www.mudhens.org

We, the Mudhens, are a club promoting narrow gauge, modeled in HO scale.   Also known as the HO Modular Narrow Gauge Society, we are based in St. Louis MO, with members across the US.   Founded in the early 1980’s by Bob Rands of Micro Engineering, we built a modular layout featuring a single track mainline, with an emphasis on dramatic scenery.   Our members built modules that recreated some of their favorite locations, such as Doe River Gorge and Cranberry on the ET&WNC (“Tweetsie”), Red Mountain Town (Silverton RR), Rico (Rio Grande Southern), Alpine Tunnel (Denver, South Park and Pacific), Chama NM and Lake Junction (D&RGW), while others built modules of freelanced locations.

We enjoy showing the layout to the narrow gauge community and to the public, and have won numerous First Prizes in the modular layout category at the Great American Train Show.   We have taken the layout to seven National Narrow Gauge Conventions, including Cincinnati, Dearborn, Denver, Durango, and St. Louis. Our layout has also been featured in the July/August, 2006 issue of the "Narrow Gauge and Short Line Gazette".

We are building a new layout, and the old layout has been retired after nearly 25 years of service.   The new layout has many new and improved features, including DCC and a stable of sound-equipped Blackstone K-27 Mudhens.   We are excited about our future, and hope to have this layout ready for show soon.

Are you thinking about joining the Mudhens? Never modeled narrow gauge before? We welcome new members who have an interest in narrow gauge and would like to learn more. Some model railroading experience is preferred. We usually meet twice a month, at member’s homes. Please contact one of the members by email below to find out more.