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St. Louis Convention and Train Show cancelled
As everyone is aware, the coronavirus has had a devastating impact around the world. It has caused the death of tens of thousands of people and that is not something to be trivialized.
The NMRA National convention, Gateway 2020, is scheduled to start on July 12, 2020, in St. Louis, Missouri. That being said, the local host group has determined that they can no longer continue with the preparations and operation of the convention. Among the reasons for this decision is the fact that one key member is ill with COVID-19. The host group requests your prayers for him.
Additionally, some members of the local model railroad community have withdrawn their model railroads from the tours, based on their understandable and valid concerns about allowing persons in their homes who may have the COVID-19 virus. Even if the virus is well under control, that does not mean that everyone who attends the convention would be virus-free.
Robert Amsler, Manager of the Meetings and Trade Show Department has advised the Officers and the Board of Directors of this decision and the Officers and Directors fully support cancelling the convention. Neither the Gateway 2020 crew nor the NMRA made this decision in haste or without careful consideration of all involved. The cancellation is in the best interest of the NMRA members, their family members, and the NMRA. It is noteworthy that the NMRA has never cancelled a convention before Gateway 2020 and that includes during World War II.
For those who have registered for the convention, the refund policy will be published as soon as possible at Gateway2020.org. We, the Gateway 2020 Committee, will need some time to make the necessary changes to the website to process the refunds.
Again, all involved regret this decision but we trust that you will understand the necessity and reasoning behind the decision.
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Two new companies added to our Partnership Program!
The companies listed below are giving NMRA members discounts for buying their products when using a special discount code. You can find their websites and discount codes on our Partnership Page at
https://www.nmra.org/partnerships
. Remember you need to be logged into our site as a member to see the codes!
(See the pink box below.)
Our new companies are listed in RED
Bear Creek Model Railroad LLC
CatzPaw Innovations
Clever Models LLC
CMR Products
Deluxe Materials
Digikeijs develops and manufactures digital model railroad decoders, LED strips, feedback modules, power supply products, stationary decoders, and accessories.
East Coast Circuits
Gatorfoam
Great Decals
Green Frog Productions
Hot Wire Foam Factory
Jason's Brass Poles
K.I.S.S. Method
LARC Products
Logic Rail Technologies
Micro-Mark
Mine Mount Models
MinuteMan Scale Models
Model Railroad Benchwork
Model Train Catalogue
Modelers Decals and Paint
Motrak Models
MRC (Model Rectifier Corporation)
Nick and Nora Designs offers a wide range of HO, N, and O scale structures and detail parts, as well as a full line of Tru-Color paint, Sylvan vehicles (HO), and other hobby supplies.
NScaleWorks
OK Engines/Streamliners
The Old Depot Gallery
Old West Scenery
Ram-Track
RR-CirKits
Rusty Stumps
Scale Model Plans
Scalecoat Paint
Scenery Solutions/Fusion Fiber
Showcase Miniatures
Stepcraft, Inc.
Team Track Models
The N-Scale Architect
The Train Show, Inc.
Tichy Train Group
Train Installations, LLC
Trainmasters TV/Model RR Hobbyist
UGears
Unreal Details (Magic Water)
USA Airbrush Supply/Badger Airbrush
WiFi Model Railroad, LLC
If you're a manufacturer or know of one who'd like to join our Partnership Program, please contact Jim Gore, At-Large North American Director, at
[email protected].
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How some Divisions are coping with the virus
As the guy who puts together the bi-monthly Division Business Car Column in
NMRA Magazine, I've been getting emails from Divisions all over the NMRA with news about how they're keeping their members in touch and engaged while socially separated. I thought some of those ideas would be worth sharing. But due to
NMRA Magazine production schedules, I wouldn't be able to do that until the August issue. So I asked
NMRA eBulletin editor Gerry Leone, MMR if I could share these ideas with you here instead. He kindly agreed. So here is some of what I've found.
Many Divisions are doing virtual versions of the "show and tell" portion of their monthly events. Members send in photos and videos of the projects they're working on. These are published in Division newsletters, shared in emails, or posted to their websites. Other Divisions are adding extras to their websites such as railroad-oriented crossword puzzles and trivia questions.
