HISTORY

The Brazos Valley Railroad Society (BVRS) was formed in February 1993 and construction of 4-foot modular tables began at that time.   Two months later, the first set of 12 tables was constructed and connected together.   By June 1993 the tracks were powered up and trains began running.   The modeling theme of the layout was the Brazosport area.   At this time the modular tables were stored at members' homes and brought to meetings and assembled together to run trains.  

In January 1994 the Club (BVRS) transported the layout to a Great American Train Show in Houston.   The Club layout won Second Place in the show.  

In March 1994 the Club layout was displayed at the Brazoria County Historical Museum in Angleton.  

In June 1994 the Club moved into an empty storefront at 518 Plantation Blvd in a shopping center in Lake Jackson.   The layout had its first home, with additional space for a museum.   After three months of construction and repairs, the club held a grand opening on September 17, 1994.  

In September 2002 the Club moved to a different storefront unit the same shopping center in Lake Jackson, 452 Plantation Blvd.   In 2006 the layout was converted from DC block control to digital computer control with three power districts.  

In April 2007 the Club lost the use of the storefront in Lake Jackson and moved the layout and museum items into storage space provided by the Lions Club in Brazoria.   In September 2007 the Club began refurbishing the old library room in the Principal's wing of the old elementary school in Brazoria.   The space is part of the Brazoria Heritage Foundation (BHF) facility on Smith Street in Brazoria.   The room renovation came to an end when new carpeting was installed and the Club began to move items from storage into the new space.  

When the Club moved the layout tables from storage into the new space, during May 2008, the table legs were lengthened by 10 inches to raise the table to an overall height 41.5 inches.   The table legs and frames were painted black before reassembly to the original 28'x12' size.   In November 2008 the layout was lengthened by two feet and widened by one foot.   The new table additions were added to provide clearance for a proposed wye at the east end of the Angleton yard scene.  

The Club held its first public opening in the new space as part of the BHF Christmas Festival on December 6, 2008.