Our facilities allow for us to have 8 clinics presented simultaneously throughout the entire convention. Clinics will be offered from the first day of the convention to the final day, beginning at 9:00AM and ending at 8:30PM. Over the course of the convention there will be more than 200 clinic slots. Clinics are one hour in length including time for questions and answers. With the desire to have at least two opportunities for an attendee to catch a particular clinic.
Below is the list of clinics that will be offered. The final schedule for these clinics is still in the works so Subscribe to our email list and follow us on Facebook to keep up to date!
Current Clinic Summary
| Clinic_ID | Clinician | Clinic Title | Clinic Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 165 | Paul Bender | Operations for Modular Layouts using JMRI Switch Lists | This clinic will discus how to use JMRI's OperationsPro software to generate switch lists for a modular layout. Examples will come from the Free-moN layout setup in conjunction with Operations Roadshow that will be running operating sessions during the convention. We'll cover OperationsPro topics that are relevant to all layouts while also providing tricks and techniques that are specific to modular layouts that typically change every time they are assembled. |
| 37 | Dave Capron, MMR | Car Cards and a Chief Clerk | Model railroaders either love or hate car cards. While they eel prototypical they are not. Engineers and conductors did not and do not deal with them. The paperwork is handled by the station clerk. We take the car card boxes of the layout and place them in th 'Chief Clerks' station. As the train progresses from town to town the clerk works the car cards from his packet for that train at each station. Come and see what a'Chief Clerk' can do for your layout operation. |
| 3 | Dave Capron, MMR | Full and Complete Operations on a Room Size Layout | This clinic will show you how to have satisfying operations on you small room size layout like the basement empires do. The ideas and suggestions presented will change the way you view your layout. There are possibilities that our presentation and discussion will permit you to find in and around you layout. The number of operators you will need round robin group of larger layouts. come and see the real size of your layout. |
| 132 | Paul Hurly | Building an Industrial Switching Layout for Maximum Enjoyment: Planning and Design Ideas | How can modelers develop a modest-sized layout for operations that provides lots of activity and enjoyment? This presentation will show how a well-researched plan and specific design elements can result in lots of rail traffic, offer interesting variety, and provide realistic yet challenging switching jobs. It will review: • six key planning components; • five research tools for prototype or freelanced layouts; • several design options; • using research to maximize traffic and switching opportunities, and • several switching assignments/puzzles on the layout. The project is the author’s second HO scale layout. Designed for operations, it is a major departure from his first. The prototype is the Toronto, Hamilton & Buffalo Railway. The setting is the Canadian city of Hamilton and the Niagara Peninsula. The era is the 1970s. This is just before the major recession that decimated the steel and other primary industries in the ne United States and the Niagara Peninsula. It is also the ‘second’ transition era. This featured some significant AAR rule changes, major railway consolidations, and major changes to freight car fleets and car designs, among other developments. |
| 134 | John Lowrance, MMR | What Industries for your Freight Cars? | How do you pick the industries for your layout? Most modelers have a fleet of freight cars before building their layout that often include favorite oars with no place to go on the layout except from staging to staging. So why not choose industries that serve as many of those cars as possible? This clinic shows a technique to match your cars to proposed industries and will explore a few infrequently modeled industries that can provide a "spot" for many those unique, and special purpose cars we love so well. |
| 48 | Steve McMullin | Incorporating Potato Farming and Shipping on a Model Railroad | The clinic presents prototypical ways that potatoes were stored and shipped by rail in the 1960s in eastern Canada. Modelling potato fields & farm equipment, and constructing models of potato warehouses & production facilities (for potato starch, potato chips, french fries) will be discussed, as well as how products were shipped by rail. The clinic will include prototype photos and photos from operations on my HO-scale Carleton Railway. |
| 149 | Seth Neumann | Model Railroad Communications (Phones for Ops) | This clinic will describe the history of Dispatcher to Train Communications on the prototype and how to model them in your model railroad’s operating scheme. He will cover design considerations, matching your communications to the operations of your prototype, system design, equipment selection including use of period telephone and telegraph equipment or inexpensive modern equivalents. He will describe simple circuit boards that he and his collaborators have developed for model railroad use. Parts sources, connection diagrams and other tips are included. |
| 145 | Cal Sexsmith | Setting up Operations on Your Railroad | This clinic will show how I set up operating sessions on my former layout with an inexperienced crew. The goal is to show that you don't need a basement filler to have satisfying sessions. The main theme is that you should start with a simple system and increase complexity as you and your crew gain experience and the layout grows. |
