Operating Sessions – 2026 Scenic City Express

Operating Sessions

Q & A

How do I sign up for operating sessions?

Like previous NMRA conventions, we will use the operatingsessions.com website for the NMRA2026 operations event. To participate, you need to create a logon/password in operatingsessions.com.

There will be a total of twelve operating sessions across seven local layouts from Sun 7/26 to Fri 7/31, all are 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM ET (doors open 6:30PM ET for orientation). There are approximately 90 total guest operator positions for local layouts and 18 total guest operator positions for remote layouts (so 108 positions total).

There will also be two large remote layouts having operating sessions on the way in:

On Sat 7/25 Alan Keller’s HO scale Bluff City Southern (located in Talbot TN, 137 miles NE of Chattanooga) will have an operating session at 1:00 PM ET.
On Sun 7/26 Mark Nolan’s HO scale Illinois ICG Division (located in Brentwood TN, 118 miles NW of Chattanooga) will have an operating session at 10:00 AM ET.

Both of these will also be in the signup list on operatingsessions.com.

OPERATING LAYOUTS

All local layout operating sessions are from 7:00 AM ET to 10:00 P ET on weekdays. Five will have two sessions and two will have one session each (12 local sessions total). Plan to arrive 30 minutes early to walk down the layout and participate in orientation.

The two remote layout operating sessions are daytime and are 1.5 to 2.5 hours from Chattanooga.

All operating session times are Eastern Time, unless noted otherwise.

Transportation to operating sessions is NOT provided by NMRA or convention volunteers.

You must have a userID (email address) and your own password on the operatingsessions.com website to register for operating sessions.

Once you have a userID, you may register for a session at https://operatingsessions.com/Event/TVF68D

Due to limited space for this event, you can only select one session to attend.

An authorization code is required to register for an operating session.

Operating Session Schedule

Due to limited space for this event, you can only select one session to attend.

Saturday, 7/25/2026 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Bluff City Southern (Owner: Allen Keller, Located in Talbott, TN)

Sunday, 7/26/2026 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM

Key West & Northern Rwy (Owner: Charles Higdon, Located in Jasper, TN) (Central Time Zone)

Sequatchie Valley Railroad (Owner: Steve Lamb, Located in Jasper, TN) (Central Time Zone)

Monday, 7/27/2026 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM

TVMRI – CNO&TP Rathole Division

Tuesday, 7/28/2026 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM

Intermont & Western (Owner: Edward Tougaw, Located in Ringgold, GA)

Norfolk Southern Heartland Division (Owner: Chris Wehman, Located in Ringgold, GA)

Norfolk Southern-New Holland Division (Owner: William(Bill) Orman, Located in Soddy Daisy, TN)

Wednesday, 7/29/2026 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Illinois Central Gulf, Effingham Division (Owner: Mark Nolan, Located in Brentwood, TN) (Central Time Zone)

Wednesday, 7/29/2026 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM

Southern Railway – Cherokee Division (Owner: Roy Masterson, Located in Chattanooga, TN)

Thursday, 7/30/2026 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM