The host organization for the convention is the Columbia Gorge Model Railroad Club. www.cgmrc.com The club was founded in 1947 and has been located in their own private clubhouse since 1983. The club also hosted the 1994 NMRA National Convention when it was previously in Portland. The layout depicts various prototype scenes along the Columbia River Gorge east of Portland. The layout is controlled by an NCE DCC system. It features scale models of the Portland Union Station, an operating Steel Bridge in downtown Portland, as well as SP&S buildings at Wishram, Washington.