| 129 | Bob Weinheimer, MMR | Getting Started in Operations (Part 1 of a 3 Part Series) | This is an EduTRAIN clinic written by the presenter. In this clinic, we will take a high level approach to the sorts of issues someone starting out in operations might consider. Probably one of the most important is to determine how the operation is intended to interact with the rest of the world. Other issues include train authorization methods, how to determine where cars should go, ideas on car fleets, a consideration of era. Options to consider for each of those areas are presented, it will be up to the operator to choose what works best for him or her. |
| 130 | Bob Weinheimer, MMR | Operations on the Pennsylvania Southern (Part 2 of a 3 Part Series) | The Pennsylvania Southern is a freelance layout set in 1980 in western Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Southern uses train orders but no timetable as all trains are run as extras. We use single use waybills for car routing. These and other topics for discussion include layout philosophy, train scheduling, car fleet description, train schedules, dispatching issues, and supporting paperwork. |
| 131 | Bob Weinheimer, MMR | Evolution of an Operating Scheme (Part 3 of a 3 Part Series) | This clinic looks at how Pennsylvania Southern and its operating scheme have evolved over the past 40 years. Any large layout grows with time to its current form. This layout has moved twice offering opportunities for development. Industrial growth led to a larger car fleet in turn requiring schedule adjustments. Paperwork and dispatching systems evolved; all of this will be discussed in this clinic. |
| 144 | Ken Zieska | Operations on the Minnesota Heartland | The romance of railroads is often captured in sleek passenger trains or long freight hauls, eating up the miles between towns. While these trains may be glamorous, the true work of the railroads happens on the last miles—the moments when the railroad shakes hands with the customer. On the Minnesota Heartland Railroad, operators perform this handshake in downtown alleys, industrial parks, and rural towns. This presentation will take you behind the scenes to explore the environment that shapes operations, the paperwork that supports them, and the hands-on experience that brings everything together. You’ll see firsthand how all the preparation culminates in the operation of the Minnesota Heartland Railroad. Set in the mid to late 1960s during harvest season, the railroad is bustling with traffic, but the weather is beautiful, trains are running smoothly, and there’s a sense of calm in the air. |
| 152 | Randall Allio | Painting With Panpastels | In this clinic I will show attendees the techniques I have discovered using Panpastels to paint detail castings, stone walls, and wood. Models will be on display showing the results possible using this medium to replace the lost paint brands that modelers used for years. Time will be available for anyone wanting hands on practice. Sam Swanson is the driving force behind my drive to MMR so that he can have Panpastels used in his·Modeling with the Masters clinics on weathering.. He and I did a imitation Modeling with the Masters clinic at the National Narrow Gauge Convention. |
| 31 | Norman Logan | Weathering Basics | Step by step discussion with POWER POINT on the use of paints, alcohol, markers, to weather railcars, buildings and other models. There will also be a handout of paint, markers, and tools. Finish detail painting will also be discussed. |
| 1 | Dave Capron, MMR | Building Craftsman Kits -- Part 1 | Fifty years ago there were Campbell and Suydam kits. Scratch building was the only way to get great looking structures on your layout. Today there are hundreds of kits from dozens of manufactures. This clinic will cover both the basics of kit construction and how to build award winning kits and dioramas. The use of basic and advanced tools,adhesives, paints stains, washes and chalks will be covered. Construction techniques and various methods will be shown. Interior and exterior detail and signage is also demonstrated. We will quantify the difference between a layout model and an award winning Kit. |
| 125 | Dave Capron, MMR | Building Craftsman Kits -- Part 2 | (See Details for Part 1) |
| 155 | Mark Ellis, MMR | Animation on Your Layout | Animation can be easy aoo add interest, and fun to your layout. l wil1 show simple easy . ways to add animation to your layout. Interaction with visitors through the use of sensor or buttons can draw your visitors into your layout. Can enhance operations for operator during an ops session. When you attend this dinic. I hope to get you excited and motivated to add animation to your layout. |
| 99 | Mike Hauk, MMR | Introduction to Static Grass | Clinic is designed to introduce and demystify the use of static grass in creating model railroad scenery. Covers a bit of history, grass applicators, and a few tips and techniques that will hopefully encourage modelers who are unfamiliar with static grass to give it a try on their own layouts. Live hands-on demo can be done if time permits. |
