Tag: meet

MER 2027 Convention Progress

Significant progress has been made in the planning for the 2027 Mid Eastern Region (MER) fall convention.  At this time I am looking for two (2) volunteers to join the planning committee.
1.  Railroad / Industrial Tours Coordinator
We have identified at least six potential sites for convention rail-related tours.  We are looking for one individual to take the lead on further exploring these locations and if possible setting up the tours (would like to get two sites).  Initially, this will primarily  involve identifying contacts and reaching out to them to see if they would be open to the tours.  As we get closer to the actual convention the coordinator will serve as a liaison between the SMD and the tour site personnel.
2.  Publicity Coordinator
As we move forward we need an individual to work on getting publicity in the commercial press (Model Railroader, NMRA Bulletin, etc.), provide timely information to the convention website manager,  assisting in the development of the convention publicity material which will be printed in the MER LOCAL, and getting publicity in the local press.   The majority of the background material will be developed by other committee members but the publicity coordinator will need to take the lead on formatting the info and submitting it for publication.
If you can volunteer, or just want further details, please email the convention manager (Bob Johnson) at rcyrilj@aol.com.

MER 2027 Convention

By now, we imagine that most of you are aware that the South Mountain Division 10 has been tasked with hosting the 2027 Mid Eastern Region (MER) convention.  The first problem we faced was finding a suitable venue to stage the convention.  The MER provides some fairly specific guidelines for suitable facilities.  Unfortunately, for various reasons, none of the venues that we have used in the past are currently available.  

After a fairly long search we have decided to utilize the Hilton Garden Inn located in Martinsburg, WV.  This  facility is very nice but marginal in terms of convention space.  It is literally the only suitable location that we have found.  The primary issue with the Hilton is the number of convention breakout rooms available.  It meets the MER’s minimum requirements but could present challenges.

Dates

Tentative, 2nd or 3rd week of October, 2027 (MER will finalize date)

Schedule
  • Thursday, afternoon & evening
  • Friday and Saturday, all day
  • Sunday, morning plus going home layout tours in afternoon

A complete draft schedule to be drawn up within the coming weeks.

Leadership
Convention Chair – Alex Polimeni
Convention Manager –Bob Johnson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Going forward we will need a number of additional volunteers for various positions & committees.  As we firm up the draft schedule we will send e-mails detailing open positions.

Immediate Needs

Volunteers (tentative) to host layout tours (schedule, TBD); specially in the Winchester, Martinsburg, and Hagerstown corridor.

In addition, we are asking for the names of non-NMRA members and model railroad clubs who might be willing to be open (schedules are flexible).  

Volunteers to host operating sessions (probably Thursday or Friday evening).  Again, we will welcome non NMRA members to participate.

Prototype Tours (Friday morning & afternoon)

We have already secured a tour of the East Broad Top. This tour will accommodate approximately 40 individuals. Based on the projected attendance figures from the MER, we will require several additional tour locations within the Winchester, Martinsburg, and Hagerstown corridor that utilize significant rail service and may be amenable to hosting a tour of their facilities.  We have identified the following potential locations.

  • Carmease Quarry, Clear Brook (Winchester), VA
  • Argos Martinsburg (quarry), Martinsburg, WV
  • Martin’s Elevator, Inc, Hagerstown, MD
  • U.S. Silica (glass sand quarry), Berkley Springs, WV

If you know of any other locations that would amenable to host a rail-oriented tour or you have a contact at one of the locations listed above, please let us know.

We will provide you with regular updates regarding the convention’s progress and actively seek volunteers throughout the summer.

Kindly direct all responses at this time to the convention manager, Bob Johnson, at rcyrilj@aol.com. He will compile the received information and disseminate it to the designated committee chair.

 

 

 

Annual SMD Mini Con – Sat. 05 April

2025 South Mountain Division NMRA Mini Con

Sponsored by Mainline Hobby Supply

South Mountain Division (SMD) Mini Con/Clinics Day is this coming Saturday, 05 April 2025. Doors open at 9:00 AM at the Blue Ridge Mountain Fire Hall; 13063 Monterey Ln, Blue Ridge Summit, PA 17214. The event is FREE! Plenty of parking along side the fire hall. Food on-site. On going presentations throughout the morning are informal. Sit and chat with clinicians. Learn something new. Meet new friends. Bring the family.

Current presentations:
  • Jeff Adams – Proto Loco Tuneup
  • Frank Benanti – Layout Legacy (What about when you’re gone)
  • Jane Clarke – Scenery using Natural Materials
  • Pete Clarke – Timesaver Module Operations
  • Larry Daily – Prototype Building from Photographs
  • Dan – Railroad Slides
  • Andrew Dodge – Evergreen Trees
  • Bob Johnson – Rolling Stock Tuneup
  • Steve King – Operations 101
  • Bill Martz – Make and Take ( Priority to 16 and under)
  • Alex Poliemi – Fast Clock Operations
  • Dottie Poliemi – Painting Hydrocal and Other Structures
  • Ron Poliemi – Craftsman Kits and Budget Model Railroading
  • John Pursell – Kit Bashing and Mingling for Better Structures
  • Bill Reynolds – All About Tortoise Machines
  • Travers Stavac – Layout Design for Operations

Bonus for Attendees…

Private layout open houses on Sunday. All Saturday attendees may request addresses for several area layouts. This bonus is for Mini Con attendees only. Request details at the registration table in the hall.

