Updated May 21, 2013
InfoNet News - May 2013 ...
Latest Update from the Peachtree Express 2013 NMRA Convention
A special note on our tours: While we are offering tours to please every taste, we cannot afford to operate tours that fail to meet minimum break-even levels. If you are interested in any of the tours - either layout, prototype or general interest - please reserve them now. We must notify our bus provider by June 12 if any tours are to be canceled, so please don't depend on buying tour tickets at the convention. If enough people don't show interest by the cut-off date, we have no alternative other than to cancel.
The Atlanta Convention Committee has been hard at work for the last several years preparing a great schedule of events for your enjoyment and education. There is truly something for everyone. For the rail-oriented group:
· You can choose from over 200 clinics covering a wide array of topics and including sessions covering basic to advanced topics, even “Modeling with the Masters” clinics.
· Over 60 outstanding layouts in all scales will open their doors for your touring pleasure.
· The silent auction will be filled with bargains in all scales as well as books and railroadiana.
· The model celebration and contest is shaping up to be one of the best, so bring what you've been working on to just show it off, or have it evaluated for AP points.
· A Company Store will feature our unique HO and N scale convention cars, numerous items of logo apparel, and many other rail-related goodies.
· The convention banquet will feature professional family-friendly entertainment in the side-splitting "Lucy and Desi tribute show" along with Door Prizes.
· The National Train Show is shaping up to be one of the best. All the major manufacturers and vendors will be there, plus modular layouts in all scales.
Atlanta is rich in railroad heritage and we plan to highlight many local attractions. Prototype tours include:
· Visits to CSX Tilford and Hulsey yards and CSX railfanning (pending CSX confirmation).
· The unique operations of short line Georgia Northeastern
· NS intermodal operations and railfanning
· Metro Atlanta Rapid Transit (MARTA) heavy rail maintenance facility
· A ride over the famed L&N "Hook & Eye" route on our very own charter train
· Re-living the Great Locomotive Chase featuring a professional Civil War historian and visits to many of the actual locations where the civil war skirmishes occurred. You'll also be up close and personal with the actual "General" locomotive.
· A look into the future of transportation takes you to American Maglev's test facility and a ride on their prototype maglev train.
· Airplane buffs will not want to miss the tour to the Delta Museum, which is now planned to include a look at the Delta World Ops Center and training simulators.
· Opportunities to visit Atlanta's two premier rail museums--Southern Museum of Locomotive History and Southeastern Railway Museum.
Atlanta is a great family fun location, so bring the family. General Interest Tours include:
· An extensive array of non-rail clinics, a special ladies luncheon, an "open early-close late" hospitality suite, continuation of the Project Linus quilting activities, evening movie events featuring "Gone With the Wind" and other southern-flavor classics.
· A special evening at Stone Mountain Park to enjoy all the attractions and culminating in the fabulous Laser & Fireworks Spectacular.
· Tours to the Georgia Aquarium, CNN Center, World of Coke, Atlanta Botanical Gardens, Atlanta Cyclorama, Carter Library, Martin Luther King birthplace and others.
Our convention venue is convenient and affordable:
· Located outside of downtown Atlanta, The Renaissance Waverly is the convention hotel. Your $139.00 convention rate includes FREE parking and the hotel is directly connected to the Galleria Centre, site of the rail clinics and tour departures.
· You'll enjoy air-conditioned comfort throughout the entire Waverly/Galleria complex.
· The complex also features a covered walkway to Cumberland Mall, home to 140 stores and numerous restaurants.
For additional convention details, visit: www.nmra2013.org.
Joe Gelmini – Peachtree Express Convention Chairman
A message from Tony Koester, At Large Director, Worldwide (2005-2013
Considerations When Inviting Speakers To Your Convention
I’ve been asked to give clinics and after-dinner talks at venues literally around the world since 1969. I very much appreciate the honor, as do others who receive similar invitations.
There are several considerations that we should all be aware of, however, that will help to avoid anyone being in an embarrassing or financially untenable situation. Based on decades of presenting talks and on discussions with others who are often asked to do this, I have prepared a list of expectations and customs.
Speakers asked to give a talk in their home Region or Division do not usually expect to have any expenses covered. It’s just part of being an active and participating member of a Region or Division.
