One of Enid’s little secrets is that we have a Model Railroading Club. I found this out a few months when I was trying to figure out what direction I wanted to go when I started looking into the world of Model railroads. My son and grandsons got me interested at a show in Oklahoma City.
The club goes by the name Cherokee Strip Model Railroad Association, a non-profit organization looking to introduce kids and young adults to model railroading. The CSMRA partners Operation Lifesaver, promoting railroad crossing Safety. Conveniently they are just to the west of the Railroad Museum of Oklahoma, 702 North Washington Street, Enid, OK. 73701. They call their building The Round Top. Not because it has a three-ring circus in it but rather the top is kind of round. While operating the trains inside you can actually hear and even watch as the real trains go by just outside their door.
Inside the round top they have an HO scale track layout of over 7400 square feet and over 800 lineal feet of railroad. They are not smalltime by any stretch of the imagination. Their model train mainline collection has over 100s of locomotives’ including both steam power and diesel generated. These locomotives pull an impressive amount of various freight cars, tanker cars, and auto car carriers just to name a few.
The old days of toy trains only going forward or reverse in an oval circle are long gone. They are now digitalized, computerized and even miniaturized. Some can still be controlled by a single arm controller like the one I grew up with in the sixties. More elaborate ones can be controlled by a cell phone running multiple trains on the same tracks at the same time, and without massive, (but miniaturized) collisions.
All members are allowed to bring their personal trains and run them on the layout. They always help each other setup trains on the layout, improving the looks of the layout and working on the trains themselves.
Guests are always invited to observe and any questions are gladly answered. Kids can go on a scavenger hunt and win a prize.
The club is always looking for new members to join. We are also looking for help from our patrons in the form of donations. This is how we keep the trains running and the lights on. Please feel free to help us stay active and giving Enid something fun to do. If you’d like to help you can send your tax-deductible donation to PO Box: 43 Enid, OK 73702. We also have advertisings options available. We have visitors from all over the state and near by states. We have become a destination for many tourists.
 For more information you can contact the Cherokee Strip Model Railroad Association at CSMRATRAINS@GMAIL.COM. Easier yet just stop by and check us out. We would love to see you and answer any questions you might have.
