The Philadelphia Inquirer featured GATSME in the November 29th issue with a full length feature article covering our club history and virtues of model railroading.  Here is a link to the article: http://www.philly.com/philly/news/local/78008182.html .  Also included with the web article is a short video featuring various scenes throughout the layout and many of our members from juniors to honoraries.
 
Sadly, the article discusses that our space is in jeopardy due to our landlord’s (Upper Dublin Township) desire to sell the property.  We are actively working with Upper Dublin to come up with a plan to keep the club. They have been very supportive but they need to cut their costs as pertaining to the building complex of which GATSME is a part.  We understand this and are working with the Township to help each other out.  Over the many years GATSME has rented space from Upper Dublin Township, they have been very supportive and they are continuing their support by bending over backwards to discuss solutions for the property.

On Saturday April 17, 2010 we will hold our Seventh Annual Invitational Ops Session.

Here are photos from the 2009 session. Maybe this year, YOU can join us!

Click to go to our Ops page for more information.

The club was originally formed in 1951 by James Greener of Glenside. The club used his layout until a larger place was found in Oreland. The club occupied the basement under a Garden Store, Camping Outfitter, and multiple Pizza shops. In 1974, we got the itch to expand and decided to find bigger quarters and found the current location in Ft. Washington. We moved in 1975 and started to fix up the room while various track plans were reviewed. After a plan was approved, we started building the current layout in January 1976. Our first show in Ft. Washington was December 1976. It was very spartan plywood central, but we thought it was necessary due to the large moving expenditures. And the rest is, as they say, history!

GATSME is a transition era RR. We run steam and first generation diesels and model 1953. Early diesels and late steam is encouraged for the operating theme. During the yearly open house, you may see SD70MAC's running too!

The track and switches are hand made codes 100, 83, 70, and 55!

The club is now 100% DCC by Digitrax. We completely removed the DC throttles and are now DC free.

The Railroad runs from Collinwood and Ashtabula in the west, to Northumberland and Harrisburg in the east. The Lehigh & Susquehanna branch comes off the Great Lakes & Eastern main line at Susquehanna Junction.

The scene on the right is at Ralston on our Lehigh & Susquehanna branch line.

In the picture at right, they are on the code 83 main track. Also on the branch, you can find codes 70 and 55.

Other connections are with the Sheffield and Tionesta Narrow gauge RR connecting at Cedar Haven and Marsh Hill.

Another connection is with the Susquehanna & New York at Marsh Hill.