New Web Address for the JRD

The JRD now has its own web address.

www.jrdnmra.org

The web site will be updated and new features added.

Please check it out and update your bookmarks.

Great Meet in Fredericksburg

Thanks to all who came last Saturday to our division meet in Fredericksburg. We had a great turnout of 38 including several from neighboring divisions. In addition, I want to thank our 2 fine clinicians and our 3 hosts for open houses. We will meet again in March in Lynchburg.  Photos to follow!

First Meeting of 2015

I hope everyone had a good Holiday Season and picked up some new trains!!  We are getting ready to have our first meeting of 2015 in just over a week.  This meeting will mark the JRDs first return to Fredericksburg for a meeting in recent memory.  I hope everyone is ready to get back into their trains.  Paul Dolkos will discuss his new layout which has been in the hobby press and several members of the division have actually operated on with great enjoyment.  Once you are inspired to build or finish your layout then Mike Garber will help you focus on a paint scheme to make those engines and cars look their best.  Hope to see your there.

Philip Taylor

JRD Superintendent

January 10, 2015 - Fredericksburg, VA

Time: Doors open at 0900 AM

Location: England Run Library, 806 Lyons Blvd, Fredericksburg, VA

Clinics:  

0930: Mike Garber - Developing a paint scheme for your free lanced railroad.......or when is a "dip" paint job not the best scheme

1045: Paul Dolkos - Baltimore Harbor District

Layout Tours:3 Tours - Directions to be given at meet

Alan Bibb - 

Ken Mead

John Winters

Need a plan to use those Christmas Model Train Goodies?

We all hope to that the Christmas goodies coming this week will have some new model trains to go along with all those that have crept into the house during the past year.  What to do with all those items to either build that layout or renew the one already under construction becomes the post holiday question.  For some inspiration come to the January 10th JRD meeting where you can here well known MR author Paul Dolkos talk about his Baltimore Harbor Layout.  (Click on the link to see the track plan)  After you plan that layout you will want to make that locomotive look better so come and hear our own Mike Garber talk about "Developing a paint scheme for your free lanced railroad.......or when is a "dip" paint job not the best scheme."  Come and be inspired January 10th.





Here is the link to the Meeting page to plan your trip

Paul Dolkos Coming to the JRD

Paul Dolkos is coming to the JRD on January 10th. Here is what Paul says about his clinic:

A COUNTRY BOY MOVES TO THE BIG CITY

Seven years ago Paul Dolkos took down his rural northern New England Boston & Maine themed HO railroad to build something different. He began work on what he calls the Baltimore Harbor District, a series of railroad vignettes based on rail activities in 1955 in the Charm city region. Today the model railroad is totally operational and about 50% scenicked. Planning and construction techniques will be presented along with views of the finished modeling.

Bachman Announces Bluetooth Trains

Bachmann has announced that they will sell trains in 2015 that can be controlled by Bluetooth receivers and software made by BlueRail.  This is a new way of approaching the wireless control problem.

Bachmann

Blue Rail

More comments are on my personal train blog.

Philip Taylor
JRD Superintendent

Contest Results from MER Hub City Conventions

Results are coming in from those who attended the 2014 MER Hub City Convention.  Gerard Fitzgerald from the JRD brought home to the JRD the following prizes:

First Place Photo Contest Model: The Dolkos Bag Company

First Place Photo Contest Prototype Other: Lynchburgh Viaduct Northbound

Congratulations to Gerard for winning in both categories!

Railfan and Railroad is back

Today there was a new Railfan & Railroad in my mailbox. Congratulations to White River Productions for producing an excellent issue. We need R&R to balance the coverage of the industry in relation to Trains.  This is especially true as Trains has become more of an industry focused magazine.  It is good to have choice.

January 2015 Clinicians Set

It is with great pleasure that the JRD announces two high profile clinicians for the January 2015 meeting.  Paul Dolkos, nationally known author, modeler and photographer will discuss his Baltimore Harbor District.  Mike Garber, who resides in the JRD, is past editor of its Crossties publication and is known in the Southern RPM community for his Southern Railway models will give a clinic.  More details will follow.

New Crossties Editor

Effective October 1, 2014 Gerard Fitzgerald will assume the editorship of Crossties with his first issue being the January 2015 issue.

Thank you to Peter Kerr for his work as editor.

Passing of Dale Edwards

Recently we seem to have had a number of passings of luminaries in the hobby and the recent passing of Lawrence "Dale" Edwards adds to the list.  He was the co-founder of Kadee and Micro-Trains with his brother.  This passing was announced by his son-in-law Alan Vezzani whose tribute is reproduced below with permission

Lawrence “Dale” Edwards Sr.

Co-founder of Kadee®

February 1921 –September 2014

A True Pioneer in Model Railroading, Dale Edwards was the “D” in Kadee and his identical twin Keith was the “K”.

The twins started Kadee in the mid 40’s and created the first knuckle couple that actually looked and worked like the real ones.  With several improvements on the original design, the Magne-matic® metal knuckle coupler became an instant hit.  Today, the knuckle coupler is the de-facto standard in Model Railroading.

In, 1961 they designed and built the twin rail spiker that allowed modelers to lay their own track by driving miniature spikes over the toe of the rail holding it in place.  In the 70’s they began to produce a line of freight cars that were noted for their detail and accuracy in N scale.  These Micro-Trains® were the finest detailed ready to run rolling stock built.  

In 1990 the twins decided to split the company with Dale taking Kadee with the HO couplers and larger and Keith with the Micro-Trains line N Scale and smaller.  With the impending expiration of the coupler patent, Dale knew he had to create something innovative and “special” that would leapfrog the competition and began developing a brand new model of the PS1 40’ boxcar.   The work to create all the tooling for the molds and die making would take accuracy, detail and meticulous craftsmanship in order to have operational moving doors, see through roof walks and scale grab irons and ladders.  This was once again, done ALL in house.

Dale was also responsible for the creation of the “Whisker” coupler centering system he designed in the mid 80’s.  However, application of the Whisker stalled until 2006 when a suitable wire was created.

Dale had his hand in developing more than 40 patents and Kadee now manufactures couplers, components, HO RTR rolling stock and accessories made of metal and plastic in HO scale through G scale all made entirely in White City, Oregon. 

Dale believed in the American dream, his employees and vision to make the best possible products with the quality people he employed while doing so all under one roof as to not sacrifice quality nor lose control of supply chains.

Dale was preceded in death by his older sisters Wilda and Nathie, older brother Al, his wife Grace and twin brother Keith. 

His five children Larry, Jacque, Bonnie, Melinda and Doug and his many grandchildren will miss him greatly.

Dale’s legacy and business Kadee will continue manufacturing America’s finest model railroading products for years to come.  Because that’s the way he wanted it!!!

May God, Bless Dale as he fulfilled his love of trains which was his passion, his life and legac