Advancing
Model Railroading
in Texas and Louisiana
Our Mission
The Lone Star Region of the NMRA exists to promote the hobby of model railroading. We strive to educate the public about model railroading and encourage its growth throughout our area, which includes most of the states of Texas and Louisiana.
As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and part of the worldwide National Model Railroad Association community, we help modelers learn, connect, and enjoy “the world’s greatest hobby.”
Whether you’re new to model railroading or a longtime modeler, we’re here to support you.
Latest News
- Welcome to our new website! It’s still a work in progress with more (old and new) content on the way – including our first region-wide event calendar. We hope you enjoy it and find it useful.
- Registration is now open for the 2026 Lone Star Region Convention, which will be held in Austin, Texas, June 18-21, 2026. Check out all the details at connections2026.com.
- The latest issue of The Marker Lamp is now online! Read all about the 2025 Convention, learn about building benchwork, visit the San Antonio Model Railroad Association, and more.
How to Get Involved
1
Find Some Friends
The LSR is divided into Divisions, where all the action happens. Find your Division and see first-hand what NMRA membership is all about.
2
Join the NMRA
Membership in the NMRA has dozens of benefits, including discounts, education, and special events. Join today!
3
Stay in the Know
The LSR sends updates about events and publishes a quarterly magazine online, the Marker Lamp. Sign up for our email list to get notified.
2026 Convention
Join us in Austin, Texas for the 2026 Lone Star Region NMRA Convention. Events begin on Thursday, June 18, 2026, at 2:00 pm—so don’t be late! Visit the website at connections2026.com to see how the convention is taking shape, including two brand-new tours, the return of the silent auction, and all your longtime favorites. With 50 clinic slots, dozens of layouts to tour and operate, a fantastic contest room, and more, this is shaping up to be one of our best conventions yet. Register today and save with early bird pricing!
Read the Latest
Marker Lamp
The September 2025 issue of The Marker Lamp is now available online, featuring these topics and more:
- Recap of the 2025 Convention
- Weights for Wooden Freight Cars
- Building Benchwork
- The San Antonio Model Railroad Association
Recent Contest Winners
Click here to view some of the contest winners from the 2025 LSR NMRA Convention, which was held in Baton Rouge. View outstanding models ranging from full trains, to photographs, to buildings (like the Best in Show winner, the Circle J Country Store, by Russell Gifford, shown above).
Get Started in Model Railroading
Model Railroading is Fun!
It truly is the world’s best hobby, with something for everyone, including model-building, electronics, woodworking, animation, creating scenery, 3D printing, doing historical research, operating trains, and more. Don’t worry if you don’t want to do it all, you can easily find your niche. Learn more about the hobby here.
Learn the Basics
Ready to jump in but not sure where to start? The NMRA has a great Beginner’s Guide to help with that. There’s also a great beginner’s column in The Marker Lamp.
Keep Advancing
There are plenty of other educational resources available as well, including the NMRA Achievement Program and the NMRA YouTube channel featuring NMRAx. The LSR also hosts dozens of clinics here on our website on a wide array of topics.
