winning contests.

Try to solve yardmaster problems on a switching layout like getting the lumber from the forest to the furniture store, by way of the saw mill and the lumber yard.

Run your train around blockades and other trains to get to the station on time without speeding or crashing.

Play railroad monopoly using model railroads. Winner is the one who can collect the most cars into his yard within an hour.

There will be programs for autistic and special needs kids, disabled adults and veterans.

School tours. Holiday Shows. Library and video rooms. Scouts are welcome. Even youngsters will have their own wooden models to enjoy. Classrooms and hands-on clinics for adults. Learn how to get started in the hobby. Or just enjoy the fun.

Everybody loves trains and this will prove it!  Just click on the either the blue or the yellow DONATE button below to make it happen... 

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