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In the spring of 1955 the Penn State Model Railroad Club (PSMRRC) was founded and given space in room 19 in the new Hetzel Union Building (HUB).  The club was advised by  Charles Thornton with Glenn Van Winkle as the first acting officer.  The modest basement room proved to be more than adequate for the infant club.  Between 1955 and 1975 the club built 3 layouts in the room using HO scale trains – 1:87 in – while striving to recreate the feel of Pennsylvania railroading.  The University Park & Eastern railroad was established as the club railroad with a reference to Penn State.  In 1969, Dr. John Spychalski became the faculty advisor, a post he holds to this day.  

After 30 years in room 19 the club was asked to move in 1985.  The move required the dismantling of their current layout by offered more space in the new room S-5.  The club began construction on layout 4 in this space.  During this time, Pennrail was founded as another Penn State railroad this time with a reference to Conrail which served most of the northeastern US.  The club held open houses quite regularly and their location in the HUB offered good attendance from both students and visiting alumni.  It is hard to imagine how they fit over 700 people in room S-5 over the course of one weekend.  Then, in 1997 when the HUB was to be renovated, the club received word that they were to move out of room S-5.  With much sorrow layout 4 was dismantled This effectively ended the clubs’ use of the HUB for permanent layout space. 

After a few years of hardship in finding a new space, newly elected president Jeff Graybill worked with Dr. Spychalski and new advisors Bob Myrick and John Balogh to secure some unused space in the basement of Pinchot Hall.  This space is by far the largest the club has ever had and since fall of 2001 has been the location for layout 5.  Open Houses are generally held once a semester, the weekend before the last week of classes.  The club also returns to the HUB once a semester to participate in the Hot Spot in HUB Late Night to maintain awareness of railroading and attract new members.  As both the club and the HUB turn 50 this year, the current members of PSMRRC appreciate the years the club was allowed to use space in the HUB as those years helped to form the club we belong today.