The following article first appeared in the October 2024 issue of NMRA Magazine. The NMRA Magazine is published monthly by the National Model Railroad Association and is one of the many benefits of membership.

THE PIEDMONT PILGRIMAGE

by Scott Dunlap

In the autumn of 2002, Piedmont Division Superintendent Bob McIntyre had an idea while traveling around his hometown of Philadelphia. Model railroaders in southeastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey, northwest Maryland, and Delaware had been hosting annual open houses since 1967. He attended one of the open houses and thought, why don’t we do this?

So, Bob, Howard Goodwin, the Division’s director of operations, and others organized the Piedmont Pilgrimage, an “annual tour of Atlanta’s great model railroads.” It would take place in November to coincide with National Model Railroad Month, be free of charge, and be open to everyone.

Interestingly, the name “Piedmont Pilgrimage” was initially only a working title until someone came up with something better. Well, no one ever did, so it became official. Similarly, the logo, which made its debut in 2004, was not exactly a big hit with everyone, but it’s probably safe to say that after two decades, it’s not going anywhere. 

Although always envisioned as an annual event, the inaugural tour in 2003 was a modest affair with only a dozen layouts on the program. While the number may have been small, the quality of the layouts was outstanding. Two of the hosts were Master Model Railroaders®, and three more have become MMRs since then. 

Howard Goodwin served as the chairperson of the Piedmont Pilgrimage from 2003 to 2007. Of course, the event’s organization requires a team effort, which includes getting layout hosts, creating schedules, reaching out to advertisers and sponsors, producing and distributing printed programs, and creating and maintaining a dedicated website. These responsibilities are too many for a single person to handle.

Bob McIntyre succeeded Goodwin as the chairperson in 2008 and continued to serve for six years. Unfortunately, Bob passed away due to cancer while still holding the position, just days before the start of the 2013 event. Gary Jarabek then took over and continued as the chairperson until his passing in 2019, when Charlie Mason took over.

From the first Piedmont Pilgrimage held in 2003 to 2010, the number of layouts included in the tour increased yearly. Although there was a dip in 2011, it rebounded strongly in 2012, with more than 90 layouts included for the first time. From 2013 to 2019, the number fluctuated but never dipped below the high 60s. 

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc across the globe, causing many people to isolate themselves, either by choice or government decree. As a result, an in-person event was deemed impossible. To keep the Pilgrimage going, albeit virtually, the team, now led by Mike Deaton, and 47 layout owners, produced high-quality layout tour videos. Craig Knox deserves special mention here for his countless hours in producing and editing almost all of them. Uploaded onto YouTube that fall, the videos received more than 37,000 views by the year’s end. Most are still available to watch. To find them, search “Piedmont Pilgrimage 2020” on YouTube.

In 2021, many hosts opened their doors once again for in-person tours. While the videos were great, they couldn’t compete with the live experience. Although, in a way, it was like we were starting all over again, the number of layouts on tour was the lowest it had been since 2004. Thankfully, the numbers moved back up again in 2022 and 2023 and are expected to continue to increase.

For over two decades, thousands of people from Georgia and many other states, and even a few foreign countries, have made the Pilgrimage. Many return year after year. In that time, over 200 layouts have been featured. The event is one of our best tools to promote the hobby and the NMRA and why our Division is one of the largest by membership. 

My thanks to Mike Deaton, Howard Goodwin, Charlie Mason, and Joe Sullivan for their assistance with this article.