When I was elected At-large Director, Worldwide, one of my first proposals was to compensate those who are asked to give clinics at National Conventions. When the officers and directors worked through the numbers, however, it quickly became apparent that any significant compensation such as free lodging or even registration would cause the basic registration fee to grow significantly. That said, in my view clinicians who attend the National only for the day they present their clinic should, at a minimum, be allowed to register at a one-day rate. Even though it is a distinct honor to be asked to give a clinic at a National Convention and counts toward an Achievement Program certificate, perhaps some means of offsetting expenses for National clinicians will one day be worked out by the leadership team and convention hosts.
Those who are invited to give clinics or after-dinner talks at Regions other than their home Region cannot be expected to cover their own major expenses, including transportation, lodging, and banquet costs. They should expect to cover their own non-banquet meals, tours, and other extra-fare costs. But it is simply unfair to expect popular speakers to spend significant hobby funds to “entertain your troops,” as they are often invited to numerous conventions each year. The costs quickly become prohibitive. The model railroad publications do have budgets for staff travel, but such budgets are usually very limited.
Many travel schedules and budgets are set up at least a year out; my own travel schedule tends to fill up two or three years in advance. So as soon as you have a date set for your event and a person delegated to round up a slate of clinicians and the after-dinner speaker, immediately reach out to those you hope can help you make your convention a resounding success.
Tony Koester, At-large Director, Worldwide (2005–2013)
NMRA Election Results Announced
NMRA Secretary John Stevens announced the results of the voting which took place earlier in the year for three NMRA Board of Director positions. The results aren't considered official until the Board of Directors meets this July in Atlanta and accepts the report of the Ballot Committee.
At-Large Worldwide Director
Mike Brestel (446)
Larry Smith (295)
Stan Ames (291)
Leslie Eaton (56)
Atlantic District Director
Kathy Millatt (74)
Alain Kap (17)
Western District Director
Jack Hamilton (263)
Larry Alfred (155)
Home Depot / Holiday Project / National Model Railroad Month
This concept is for the design and implementation of a multi-city holiday campaign titled BUILD A MEMORY.
This project would be the building of a Holiday Train that families can create together to have a lasting holiday memory. The concept is simple; the NMRA designs a build packet that includes all specs (lumber, wiring, track layout, suggested scenery, etc.) that local Home Depot patron can watch being built as part of their Saturday Build Workshop series.The patron would then take plans home and build them selves. (We are in discussion with National retailers and publication for sponsorship.) We would like the Divisions to build a set of in progress layouts (like a cooking show) so the patrons do not have to be at Home Depot for more than an hour. We would also recruit local hobby shops to partake.
The NMRA Marketing department would contact the local regions and divisions to man the selected Home Depot stores and also work with a local market hobby shop to help with awareness of hobby materials.
We need Divisions from the following areas to partake in this campaign. (SE states, NE states, Upper Mid states, Lower Mid States, SW states, Pacific Northwest) These events will be filmed for local news. If interested, please contact Page Martin at marketing@hq.nmra.org
If you have any questions or comments about any of the above, please send them directly to a Director or Officer. You’ll find those addresses at www.nmra.org on in the NMRA Magazine.
If the person holding a region or division office changes, or their email address changes, please contact me at tcdraider@aol.com with the corrected information
Regards,
Tom Draper – HLM, DSA, FA
Director – Support Services
NMRA eBulletin May/June 2013 ...
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Most of the prototype and general interest tours are limited to 50 people due to venue limitations. Keep in mind that we must confirm tours with the bus providers 30 days before the convention. So please register now to avoid disappointment and/or canceled tours due to lack of pre-registrations.
The Standards and Conformance Department is a small group of modelers who are dedicated to updating and maintaining Standards and Recommended Practices. In addition we periodically measure and test models for conformance to these Standards. Unfortunately, since we're a small group, we're unable to test many of the models in the marketplace. Also, NMRA does not have enough money to purchase all the available models, nor do manufacturers send us many models for evaluation. Therefore, we'd like to ask you, as a member of NMRA, to get involved in evaluating your models for conformance to the Standards. Measuring the model before you place it on your layout is probably something you do anyway. Before you remove the couplers and wheels that came with the model and replace them with your favorite couplers and wheels, fill out the NMRA evaluation form and send it to us. These evaluation forms are posted at 
The most common question I'm asked by members is, "What do I get for my dues?" The answer is complex and far beyond the short space I have here. But let me outline one advantage: the ability to learn model railroading and become a better model railroader. Regional conventions (and of course the national convention) offer numerous clinics which are simply classes on model railroading. A dizzying variety of topics is offered covering new techniques and technologies which can vastly improve your enjoyment of this wonderful hobby. I recently attended the PCR convention and learned to utilize Fast Tracks jigs to make a fully functional turnout. Mine took 90 minutes to complete and it came out surprisingly well. The instructor said he can make a turnout in half the time. While I may never take the time to build hundreds of turnouts, the side benefits of this clinic were to improve my soldering skills and my confidence level. Other clinics addressed layout construction, lighting and even moving parts of a layout from one location to another. The national convention offers a large number of topics and some of the best instructors in the hobby. All of this is a wonderful benefit of membership. If you haven't attended a national convention, please try to so. We have a great one coming up soon in Atlanta. But by all means, attend your local regional convention or attend your division's clinics. It is a superb way to learn your craft and improve your skills.
