Are railroad historical societies the same as model train clubs?

They are related but usually different. Railroad historical societies focus on the history of real railroads. Many study a specific railroad company or region, collect records and photographs, publish research and sometimes help preserve equipment, depots or rail lines.

Model train clubs focus on building and operating model railroads in various scales. Members work on layouts, share modeling techniques and often host shows and open houses.

There is plenty of overlap, since many modelers are interested in railroad history and many historians enjoy models. If you have railroad artifacts, paperwork or photographs, a historical society may be the better resource for identification and possible donation. If you have model trains to identify or sell, a model train club or train show is often the place to start.