  • Theme: N scale heavy coal hauler based on Clinchfield / N&W
  • Scale: N
  • Features: TO/TT Simulation
  • Host: Steve King
  • Location: Fayetteville, PA
  • Time: 1:00 to 4:00 PM

The Virginia Midland Railroad is a large N scale layout that features heavy coal operations with just enough general freight traffic thrown in to make things interesting for the operators. The Virginia Midland brings back memories of the N&W (post Virginian merger) and features long trains of hoppers, multi-engine power consists, and even independently controlled helpers. Even if you are not personally into heavy freight drag operations this layout is worth seeing and fun to operate. This is probably one of the largest N scale layouts in the area. All operations are controlled using CVP (Easy DCC) wireless throttles. Crews will be trained in the basics of train order/ time table controlled railroad operation.

  • Theme: East Broad Top Railroad
  • Scale: HOn3
  • Features: Narrow Gauge Railroading
  • Hosts: Jane & Pete Clarke
  • Location: Damascus, MD
  • Time: 1:00 to 4:00 pm

Visit the fully scenicked and operational East Broad Top Railroad without driving to Orbisonia PA. On the Clarke’s basement sized rendition, steam powered brass locomotives haul coal in HOn3 hoppers from the mines in Robertsdale PA to the coal cleaning plant and interchange with the PRR in Mt. Union PA. For added interest, car loads of ganister, iron ore, lumber, agricultural products, and coal move along the Shade Gap Branch between Orbisonia and Neelyton PA.

The railroad was featured in the  publication Great Model Railroads. Trains run on TT/TO with a fast clock. Control is Digitrax DCC using radio throttles. Car cards, timetable, instructions, and an operator’s guide let guest operators know how to run trains.

  • Theme: Moving to a Shelf?
  • Scale: HO
  • Features: Deconstruction 101
  • Host: Frank Benenati
  • Location: Damascus, MD
  • Time: 1:00 to 4:00 pm

Maryland Junction is a 14 by 20 foot room sized modular layout that was built to travel. It has crossed the pond once since it’s 1999 birth. The railroad reached it’s zenith in 2022 when scenery was 95% complete. It’s been in steady decline since the owner began preparation for the move to a smaller living space. Towards that end, individual structures and dioramas have been removed and are being sold off along with excess rolling stock and locomotive power. There has been some track abandonment and removal. Deconstructions/salvage/sale plans hinge on future hobby space limitations.

  • Theme: Central Maine Railroad
  • Scale: O Proto 48
  • Features: Custom Built Models
  • Host: Andrew Dodge
  • Location: Olney, MD
  • Time: 1:00 – 4:00 pm

Watch steam trains move freight cars between Belfast and Camden and onto the car float/tug operation at Camden Junction. Check out the passenger side-2 wheeler that operates between Deer Island and Camden Junction. Visit this museum quality O scale railroad featuring scratch built locomotives, rolling stock, hand laid track, ships, and structures. There’s also more than a thousand hand-made trees and an operating rotary snowplow. The railroad is featured in the 2025 publication Great Model Railroads.

The railroad is powered by NCE DCC and uses NCE hand held radio throttles.

As a bonus, you can also view a small “portable” HO DC powered logging railroad featuring geared engines and a switchback.

  • Theme: Central WV short line operating between the B&O and WM.
  • Scale: HO
  • Features: Geared Locos & Creative Staging
  • Host: Bob Johnson
  • Location: Jefferson, MD
  • Time 1:00 to 4:00 pm

Visit West Virginia in the spring/summer of 1954 and be inspired by the West Virginia Midland Model Railroad. Coal, limestone and lumber are the main source of revenue with a mix of freight from local business. The Midland connects with the B&O at Holly Junction and the Western Maryland at Cherry Falls. The interchanges (staging) represent Grafton (B&O) and Laurel Bank (WM). Midland’s main yard and shop facilities are located in the twin towns of Webster Springs and Cherry Falls, WV.

The main body of the Midland is 12’ x 16’ with an additional 65 feet of around-the-wall running. The scenery is about 95% complete and features discrete scenes that are visually separated by viewing angles and scenic view blocks such as hills and, numerous trees.

  • Theme: Milwaukee Road, Avery ID
  • Scale: O5w
  • Features: 40’x34’ Railroad Under Construction
  • Host: Rich Randall
  • Location: Gettysburg, PA

Visit Avery, Idaho in the fall of 1973 and board the O scale Hiawatha for the trip over the Bitterroot Mountains to Montana. See first hand the challenges of building a mountain railroad. The single track main line is operational and powered by NCE DCC. Avery yard is the central focus of the railroad; although much compressed trackage generally follows the prototype. Several scratch built landmark buildings that are nearly finished will capture the essence of the area. Five industrial areas with sidings are also under development. Scenery has been started in several places. It is anticipated that one day the railroad will feature through freights, through and local passenger trains, a branch line, and blocking of cars at Avery.

SMD Membership Promotion

 

On 14 December your Division will be conducting an all-day event to encourage model railroaders to join the NMRA at HobbyTown – Frederick, located at 454 Prospect Blvd, Frederick, MD 21701-6400; (301) 694-7395; htufrederickmd@gmail.com.

This event is scheduled to run from 10:00 AM till 4:00 PM. In addition to an information table promoting the benefits of NMRA membership we will have several table clinics (similar to the Mini-Con) with demonstrations of technology in model railroading (DCC, 3-D printing, computers, etc.) We will also be highlighting model railroading as a form of gaming. This approach is targeted to appeal to the younger modelers in the community.

In conjunction with this event, we have updated our Division brochure and purchased a pull-up promotional banner. These items will also be of value to us at the April Mini-Con.

Thanks to all of you who have volunteered to participate in this activity. The available space is just about filled up but if any of you would like to stop by we would welcome you and maybe even put you to work for an hour or so to give the volunteers a break. HobbyTown – Frederck is operated by Division member Richard Benjamin. We thank Richard for making the space available.

https://www.hobbytown.com/frederick-md/l27