Benjamin Lanza, the Webmaster for Division 4 of the Mid-Central Region, sends out daily links to prototype and model railroad oriented websites sites under the title "For Div 4 members stuck at home." He also provides links to virtual tours of members' layouts. Meanwhile Joe Kurilec, another Division member came up with an online raffle so members can acquire trains stuff without leaving home.
The Piedmont Division of the Southeastern Region is doing online clinics using the Webex app. It allows viewers to not only see and hear the clinician, but to ask questions as well.
Some Divisions are using apps like GoToMeeting to conduct Board meetings, while others are using Zoom to hold online meetings so every member can see and be seen while social distancing in miles rather than just six feet.
I hope these ideas have inspired you to do something similar or to come up with entirely new ways to keep your Region, Division or 100% NMRA Club members together while remaining apart. I also hope that it won't be long before the Covid-19 Monster is defeated so we can all be reunited with our friends and families face-to-face instead of face-to-computer screen. In the meantime, stay home and build models, stay safe, and stay well.
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We're looking for a few good layouts... (Twelve, to be exact)
You're proud of your model railroad. Why not share it by submitting a photo or two for the 2021 edition of the NMRA Model Railroad Calendar? The calendar is distributed to every U.S. member as a fundraising project. To have your layout photo considered for inclusion, just follow these easy steps:
- Take a horizontal (landscape) format photo of your layout.
- Submit your photo as a digital file. Files must be at least 300 pixels per inch and 8" x 12" (minimum size of 8.6 megapixels - larger is better). Accepted file types are tiff (preferred) or jpg (highest quality only).
- Write a caption describing the action in your shot, the scale, the builder, and the photographer. Include that information on a separate piece of paper or as a text or .doc file on your submission CD, DVD, or thumb drive.
- Please limit your entries to no more than your four best scenes.
- Be sure to include your name, address, phone number, and email with your submissions.
By submitting images for the NMRA Calendar, you are giving permission to the editors to alter them as needed (cropping, smoke and lighting effects, etc). Please indicate specifically if you do NOT give permission to alter your images
Send to : NMRA - ATTN: Calendar Project, PO Box 1328, Soddy Daisy, TN 37384-1328
UPS/FedEx address: 8414 Gulf View Dr. - Suite A, Soddy Daisy, TN 37379
Photos must be received by July 1, 2020 for consideration.
Questions? contact Mike Brestel at 513-661-2141 or 513-481-0185.
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Important NMRA eBulletin news you may have missed
Thanks to volunteer Tom Bensberg, all
NMRA eBulletin issues are archived on the NMRA website and these links will send you directly to them and show what edition of the
NMRA eBulletin they appeared in.
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Remember: your email address has to be registered
on the website (not just with Headquarters) to get to the Members Only section of our website!
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The NMRA eBulletin is an official bi-monthly production of the National Model Railroad Association, Inc. Publishing Department (Don Phillips, Manager). Its purpose is to keep every NMRA member informed about organization news and events. If you know of an NMRA member who is not receiving this mailing, please direct them to here to update their email address. If you no longer wish to receive these mailings, please don't mark them as SPAM. Instead, click the Safe Unsubscribe link at the bottom of this page. ©2020 National Model Railroad Association, Inc., P.O. Box 1328, Soddy Daisy TN 37384.
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A few words from the president
Spring has...
Well... Spring has what? I started with a couple of possibilities, but let's just say that at the moment Spring has not lived up to its reputation of bringing peace, harmony, joy, bunnies and butterflies, daffodils and lovely breezes wafting through the meadows. I woke up this morning, looked out the window and was greeted not with a gorgeous day, but rather with snow arriving sideways and uphill that looked as if it were serious and trying to make up for missing February completely. Fortunately, the squall didn't last, and it's turned into a beautiful, albeit chilly day.
Not so much with the Coronavirus, though. I am receiving notifications that members here and there are down with the virus or are finally recovering from it. Friends have lost family members, first responders and medical personnel are perishing, and the news is pretty grim in many areas.
On a positive note, we have a glorious hobby that encourages creativity, thinking, learning and doing. We ought to maximize this asset, so how about digging into The Stash for a long-forgotten project in the "someday pile" (I know you have one... we all do) and beginning to have some fun? More on this later.
