Not to detract from this lovely semi-private endeavor, but if you find yourself on the left coast instead, why not treat your family to a whistle stop at the San Diego MRM in historic Balboa Park?
Bonus siding: roll north on Park Blvd a few miles, and get on board with Frank the Train Man, aka JA Cooley! https://www.jacooleymuseum.com/
My own grandpa was a pipe-fitter on the freight lines. He was the sole/chief machinist in his basement workshop where I vroomed around on a Big Wheel. He built for me an HO-scale figure 8 track with a locomotive that featured a functional smokestack.
Campo! Wow! That is some "colorful" terrain! Campo is a mere 2mi north of the Mexican border. Campo is in the middle of nowhere. Yet when you arrive in Campo, you will discover that you are still in San Diego County.
Thankfully, there's a museum in La Mesa near San Diego State. The only human-sized train ride in La Mesa is the San Diego Trolley, but still impressive.
What a sight to behold. I've never been to Campo or its railways, but I've been... well, no, I've never driven close to Campo. Good luck, trainspotters!
Model trains and New Jersey? I assumed it was about Northlandz [0]. I haven't been there in several decades, but I guess it's still in business. Very neat.
https://www.sdmrm.org/yourvisit
While you’re there, you will also need to hop on the Miniature [but human-scale] Railroad that adjoins the San Diego Zoo! Cock-a-doodle-doo! https://zoo.sandiegozoo.org/activities/miniature-train
Bonus siding: roll north on Park Blvd a few miles, and get on board with Frank the Train Man, aka JA Cooley! https://www.jacooleymuseum.com/
My own grandpa was a pipe-fitter on the freight lines. He was the sole/chief machinist in his basement workshop where I vroomed around on a Big Wheel. He built for me an HO-scale figure 8 track with a locomotive that featured a functional smokestack.