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One month to NERx!
NERx will return for its annual virtual engagement on March 21-24 on YouTube and Facebook from 6:30-10:30 PM Eastern Time all four evenings. Circle the dates on your calendar. And visit the website at nerx.org to keep up to date.
In the meantime, send in questions for the roundtable discussions and submit your entries for the Model Showcase for this year's NERx Virtual Convention. Details for each of these is included in the email below.
Now let's show a few highlights coming to NERx!
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▲Jim Gore, MMR, built a replica of the Pie Town Stage, a 1936 Plymouth utilized by the Santa Fe Trailways Company to ferry passengers and goods between Pie Town, NM, and various towns in eastern Arizona. It was inspired by an image that was in the SHORPY collection.
Jim will present a clinic describing the steps in making the stage, as well as altering a Stoney Creek structure to represent a "what if situation" - the Santa Fe Trailways taking over deliveries on the abandoned Chili Line in the late 1940's and early 1950's - in particular the packing of the express at Totavi, NM.
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What have you been working on since the last NERx Virtual Convention? We are sure everyone has been busy at their workbench, layouts, or behind the camera over the last year. This is a great opportunity to show the results of your work.
During NERx, we plan to show the work of our members in between the clinics and layout tours. The photos will also remain on the NERx website for viewers to enjoy and refer to in the future. It is not a contest. There is no paperwork. It is just a fun opportunity to see what has been going on at the workbench, layout, or behind the camera in the last year. They can be in-process or finished models, like the Department of Docks and Harbor Police model by Eddie DeGan, from NERx 2021.
Please submit your entries by March 7 into the NERx Model Showcase. Just identify yourself, write a description of the work, the scale, and attach 1-3 photos to an email addressed to info@nerx.org.
And most important...don't forget to hit send!
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N Scale Operations – Could Little Trains Be the Next Big Thing? | |
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N scale model railroading has been around now for more than fifty years, but many give it little thought. Today’s N is a small but now significant part of the hobby, and it has evolved well beyond its rough and toy-like beginnings. In fact, modern N scale enjoys a level of quality in motive power, rolling stock, and electronics much like its bigger and more popular siblings. This photo of John Newick's N scale Central Maine & Aroostook, one of the layout tours for this NERx event, proves that point.
Early N scale modular layouts brought model railroading out of the basement and into the light, and today N scalers are involved in everything: modular layouts in three different standards, home layouts both shelf and empire, and operations (yes, operations!) that rival those of the other scales.
John Doehring will lead the discussion and will be joined by Ernie Poole, Rand Hoven, and John Newick for a lively and entertaining roundtable discussion that explores how three accomplished N scale owners built layouts incorporating realistic operations into their hobby fun. Who knows, maybe you too could have a future in N - the ‘normal’ scale!
Email questions for the panel prior to the NERx event to john@jdoehring.com.
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Women in Model Railroading | |
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Join panelists Christina Ganzer-Zambri, Marketing Consultant for the NMRA, Michelle Kempema, Executive Director of the Colorado Model Railroad Museum, Lindsay Turlan, of Model Train HO, Sue Osberg, Superintendent of the Little Rhody Division, and Northeastern Region members, Debbie Ames and Brenna Whitney for a discussion on "Women in Model Railroading."
Email questions for the roundtable prior to the NERx event to marketing@nmra.org.
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Meet the Model Railroad Press | |
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Join panelists Chris Carfaro and Max Brisben, Editors of the NER Coupler, Cinthia Priest, Senior Editor of the NMRA Magazine, and Otto Vondrak, Editor of Railroad Model Craftsman, in an online “chat-in” panel, focused on the impact of photography in the railroad press, plus topics based upon questions asked by our viewers.
Email questions for the roundtable prior to the NERx event to editor@nernmra.org.
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Adhesives and Fillers by Jim Walsh | |
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Along with model railroading, Jim executes DIY projects for home improvement, repair, and some woodworking. These activities resulted in his collection of adhesive and filler products. Many of these items are useful in model railroading. In this clinic, Jim offers some information and explanation of materials and techniques used for creating a model railroad. Focusing on holding parts together and filling in gaps, Jim shares some of his experiences, observations, and discoveries.
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More Than Just A Pretty Light – A Railroad Signaling Primer for Modelers by Scott Gothe | |
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Historically, railroad signals have been, for many modelers, one of the more challenging “aspects” to incorporate on a layout for a wide variety of reasons. Regardless of size, complexity, era, or level of sophistication desired, there are very few model railroads (or model railroaders) that would not benefit from adding at least some part of this very important part of the prototype.
This clinic will provide a basic introduction to the scope and use of signals by the railroads, and address not only “what” is available and “how” signals can be used in modeling but give a perspective as to “why” a new (or even experienced) modeler should consider exploring this oft-overlooked area of the hobby.
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▲Westbound NG-3 on trk-1 (inside) meets Eastbound GB-2 on Jenkin's Curve, named for the nearby Jenkins Valve factory. | |
The New Haven in HO Scale by Rick Abramson | |
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Rick Abramson models the west end of the New Haven, not only because he grew up along this segment of the railroad, but also because he worked for the New Haven. You can say he has been a traction fan all of his life.
His HO scale layout represents the New Haven's mainline between Bridgeport and Devon, CT. The era he models is the mid-1950s to 1968, before the New Haven was absorbed into Penn Central in 1969. Modeling traction is a challenge due to the the installation of catenary, but with almost the entire layout under wire, Rick has met the challenge.
His layout has been featured in Model Railroader in 2004 and Railroad Model Craftsman in 2020. A few years ago, Rick moved and his layout moved with him. As a result, he has made modifications to the layout for its new home.
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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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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!
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What a great way to show your friends the exciting things occurring in the NMRA.
We have made it easy for them to receive future news about the online event. Just forward this email to your friends and tell them to subscribe to future event emails by clicking on the "Subscribe Now" button.
If they see what they have been missing in the NMRA and enjoy it, they might join the NMRA!
Tell two friends.
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