The NMRA is now an approved non-profit with eBay, so you can help support us through the Giving Works program. When you log into your eBay account (or create a new account), visit the NMRA eBay home page (
Got a good layout? Can you write a good story about it and take a few pictures of it? If so, you could be part of the NMRA Marketing Team's nationwide promotion of this year's National Model Railroad Month.
In March the NMRA Board of Directors appointed Mike Yurgec the new At Large North American Director, a position vacated by Miles Hale, MMR. Mike resides in Sherman, Ill., and is a Director of North America Railroad Products for a large hydraulics company. He was recently elected Vice President of the Midwest Region, and prior to that was District 5 Trainmaster for the Illinois Valley Division. Mike also served as Chairman of the "Railsplitter 2012" Midwest Region Convention Committee.
The Board also confirmed the appointment of Gerry Leone, MMR, Vice President-Special Projects. Gerry served as NMRA Communications Director for five years, and, prior to that, was Deputy Chair of the NMRA's Member Services Department. He also served on the boards and edited the newsletters of the Thousand Lakes Region and Twin Cities Division. Gerry received the NMRA President's Award in 2010, and the Meritorious Service award in 2012. Gerry, one of the editors of the NMRA eBulletin, replaces Bill Kaufman, who resigned in mid-February.
Master Model Railroaders
Coming in the next issues of NMRA Magazine...
NMRA eBulletin 2013 Election Special ...
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May 2013 NMRA Marketing Update ...
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Home Depot / Holiday Project / National Model Railroad Month This concept is for the design and implementation of a multi-city holiday campaign titled BUILD A MEMORY. This project would be the building of a Holiday Train that families can create together to have a lasting holiday memory. The concept is simple; the NMRA designs a build packet that includes all specs (lumber, wiring, track layout, suggested scenery, etc.) that local Home Depot patron can watch being built as part of their Saturday Build Workshop series.The patron would then take plans home and build them selves. (We are in discussion with National retailers and publication for sponsorship.) We would like the Divisions to build a set of in progress layouts (like a cooking show) so the patrons do not have to be at Home Depot for more than an hour. We would also recruit local hobby shops to partake. The NMRA Marketing department would contact the local regions and divisions to man the selected Home Depot stores and also work with a local market hobby shop to help with awareness of hobby materials. We need Divisions from the following areas to partake in this campaign. (SE states, NE states, Upper Mid states, Lower Mid States, SW states, Pacific Northwest) These events will be filmed for local news. If interested, please contact Page Martin at marketing@hq.nmra.org |
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RailPass Applications We are currently in mid project to distribute RailPass brochures via outgoing packages from Walthers. Other retailers soon to go online include Caboose Hobbies and Trainland. We are also distributing to certain rail fan attractions, museums, layout displays, etc. If you know of any such attraction in your area, please contact Page Martin at marketing@hq.nmra.org These new applications will offer the option to prospective new members a choice to either join by mail on online at a new webpage that will be active in the days to come. Let's build our numbers, Every Member, Get A Member! |
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Social Media We are currently looking for various model railroad photographs to be uploaded to the national NMRA Pinterest site. If you have some photos you would like featured (layouts, models, etc,) Please contact: Page Martin at marketing@hq.nmra.org. |
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2013 National Convention / Atlanta, GA As you know our 2013 National Convention is the Peachtreee Express inn Atlanta, GA from July 14 - 20. We would like to ask for a volunteer to act as a roving convention reporter to cover various aspects of the convention as the Official NMRA Twitter Reporter and Facebook Reporter. Also to possibly work with a video team filming small one minute reports to be posted on our web site. If you are a local, or know someone who might be interested in volunteering, please contact: Page Martin at marketing@hq.nmra.org |