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Greetings!

▲ Hub Division member Malcolm Houck, MMR will conduct a clinic about NYO&W steam engines featuring his scratch-built HO scale models during NERx.

Photo: Malcolm Houck

NERx Tonight: Wednesday, March 18

Join us for NERx, our annual virtual convention, tonight, from 6:30–10:30 PM Eastern Time.

Tonight's program is sponsored by Miniprints and ITLA Scale Models Inc. Look for the link in the YouTube LIVE feed description to enter the drawing for four $50 gift certificates, two from each of our sponsors.

Also tonight, we have a big contrast between two great scenic layouts: Andy Rubbo's HO-scale Pennslyvania Railroad New York Division and Mark Herrick's HO-scale Boston and Albany Central Division.

Don't miss the Preview Discussion on the upcoming 2026 "Eyes on the NER" Convention.

Not to mention that there are two great clinics: "Railroad Night Photography Large & Small Scale" by Will Gill and "Centercabs and Kitchens" by Malcolm Houck, MMR.

Interspersed between all of these fun activities will be Tips 'n Tricks and the Model Showcase.

The schedule, information on all of the activities and our sponsors, how to enter the drawings, and where to watch NERx tonight are included in the email below.

So find a comfortable seat, pour yourself a beverage, set some munchies beside you, and watch NERx!

And don't forget to ask your questions in the YouTube chat!

Enter the Nightly Drawings for Gift Vouchers during NERx!

This year, each night of NERx is being generously sponsored by different hobby companies. Each of our sponsors have donated two $50USD gift vouchers, for use in a nightly drawing. Most nights have two sponsor, too!

During NERx, review the description of the LIVE feed on the YouTube channel. The description will contain a link for that evening's drawing. Click on the link to enter the drawing. Each night will have a different link, so you must enter each night's drawing separately.

Entries for the drawing will be open during the NERx live stream until 9:30 PM Eastern. Each night, the drawing will be held at 10 PM, when the winners will be announced.

Tonight's sponsors are:

Miniprints offers hundreds of 3D-printed animals, figures, objects, and vehicles. And, many of the items are offered in N, HO, S, and O scales.

Miniprints is also an NMRA partner and offers a 15% discount to NMRA members. Remember to visit the members-only section of the NMRA website for the discount code

Visit their website at:

miniprints.com

Fine scale "3D" Laser Engraved &Cut wood model kits. ITLA offers products in N, HO, and O scales.

Products include Structure kits, Industrial Modular Wall Systems, Elevated Railway viaduct

structures, detail kits, wall panel kits, and flat car or gondola decking and loads.

"Configurable by Design"...ITLA's kits are engineered for ease of assembly and can be built into multiple footprints.

Visit their website at:

itlascalemodels.com

Subscribe to the NER Coupler for a Chance to Win a Bar Mills Gift Card

During NERx, subscribe or resubscribe to the NER Coupler, the NMRA Northeastern Region's magazine, and be automatically entered into a drawing for your chance to win a $100 gift card from Bar Mills. Just scan the QR code in the advertisement above or click on:

https://nernmra.knack.com/coupler-store

Mark Herrick's BNSF Montana Division

Mark Herrick's HO scale layout is based on the Montana Division of the BNSF. Set in the modern era, operational accuracy is the rule on this line.

The two level layout is roughly 20' by 26'. It runs around the walls with a central peninsula. Running from staging yards representing Spokane Yard to Shelby Yard, the layout passes through beautiful mountain scenery, snow-sheds and past landmarks like the Issac Walton Inn. The layout has a strong focus on train operations and has been featured on the Around the Layout Podcast

Mark Herrick is in the Nutmeg Division.

Andy Rubbo's Pennsylvania Railroad: New York Division

Andy Rubbo's two level HO scale Pennsy layout is set in Spring/Summer 1967, the last full year of the PRR before the New York Central merger created Penn Central. The upper deck depicts the section between Elizabeth and Metuchen, NJ. While the scenes are greatly compressed, signature elements are portrayed so as to be recognizable to viewers familiar with these locals.

The railroad is primarily a "railfanning" layout, focusing on running the interesting variety of passenger and freight trains that operated at the time.

Andy Rubbo is a member of the Garden State Division

Every year, NERx hosts Roundtable Discussions covering a wide range of topics. These conversations have become a popular part of the NERx program, giving viewers the opportunity to join the discussion and share their thoughts.

Want to participate?

Post your questions in the YouTube chat during the LIVE feed!

Wednesday: Preview of the 2026 NER Convention

The 2026 Northeast Region Convention will be hosted by the HUB, Nutmeg and Little Rhody Divisons. The convention will be held in Southbridge, Massachusetts on October 15-18th 2026.

Join Peter Watson, MMR, David Insley, Mark Herrick and Dana Andrus in a Roundtable Discussion to discuss all of the exciting things planned for this year's NER Convention.

Centercabs and Kitchens by Malcolm Houck, MMR

During the steam era, and virtually to the very end of steam operations, the NYO&W relied on these locomotive types in all types of service. At one time, before the retirement of older saturated steam engines, the O&W had a roster of 98 Double Cab / Center Cab locomotives in wheel arrangements of 0-6-0, 2-6-0, 4-6-0 as well as 2-8-0.

Malcolm's presentation is a survey of the different types operated by the NYO&W Ry. along with descriptions and historic photos of the different types, with photos of some of Malcolm's collection of HO Scale Models (largely built from scratch or otherwise significantly rebuilt and modified).

Malcolm Houck, MMR is a member of the HUB Division.

Railroad Night Photography:

Large and Small Scale

by Will Gill

William Gill will describe how model building and model photography informed his night photography process of full sized subjects - building large scale sets using light along the railroad tracks. The process of rigging the lights for night images and waiting for trains- spending hours at a single point of interest - then changed his approach to modeling to include the feeling of being in place in the models he builds. Gill will share night photography of the prototype and models and share the scene process for both.

Will Gill is a member of the Hudson-Berkshire Division

There is only one option for watching NERx live on the internet: YouTube. Use the link below to go to the NMRA YouTube channel and keep refreshing the page until you see the LIVE stream. Just as the train is sometimes late to the station, if you do not see that the live stream has started, please hit refresh until the train arrives.

NMRA YouTube channel

There is no cost to attend the virtual event. Instead, we are asking for donations to support NER programs such as the NERx Virtual Convention.

To make a donation of $10, $20, $50 or any other amount, please click on the "Donate" button. As a non-profit, any financial assistance is greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

Visit the NERx Website!

NERx has its own website that will be updated as information becomes available with the schedule, descriptions, and photos of clinics, layout tours, and models. The website also has links to the videos of the prior NERx events and will have links to the live streams on the days of the event.

What is the website? NERx.org, of course! The website will keep changing as details become finalized. So, bookmark it today!

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