The Baltimore Society of Model Engineers
Roundhouse on the former O scale layout at Saratoga Street
The Baltimore Society of Model Engineers consists of volunteer members who share a passion for all forms of model railroading. The BSME constructs and operates model railroad layouts in O (1/48) scale and HO (1/87) scale. We have discussions of railroad history, model construction techniques, and current railroad events. The discussions can be impromptu, a formal educational clinic, or video presentation. Topics vary, from discussing local industrial railroads such as the Patapsco and Back Rivers to how to model rust on freight cars. The BSME was formed in 1932 by a group interested in the fledgling hobby of model railroading. We are the second oldest modeling society in the United States. We build model railroad displays for the purpose of demonstrating railroad operations and their role in society.
Educational aspects
The model railroading hobby offers many different areas of specialization. A group allows a larger layout to be built and “completed” because of the talents of many. Building operational displays provide many avenues to develop skills and apply STE(A)M concepts. Carpentry is needed to build the physical support for the layouts, i.e. the base board. Electrical knowledge is applied in the wiring of the power control systems to the track and control panels. Digital electronics and mechanical engineering is found in the creation of animations, lighting effects for structures, and automation of the trains. Math skills are used to scale a structure from full size dimensions to a model being built. Civil engineer comes into play with planning the routes the trains will take or modeling a real world (prototype) area. We have the luxury of adding the scenery: grades, rocks, mountains, and rivers after planning and building the route. Making scenes or equipment realistic looking and logical is where artistic techniques can be applied and learned. Historical research is another aspect as some members model specific railroads that have been gone for decades. Additionally demonstrating railroad operations to the public to convey the importance of railroads to our society.
Our Mission
Providing an educational resource to the community and STE(A)M educators, through building active displays of railroad operations. The construction and operation of model railroads encompasses many skills, from carpentry through the construction of display layout platforms, building scale structures to technical nature of programming the digital command control systems. The artistry of creating realistic scenery for the model trains to run though is another part of our mission. We strive to provide a model railroading experience that educates, inspires, and brings joy to all. For details about the organizations 90 plus year history check our About page.
The organization
The BSME is a 501(c)(3) IRS registered tax deductible charity providing an educational benefit to the community. Monetary donations are greatly appreciated in helping build a new permanent location, multiple world class layouts in many of the popular modeling scales, and provide access to our rich research library. You can donate via PayPal (https://paypal.me/bsme), through our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/baltotrains/), or Venmo (https://account.venmo.com/u/baltotrains). Please consider adding a couple extra bucks to cover credit card processing fees so we may put the full amount of your donation to work. We also accept donations of equipment and railroad related memorabilia, but please contact us first.
Give us a shout if you would like to join us in developing skills, sharing knowledge, and planning the future of our organization. We meet most every Friday night via Google Meet to share our projects, get advice, and watch videos from our very own curated lists. See our contact page to reach out with questions, complements, complaints and whatever train related stuff you wish to share.