As most of you are aware, we were forced to cancel the planned summer convention in St. Louis. While the suggestion to simply push it back a year and do it next summer has been proposed, we're not able to do that because the contracts for several years of conventions have been signed, the planning has been underway for years, and others are working hard to keep their conventions alive.
It should go without saying that none of us wanted to cancel the St. Louis convention, but the virus made the decision for us. The Committee is working hard to unravel the finances, registrations and so on. Please give them some time to straighten things out!
So... here we be, at the moment locked down at home. Paraphrasing a popular television advertisement, "What's on your bench?" As I mentioned, this is a great time to get into The Stash and start or complete a project. How about a scratchbuild or something similar that will earn you some Achievement Program Merit Awards when next we gather in convention? What about some in-process photos to document your build(s) and perhaps provide some guidance for others in the article(s) you're about to write for NMRA Magazine, or your Region or Division publications? Editors are always looking for content, and your 'Ho-Hum Quickie Scratchbuild" may be someone else's inspiration for a first-ever foray into that part of our hobby, or the solution to someone's problem with building that roof with the varied angles on the surfaces. And there are AP Author points to be had there, too!
This is also a good time to figure out the necessary logistics to get set for Santa Clara, California, July 4-10 2021. Their website should go up later this summer, but you can still use the downtime right now to make the preliminary arrangements with respect to work schedules, family activities and so on.
And just so you don't feel too isolated with all of this, how about a virtual gathering with your operating group, or your Division or even a few of your friends? This is a good time for that kind of activity, we're fortunate to have those resources available, and they do work. My local group started this process in late March, and for all of us, especially those "home alone," to coin a phrase, the weekly gatherings on ops night have been highly beneficial for our morale.
So there you have them... a few ideas for dealing with the COVID-19 problem. Hope they're helpful. Stay safe!
High Green!
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Highlights of the 2020 Winter Board Meeting
The Winter Board of Directors meeting was held in Atlanta, Georgia, on March 7 and 8 at the Drury Inn & Suites. These are some highlights of the meeting.
Please note that this is an unofficial summary of what took place at the meeting. The official minutes, authored by NMRA Secretary Rick Coble, are posted on the NMRA website, www.nmra.org.
Also note that at the time of the meeting, COVID-19 had not yet become a worldwide issue, and thus was not discussed.
- Frank Koch, chair of the Achievement Program, reported that experiments are continuing with "remote evaluations" of models via internet video software. The idea is to make the AP more accessible to remote members. Although the initial experiments proved promising, more work needs to be done to assess models with points near the Merit level.
- Koch also reported that the certificate requirements for Author, Official, and Volunteer have been modified, following a review and vote by all Region Achievement Program chairpersons. The changes were approved by the Board of Directors and will be reflected in the online forms in their respective categories at https://www.nmra.org/education/achievement-program by June 1.
- Bruce de Young, Education Department Chair, reported that three more Data Sheets have been uploaded to the NMRA website. These new sheets are located in the area labeled "Data Sheets," whereas the "vintage" Data Sheets are now located in an area called "Legacy Data Sheets."
- The Model Railroad Directory continues to expand, and now has listings for over 500 club and home layouts.
- A majority of the Board voted to hold monthly electronic meetings to help keep projects moving forward.
- The Board agreed to modify the NMRA Magazine subscription rates effective July 1, as a result of increased production costs. The U.S. subscription will now be $32/year. Non-U.S. members should check with their Region business office for their new rates.
- Kevin Eudaly, president of White River Productions (which publishes NMRA Magazine, among others) gave the Board an overview of digital publishing and explained why it's not economically feasible for the NMRA at present.
- NMRA.org webmaster Scott Povlot gave the Board a preview of the website's newly remodeled Company Store, explaining that it was nearly finished.
- At-Large Worldwide Director Jack Hamilton gave an overview of Long Range Plan recommendations, as voted on by a committee of 20 volunteers representing all Regions.
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How Tennessee's "Shelter In-Place" order affects NMRA Headquarters
Tennessee and Georgia are now under a mandatory minimum 14-day "shelter-in-place" order that will have some impact on how we manage the NMRA at HQ. During this time, be patient and use email for any requests, and try to keep those requests to an essential minimum.
The office is closed and our employees will work from home. They have the ability to manage NMRA email and most of the banking functions remotely. We can process checks and credit cards for renewals. HQ will arrange for periodic mail pick-up at the post office and will process the mail. We currently pick up trays of mail every day and may pick it up less frequently for the next several weeks since no one will be near the post office.
