About Off The Rails
Connecting railroad enthusiasts with the best products, guides, and stories since 2020.
Our Story
Off The Rails was born from a lifelong passion for railroads. What started as a childhood fascination watching trains rumble through our hometown has grown into a mission: to help fellow railroad enthusiasts discover the best products, resources, and stories in the world of trains.
Founded in 2020 by a group of railfans and model railroad hobbyists, we’ve built Off The Rails into one of North America’s most trusted resources for anyone who loves the iron horse—whether you’re building your first HO scale layout, chasing steam locomotives across the continent, or simply appreciate the rich heritage of American railroads.
What We Do
We’re more than just a product review site. Off The Rails is a comprehensive resource for the railroad community:
- Expert Product Reviews: Our team personally tests and evaluates model trains, layouts, accessories, and railfan gear so you can make informed purchasing decisions.
- In-Depth Buying Guides: From choosing your first train set to building advanced DCC systems, our guides cover every aspect of the hobby.
- Railroad History & Culture: We celebrate the rich heritage of North American railroads through articles, photographs, and stories.
- Community Connection: We bring together railfans, model railroaders, and train enthusiasts from across the continent.
Our Values
Authenticity
Every product we recommend has been thoroughly researched or personally tested. We never recommend something we wouldn’t use ourselves. Our reviews are honest, even when it means pointing out flaws in popular products.
Expertise
Our team includes experienced model railroaders, professional photographers who specialize in railroad imagery, and historians with deep knowledge of North American railroad heritage. When you read our content, you’re getting insights from people who truly understand the hobby.
Accessibility
Whether you’re a seasoned hobbyist with decades of experience or someone just discovering the magic of trains, we create content that’s approachable and helpful. We remember what it was like to be beginners, and we never talk down to our readers.
Meet Our Team
The Editorial Team brings together over 50 years of combined experience in model railroading, railroad photography, and railroad history. Our writers and editors are active members of model railroad clubs, regular attendees at train shows, and passionate railfans who spend their weekends trackside.
Our Product Review Team includes hands-on hobbyists who build and operate layouts ranging from small starter setups to room-sized masterpieces. They understand the practical considerations of space, budget, and skill level that go into building a great model railroad.
Affiliate Disclosure
Off The Rails is supported through affiliate partnerships, primarily with Amazon. When you purchase products through our links, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. This helps us continue creating free content for the railroad community.
We want to be clear: affiliate relationships never influence our reviews. We recommend products based on merit, not commission rates. If something isn’t worth your money, we’ll tell you—even if it means losing potential earnings.
For complete details, please read our full Affiliate Disclosure.
Get in Touch
We love hearing from fellow railroad enthusiasts! Whether you have a question about a product, want to suggest content ideas, or just want to share your latest layout progress, we’d love to connect.
Thank you for being part of the Off The Rails community. All aboard!