The G.S.M.E was founded in 1969 by a small group of model railroad enthusiasts in the Batavia, NY area. Early meetings were held at the homes of members. As the club grew, a location was needed for meetings and construction of club layouts. This requirement was met in the early 1980’s by renting the upper floor of a bank in the Village of Oakfield, NY. This location still serves as home to the G.S
.M.E., which now has three operating model railroads in O scale (3-rail), HO scale, and N scale. The club was incorporated in the State of New York in 1979 as a not-for-profit entity. Activities of the society range from layout construction to social events such as field trips, a summer picnic, an open house, and a holiday party. Members have use of an extensive book, magazine and video library including over 350 videos and DVD’s. Each year two train shows are held to financially support our various projects. These shows, now known as The Great Batavia Train Shows, have grown to become the largest model train shows in the Western NY region. The shows have run continuously for over 25 years, and in 2004 we celebrated our 50th train show. Today, the society’s membership is comprised of individuals from six counties who share interests including photography, railroad history, and railfanning in addition to railroad modeling. Membership is currently open, and those interested are invited to visit and learn more about the G.S.M.E.
