The Western Pennsylvania Model Railroad Museum features two railroads, the Baltimore & Ohio and the Mon Valley, which represents the Western Maryland and other Pittsburgh area railroads. This huge HO scale layout, 40 by 100 feet, is built and maintained by 65 volunteers. In fact the members of the museum even built their own building in 1985 and now rely upon open houses during the Christmas season to help pay the bills.

The Museum began as an HO club in 1938. Later it became an historical society and finally a model railroad museum. The Museum now works to portray the history of railroading and Pittsburgh in the 1950s when steam and steel were kings.

The layout models the area from Pittsburgh to Cumberland, Maryland in July of 1952. Much of the area between towns is condensed and freelanced; however, the towns are modeled from pictures, blueprints and track diagrams. So each town or city is modeled as accurately as possible. The scenery and structures are beautifully done while remaining true to the prototype.

You will enjoy seeing how the group makes natural trees, temporary place-holding buildings, sedimentary rock from ceiling tiles, and Pittsburgh Bridges. You will also learn how to keep your track clean with a special car.

The Western Pennsylvania Model Railroad Museum’s Mon Valley is a Great Model Railroad because it promotes the hobby to the general public, captures the gritty feeling of the Pittsburgh area in the 1950s, and gives its members and visitors a way to reminisce about their local history.