Our Mission
The Carquinez Model Railroad Society Mission Statement:
1. Educate the public, particularly children, about railroad history, safety and the art of modeling.
2. Protect and restore to a sound and beautiful state, our historic and culturally significant building, the former International Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF) Hall, a City of Crockett icon and landmark since 1897.
3. Create a working, state-of-the-art HO scale model of the Southern Pacific/Union Pacific main line between Oakland, California and Sparks, Nevada.
Our Story
A Capsule History of the Carquinez Model Railroad Society
The Carquinez Model Railroad Society is a nonprofit 501 C3 organization that is incorporated under the laws of the state of California. The club originated in Vallejo in 1976 at the Solano County Fairgrounds. When the County Fairgrounds Association wanted to redevelop the fairgrounds in 2004, the club was unable to secure a new location at the fairgrounds and it began to search for a new home. The club found that the Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF) hall in Crockett, CA was available (the IOOF having ceased operations at the location in 2004) and in May of 2005, the club signed a five year lease with the IOOF. The Vallejo layout was demolished and the name was changed to “Carquinez Model Railroad Society.”
The club’s new home was originally built in 1897 as a two story building including the main hall on the second floor which houses the layout. Due to the IOOF’s success, an addition consisting of the rear half of the second floor and a third floor was added to the rear of the building in 1927. This addition explains the unique and multiple external door locations!
The layout room is 36 x 60 feet plus an additional room that houses the south helix. There is a total of 2,330 sq feet of layout space.
In 2011, the club purchased the building from the IOOF with assistance from the Crockett Community Fund. The club completed payment of the mortgage in early 2021.
Our Board and Key Staff
Current Board
President: Ron Lehmer
Vice President: James Kelly
Treasurer: Jack Gillespie
Secretary: Steve Huffstetter
Building Manager: Robert Lopez
Director at Large: Jim Willcox
General Superintendent: Shawn Teller
Key Staff
Track and Benchwork Superintendent: James Bullock
Electrical Superintendent: Ron Lehmer
Operations Superintendent: Liam Hart
Scenery Superintendent: Don Trinque
Rolling Stock Superintendent: John Rubin