There may be short delays in responding to member requests and renewal membership cards may be delayed. We will find ways to get the printing and out-going mail processed.
We simply ask all members to be patient.
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Notice of 2021 NMRA elections
The following NMRA Officers and Board of Directors positions are open for election in 2021:
- President
- Vice President - Administration
- Vice President - Special Projects
- At-Large North American Director
- Eastern District Director, and
- Pacific District Director
Please check Article III, paragraph 12 of the NMRA Executive Handbook (EHB) located at
https://nmra.org/executive-handbook
for the extent of the districts affected. Qualifications for candidates are listed in the EHB.
Thinking Of Running for an NMRA Director or Officer Position?
Go to
www.nmra.org Click "Organization and Structure" from the NMRA Resources section in the blue "footer" on each page.
Click "Board of Directors" listed in the blue "box" on the right side of the page.
Click "Thinking about running for an NMRA office"
President, Vice President - Administration, and Vice President - Special Projects
Submission of candidates' names for consideration for the positions of
President, Vice President - Administration, and Vice President - Special Projects should be made to one of the following no later than June 1, 2020:
At-Large North American Director
Submission of candidates' names for consideration for the position of At-Large North American Director
should be made to one of the following no later than June 1, 2020:
Eastern District Director
Submission of candidates' names for consideration for the position of Eastern District Director should be made to National Nominating Committee Chair Mike Brestel at
[email protected]
no later than June 1, 2020.
Pacific District Director
Submission of candidates' names for consideration for the position of Pacific District Director should be made to the Pacific District Nominating Committee at
[email protected]
no later
than June 1, 2020.
Candidates may wish to run for these positions by petition and not be subjected to the decisions of the appropriate nominations committees. Requirements for submitting by petition are contained in the EHB. All submissions by petition shall be received by the Secretary NMRA no later than September 1, 2020.
Members with questions about the nominations or the election may contact the Secretary Rick Coble at
[email protected]
.
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An NMRA first! Introducing NMRA-X...our virtual, online convention
Some of you may have noticed a strange occurrence on Facebook between April 24th and April 25th and still might be wondering what happened to the NMRA. Well, the NMRA-X is what happened, and it is here to stay!
NMRA-X is the new virtual experience formed to bring some of the benefits of the organization love, right to your computer screens! Our very first NMRA-X Virtual Convention was held from 7pm EDT on April 24th to 7pm EDT on April 25th and consisted of 25 straight hours of clinics and tours from around the globe, featuring a new presentation every hour. Broadcast through both the NMRA Facebook page and group, NMRA-X was a huge success with both members and non-members alike, and it definitely broke the mold in the model railroading community.
If you missed out on any of the action, all the videos are saved in the NMRA Facebook group:
and on the NMRA Facebook page:
Marketing has been pushing for this and plans on making NMRA-X the virtual model railroading destination by continuing to bring you more valuable content over the coming months.
The next event is "Ask the Master Model Railroader" scheduled for Saturday, May 2nd at 5pm EDT.
Additionally, four, 12-hour NMRA-X Virtual Conventions are set for May 16th, May 30th, June 13th and June 27th. These can all be accessed from the NMRA Facebook group and the NMRA Facebook page. It is our hope to add additional streams soon. We hope to see you all there!
A special "thank you" goes to Gordy Robinson (BR), Brad Anderson (AR), Martyn Jenkins (AR), Gert "Speed" Muller (LSR) and Jordan Kramer (MCR) for pulling together and running the entire event, the presenters for sharing their knowledge and time, and the group from the "A Modeler's Life" podcast for wrapping up the event!
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Region and National Conventions
(Only those Regional conventions occurring in the next three months are listed)
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CANCELLED: June 5-9, 2020: Australasian Region, Rosehill, Sidney, NSW, Australia
*As of May 1, 2020. Please consult the Region's convention website for more up-to-date information
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Newest Master Model Railroader® recipients
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653:
Robert Kuchler (MCR)
"Master Model Railroader" and "MMR" are registered trademarks of the NMRA
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In an upcoming issue of NMRA Magazine
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Home for the Summer
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The Glacier Line
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Timesaver in O Scale
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News you can use
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