The Alameda County Central Railroad Society maintains two layouts (HO and O scale) at the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton, California.

The club is operates public shows during events at the fairgrounds but is open to visitors most Friday evenings.
 

The Bay Area Garden Railway Society is one of the oldest and largest regional garden railway clubs in the nation. The club aims to help new garden railroaders find the help they need. The membership includes all types of garden railroaders, from families with young children and people just starting out in the hobby, to nationally recognized hobbyists and modelers that enjoy sharing their knowledge and enthusiasm.

Members can participate in  monthly (April-Nov.) open house tours of backyard railroads throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, an annual summer picnic and our annual meeting at features speakers, clinics, swap meet and more.

The Bay Area NTRAK Model Railroad Club is a N Scale (1:160) modular railway club, with both a travelling and a permanent layout. This is the oldest NTrak club in the San Francisco Bay Area and follows the NTRAK Modular Railroading Standards, and models any era or road . All are welcome in the club and on the layouts. 

The club's permanent layout occupies the western half  (the side with the freight doors) of the old Southern Pacific Depot located at 900 Loring Ave., Crockett CA.  Crockett is on the south side of the Carquinez Strait in the East Bay. The Depot is in front of the C & H Sugar plant.

The Black Diamond Lines is an HO Scale model railroad that was started in 1986 and features DC and DCC operation. The club opens and operates for the public two weekends a year, but interested visitors are welcome on work nights through the year. The club also supports an ongoing youth program.

The California Central Coast is one of the most active On30 model railroad groups in the state. They have one simple goal – To have fun operating our On30 modular railroad and sharing that fun with as many people as they can. The railroad is freelanced and set in 'central' California during the early part of the 1900’s.

The Carquinez Model Railroad Society originated in Vallejo in 1976 and relocated to their current home in Crockett in 2005. The club owns the historic IOOF building originally built in 1897, and occupies the second floor.

The HO Scale railroad is modelled after the Southern Pacific from Oakland, CA to Sparks, NV. The DCC operated railway fills the 36 foot by 60 foot main layout room plus an additional room that houses the south helix of the multi-level layout.

The Carquinez Toy Train Museum (CTTOM) is the only O Gauge Three Rail permanent layout that is open to the public in the greater Bay Area. Starting in 2011, a dedicated group of toy train enthusiasts started CTTOM with the main purpose of promoting a hands-on appreciation and better understanding of the hobby, history, and operation of toy trains while maintaining and teaching a high standard of craftsmanship.

The Museum is located in the Odd Fellows Building at 645 Loring Avenue, Crocket, California. The upper room, which is approximately 40' x 40', will house the Semi-Hi Rail layout. When completed, the display will feature the latest toy train technology and will allow members and visitors to run several three-rail trains, new and old. Train operation also will employ wireless, hand-held cabs. Future displays will focus on the heritage of toy trains.

The Coastal Valley Lines Model Railroad Club of Sonoma County, LTD (CVL) is an informal association of novice-to-expert model railroaders from the Sonoma County, California area. The club operates a HO modular railroad at public and private events, and also gathers for clinics, work sessions and regular monthly meetings.

The Diablo Pacific Short Line (DPSL) operates a portable, “large scale” (garden railways, G scale) module model railroad. The DPSL exhibits an average of 12 times each year, often as corollary activities to museum or community functions. The exhibits occur in outdoor and indoor spaces, typically attracting a few hundred to thousands of fans each day. These exhibitions are held throughout the greater San Francisco Bay Area and surrounding communities.

The purposes of the DPSL are to promote the hobby of model railroading and to educate the public regarding the importance of railroads, railroad history, and train safety. DPSL provides education to members in a variety of woodworking, electrical, and scenic techniques in the construction of modules and other hobby projects. The DPSL encourages participation and observation by young children through those of senior age.

The Golden Gate American Flyer Club is group of American Flyer enthusiasts from all parts of the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. The purpose of the club is to promote interest, fellowship and cooperation among persons interested in any facet of American Flyer S Gauge Model Railroading, including collecting or operating.  

Meetings are generally held on Friday evenings or Saturday afternoons at the homes of our members, and provide a chance to visit and enjoy the layouts of fellow members.  Meetings usually feature a silent auction or raffle and an informal "show & tell" session which enables members to share interesting items with their fellow collectors. The club also have members which display modules at various train shows in Northern California.  

The Golden Gate Lionel Railroad Club was formed to promote, operate, and enjoy 3-rail O-gauge trains. The club meets twice a month at different location in the Bay Area. The club also operates a large modular layout displayed at Bay Area train shows and train events. Membership is open to anyone with an interest in 3-rail O-gauge trains of any era, condition, type, or manufacture.

The Golden State Model Railroad Museum operates model railroads in three different scales O scale (1:48), HO scale (1:87) and N scale (1:160) in their 10,000 square foot facility. April throught November, trains operate every Sunday, from 12-5,  the museum and gift shop also open Saturdays  

The Golden State Toy Train Operators is a group of Toy Train enthusiasts and volunteers based roughly in San Jose. They do public events with our modular O-Gauge (Lionel size) layout, using Lionel FasTrack which means we are very flexible in adapting to the size of a venue. Our modules were recently used at the car show in Los Altos Hills and have been featured at the Museum of Art and History in Santa Cruz for a week long Toy Train event over the Christmas Holiday. We find that Kids of all ages really enjoy our interactive trains and layout. Our club is about 40 years old, has about 50 members and, as our mission statement says, "Bring the Joy of Toy Trains to the public."

The San Leandro Historical Railway Society (SLHRS) is housed in the historic Southern Pacific Railroad San Leandro depot which was built in 1898. In 1988, the depot was relocated it's present site in ThrasherPark and construction began on two model railways. Inside the depot is a large HO Scale layout, outside the depot is a G & O scale garden railway.

SLRHS is open to the visitors Tuesday evenings and Saturday Mornings, and there are scheduled open house dates where the trains will be operating.

The South Bay Historical Railroad Society (SBHRS) was incorporated in 1985 to preserve the local area railroad heritage. Located in the historic Santa Clara (Caltrain) Depot in Santa Clara, California built in 1863. Members are volunteers and work on the renovation and preservation of the Santa Clara Railroad Depot, the Santa Clara Tower and the two maintenance-of-way buildings. A large and varied collection of historic railroad artifacts is on display in the Edward Peterman Museum of Railroad History located in the Depot.

Within the Depot are two operational HO and N scale model railroad layout displays depicting various railroad eras and operations venues. Constant work by our members on these layouts provide an ever changing panorama, giving our visitors and members a better understanding of the different aspects of model railroading.

Home of the Diablo Valley Lines a 30' x 50' HO scale railway located in Larkey Park in Walnut Creek. The railroad features standard and narrow gauge railroads, along with operating street car and interurban lines.