National Train Show in Atlanta this Summer

The NMRA National Train Show will be in Atlanta this July 14-20, 2013. This is one of the closer NMRA National meets in recent years and a good time for clinics, meeting vendors and seeing layouts.  Also, most SIG groups have their annual meetings at the NMRA National.  These include OPSIG, LDSIG, ACWSIG and many more.  Details at the NMRA2013 site.

Chesterfield Hobbies Staying Open

Chesterfield Hobbies is staying open.  This is good news for the JRD membership.  More details as they become available

Layout Tours for June 15th Meeting

5 home layouts open in Ford's Colony

Two (2) O scale two rail PRR layouts

       Ed Rappe and Jim Taverna both PRR

Two  (2) HO scale layouts

      Gale Trieber's Cement Belt based on the Reading

       Jack Brown's Western Maryland

One (1)  N scale layout

         Hans Schwartz based on the ACL

Pick up maps, write ups on the layouts and information on entering Ford's Colony at the security station at the meeting. We are planning to be open from 1-4PM. 

Next Meeting June 15th

The JRD will meet on June 15th at the Ft Eustis Army Transportation Museum.  Details are in the May Mini-Crossties

Prototype Modelers Meet Coming this Fall

A Prototype Modelers meet is coming to Virginia this fall.  The dates are September 13-14, 2013 and the cost is a fairly nominal $12 if you register early.  Many in the JRD should be able to commute to the meetings near Fredericksburg.  Full details are on the website

Next JRD Meeting

JRD Spring Meeting

Saturday, April 6, 2013

Location:

Fort Hill United Methodist Church

106 Oakridge Boulevard

Lynchburg VA 24502

Link to Map

Hours:

9:30 AM Registration

10:00 AM Meeting begins

12:00 approximate close of formal meet

1:00 – 4:00 Layouts open for visits

Contest:

Fire equipment, rubber or steel wheeled.

Clinics

“Modeling a Prototype Railroad”-

HO Scale Central Vermont’s Winooski

Subdivision by Mary McGuirk

Link to Marty's Blog

Layouts:

Shenandoah and Southern Rail Road

John Siegle’s HiRail layout

Forest & Westrern; Chris Schiecks HO

freelance PRR, N&W and Southern

equipped layout

MER Convention

The C&P Junction Convention in Rockville, Maryland, will pay special attention to operations. Modelers who replicate prototype railroads with engineers, yardmasters and brakemen will find call board operations involving more than ten layouts, some nationally known and published in the hobby press. Some of the operating layouts are free-lance; others follow railroads such as the Erie Lackawanna mainline and the Pennsylvania, Reading and Western Maryland. Operations expert Steve King will present a three-hour clinic on Timetable and Train Order Operation, followed by offering modelers designated layouts for operating. Those who have met with Steve swear by his approach. C & P Junction, Crowne Plaza Hotel (www.cprockville.com) with a free shuttle to the Metro and other points. For the latest information and news, visit our website: Google C & P Junction-Comcast.net orhttp://home.comcast.net/~CandP2013/ . For questions, email CandP2013@comcast.net.

Marshall Abrams, Potomac Division, co-chairman

Kurt Thompson, Chesapeake Division, co-chairman

John Roberts passes away

I just received word that John Roberts passed away peacefully in
Williamsburg, Virginia last evening, March 1, 2013.

John was NMRA President, 2004-2006, Vice President, 2000-2004, Eastern District Director, 2009-2013, MCR President and Trustee, 1989-1993, and over the years held a number of other elected and volunteer offices throughout the NMRA. He was a well-known model railroad author and was the builder of several highly regarded layouts in HO and O scale.

John had contracted Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, a rare brain condition that causes a rapid decrease of mental function and movement, and inevitably leads to death. John first showed symptoms of the disease in early 2012.

The visitation will be held at 1 pm on Friday, March 8, at the Peninsula Funeral Home in Newport News, Virginia, with the funeral beginning at at 2 pm. Interment will be nearby.

John is survived by his wife, Suzie, his children, John (Collette) and
Whitney, and two granddaughters.

The family has asked that in lieu of flowers, memorial gifts be sent to the Diamond Club, National Model Railroad Association, Inc., 4121 Cromwell Rd., Chattanooga, TN 37421. Cards and letters may be sent to the family at 104 Heritage Pointe, Williamsburg, VA, 23188.

We will have more information as it becomes available.

Please feel free to pass this information along to those on your NMRA and model railroading lists.

Mike Brestel

George Washington's Train Show

The C&O Historical Society's annual train show will be Feb 16th and 17th in Clifton Forge, VA.  Further information is available on the Society's website.  www.cohs.org

MER 2013

The following message is from the MER 2013 Convention Host Division:

Be there! MER Convention: 2013

Tony Koester. Marty McGuirk. Monroe Stewart. Howard Zane. Tally ‘em up and put ‘em down for the MER Convention in Rockville, MD on Columbus Day weekend, 2013. Tony Koester, chronicler of Trains of Thought, his extraordinary sagas of modeling, will present a clinic and serve as Banquet speaker. Marty McGuirk, developing his new Central Vermont-Winooski Division, will conduct a clinic and illustrate his progress in fine scale modeling. Monroe Stewart, builder of Hootch Junction, will open his layout for N and HO enthusiasts. And Howard Zane, legendry builder of the Piermont Division, will host a layout open house in nearby Columbia. With those talents alone, modelers are signing for Rockville now. Watch our webpage for further developments!  http://home.comcast.net/~candp2013/  Send email to CandP2013@comcast.net .

Marshall Abrams, Co-Chair, C&P Junction
Kurt Thompson, Co-Chair, C&P Junction

Save the Date of April 6th

The next meeting of the JRD will be in Lynchburg on April 6th.   Remember the contest is still set to be fire equipment either rubber or steel wheeled.  More details on location and time to follow