BYMRR stands for Building Your Model Railroad and that is exactly what we have been helping people do since we first launched back in 2008. We started as an informational tutorial website, one of the most comprehensive guides on the internet for building a model railroad layout from scratch. Over time, that passion for sharing knowledge grew into a full store, carrying the very products we had always been recommending to fellow hobbyists.
Today, BYMRR is both a trusted online store and a free educational resource for model railroaders of all ages and all scales.
We sell handpicked model railroad products, from locomotives and rolling stock to track, scenery, structures, and DCC electronics. Every product in our catalog is selected with real hobbyists in mind. We are not just moving inventory. We know what it takes to build a layout because we have been doing it for decades.
Our online store is organized into easy-to-browse collections so you can find what you need quickly, whether you are just starting out or adding the finishing details to a large layout. We also offer:
The BYMRR website at has over 200 pages of free tutorials, tips, and techniques covering every aspect of the hobby. From designing your first track plan and laying benchwork, to advanced wiring, lighting effects, scenery building, and special effects like fake fire and sound. Whether you are a beginner picking up your first starter set or an experienced builder looking for new ideas, there is something here for you at every level.
We also offer AI-generated trackplans to help you design a layout that fits your space and goals before you buy a single piece of track.
We have a physical store inside the Model Railroad Museum of Hampton Roads, located on the second floor of MacArthur Center Mall in Norfolk, Virginia. You can browse starter train sets, locomotives, railcars, and track across most major scales, and see real operating layouts up close while you are there.
The Museum itself is a nonprofit organization open to the entire family, and admission is always free. We also run hands-on STEM classes at the Museum at least once or twice a month, giving younger visitors a structured, fun way to learn science and engineering through model railroading. If you are ever in the Hampton Roads or Tidewater area, come in and say hello.
BYMRR is family-owned and family-oriented. We are not a big-box retailer. We are hobbyists who built a resource we wished had existed when we started out. We care about this community, and that shows up in how we run things. We make regular donations and contributions to the Museum and to the local Norfolk community because we genuinely believe in what it stands for.
The brands we carry, including Bachmann, Lionel, Atlas, KATO, Athearn, Walthers, Woodland Scenics, Micro-Trains, and Accurail, are brands we trust and use ourselves.
If you are new to the hobby, start with our free beginner guides at our resource website. If you are ready to buy, browse the full store at bymrr.store. And if you want to stay in the loop on new products, tips, and exclusive discounts, sign up for our newsletter. We are here to help you build something worth being proud of. Happy Railroading!