Apple Valley Model Railroad Display
650 Maple St.
Hendersonville, NC
28792
Wednesdays 1:00pm-3:00pm
Saturdays 10:00am-2:00pm
Free parking on the streets and FREE admission to Visitors.
The Apple Valley Model Railroad Club is one of the Top Tourist destinations in Western North Carolina. Our HO layout is located inside the Historic 1902 Hendersonville, N.C. Railroad Depot. It occupies an area of 22’x100’ and has a Western North Carolina setting. Our main yard is Asheville, N.C. where mainline trains run south to Spartanburg, S.C. and east to Spencer, N.C. At Hickory, N.C., the Carolina and Northwestern railroad departs to an upper level through Lenoir and Mortimer and joins with the W.M. Ritter logging railroad at Edgemont. Our G Scale All-Weather Layout is located outside behind the Depot.
We use a Digital Command Control (DCC) radio system to control the railroads. The tall mountainous scenery has view blocks that makes it necessary for operators to actually walk around and follow their trains as they progress thru the layout. Track signals are installed to help members safely operate their trains.
The scenery is complete but the railroad still requires added details to enhance the overall effect. Visitors can expect to see a wide variety of locomotives and rolling stock as the club has a large collection of equipment. Members also bring their own equipment to run as well.
There are many aspects of model railroading that involve operation of the railroad and the model trains in a manner that very nearly replicates prototype operations. Many model railroaders today, including some of our members, are particularly interested in this aspect of the hobby. Once a month we conduct prototypical operating sessions.
The club is located in the 1902 Hendersonville depot by the former Southern Rwy route through the famous Saluda Grade on active tracks now used by shortline Blue Ridge Southern RR. Around the corner are a bakery, coffee shop, pizza place, restaurants, ice cream shop, coffee shop and two micro-breweries. We are only a few blocks from downtown Hendersonville.
The historic 7th Ave District was the primary commercial area of Hendersonville in its early years.