Unfortunate timing! I just moved away from that area ( I was in Lebanon NH, about an hour fifteen south down 91)

Here's what I know about the area. I lived there for a long ome, but was only in the hobby a couple of years there.

Hobby shops

• take 93 south from St J and at one of the first exists there is a big hobby shop, mostly RC, but does have some train stuff and scenery materiials.
• Rutland, a log drive for you, has the Steam Shasck, and Mik's hobbies.
• Lebanon has a horrible hobby shop on Glen Road
• Claremont NH (2 hours) has a cheerful hobby shop, with limited items
• The seacoast of NH has a couple of other shops
• Best hobby shops are in MA and CT,  don't discount the drive, Hartford CT should only be about 3 hours for you.

Clubs

• The conneticut valley model railroad club is pretty active and based in WRJ
• The local NMRA group that I was affiliated with was on the NH Seacoast (Seacoast Division)

Train shows

• Amherst MA is about 2.5 hours from St J.
• Lebanon used to be good and occurred in April, this year was awful
• Hookset NH has a good one, also in the spring

Mail order for supplies will be your friend. See the sponsors listed here for a good place to start if you don't already have favorites.

There are other modelers from the general area on this list, especially ChrisNH who lives in NH,  I hope they chime in with their info.

I can pretty much echo what Scarpia said.

I am in the seacoast division. We cover Maine and NH, so we alternate locations. I think right now its Concord NH, Rochester NH, Portland ME, Lewiston/Auburn ME. However, I think you are actually in the Green Mountain Division. Its a good division from what I hear.

There are some hobby shops around here but I still mostly mail order. The Amherst show is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, in the country. A good time to make purchases.

Up until VERY recently I was planning to model the CP and MEC in Northeast Vermont.. its wonderful country. The wife love the stores up that way too.. especially the King Arthur Flour Outlet.

There is going to be a NMRA convention in Burlington VT this year. I am planning to attend all four days in September. It may be a great place for you to meet local modelers.

Chris