| 59 | Dan Lewis, MMR | Just Roofs | People like us who build model railroad layouts are all Gullivers in a world of Lilliputians, which is to say, we outsize our models by huge margins. One thing that this means is that we see roofs on our layouts far more than is typical in ordinary life. Hence, it pays us to model roofs well and with considerable detail, since they will be viewed by visitors who, like us, tower over the structures. In this clinic, we will discuss roofing styles, sub-roofs, shingling, tarpaper, corrugated metal, and tile. We'll also cover drainage, ventilation, roof access, and signage. Especially, we'll look at "rooftop gizmology," the incredibly wide range of things one can model on a rooftop to make it interesting and memorable. |
| 66 | Ray Persing | Scratchbuilding in Wood | Nothing makes a more realistic model of a wood structure than using wood as a modeling medium. In an era when craftsman kits are becoming increasingly expensive, scratch-building makes high-quality models possible on a budget. For the modeler who is considering scratch-building but either hasn't started or has started with limited success. We'll cover techniques used in constructing wood models by stepping through the construction of a prize-winning structure. Methods used to build a Merit Award quality model, as well as a number of warnings of things not to do, and alternative methods to achieve similar effects. |
| 39 | Brook Qualman, MMR | Prototype Scratch Building - Houses and Other Structures | Make your layout really personal. I will show you how to research and scratch-build structures that no longer exist and those that do. My methods can be used for any structure. This clinic is on how I built several family homes for our Michigan Lines layout. It evolves into other significant buildings needed for the towns we are replicating. |
| 14 | Neal Schorr | Modeling Stone Arch Railroad Bridges | One of the signature items of the Pennsylvania Railroad were its stone arch bridges. Neal's layout which portrays the railroad's Middle Division features the three different types used by the Pennsy, including a tangent, curved, and skewed structure. All are highly accurate scale models and each required a different method to model them. This clinic will explain in detail how he constructed them out of hydrocal plaster to closely resemble the prototype. |
| 88 | Don Winn, MMR | Kitbashing - Thinking Outside of the Walthers Box | You need dozens, perhaps hundreds, of structures for your home or club layout. There’s not enough time to scratchbuild them all, but building a kit to the instructions leaves you with a layout that looks more like a Walthers sales display and less like the unique railroad you are trying to present. Also, many of the spaces you have on your railroad are oddly shaped where a rectangular building won’t fit. We’ll discuss tips and tricks to help you build structures that fit your layout and will hopefully inspire you to customize your buildings to tell your railroad’s story. |
| 172 | Bob Chaparro | Open Car Loads | A look at loads modelers can duplicate with an emphasis on general service flat cars and gondolas in the steam and transition eras. Prototype practices are explored through photos and diagrams. Examples of accurately modeled loads and common modeling errors also are covered. |
| 114 | Dan Mitzel | Milwaukee Road 13th Sub - Designing a Layout based on the Prototype | A how-to clinic on designing a layout based upon a full-sized, Class 1 railroad in an unconventional area - the vast, big-sky spaces of the upper Great Plains running from western Minnesota to eastern Montana. We will discuss why one would want to model the prototype, the type of modeler one is - an operator or a railfan, types of operational schemes (in the cab or on the ground), how to fit a linear railroad into a confined space, how to apply track charts, station maps, valuation drawings and SPINS/CLIC/ZTS maps to track planning. We then assess the CMStP&P 13th Sub design as a case study towards the goal of effective prototype layout design, using the presenter's home layout (on this week's LDSIG tour) as an example. An interactive Q&A will follow. |
| 150 | Seth Neumann | LDSIG Presents "What Would You Do Differently" | Every year at the NMRA convention the Layout Design Special Interest Group (LDSIG) offers a panel of layout owners (usually local hosts during the convention) who discuss lessons learned under the heading of "What Would You do Differently?" In line with LDSIG's motto of "Make only new mistakes" owners share their journey to building a layout (in many cases the latest in a series) and explain what worked and what didn't perform as expected. The format is a panel with a moderator (Seth Neumann) and audience participation is strongly encouraged. |
| 89 | Gary Saxton | Thin and Light Benchwork for Sectional and Multilevel Layouts | The “benchwork” for sectional layouts is the struggle to find the sweet spot between several conflicting objectives. Light but robust enough to take the handling. Joints that are easy to use but stay together. A wiring plan that is reliable but can be easily connected or disconnected. Here is one modeler’s swing at it with the following results: 1) Light 1-1/2 inch high frame. 2) Simple connect disconnect. 3) Can be tipped on its backs for easy “under the table” work. 4). The underside cavity has room for microcontroller, other electronics and servos for switch machines and other animation. 5) Thin “facia” for toggle switches. |
| 29 | Neal Schorr | Capturing the Commonwealth - How I Recreated Pennsy's Middle Division | Inspired by a trip to Pennsylvania's Juniata River Valley in 1975, Neal has attempted to capture the scenic beauty of that area on his model railroad which depicts PRR's Middle Division. He will identify the critical geologic and scenic features of central Pennsylvania as well as those of the railroad's physical plant that are necessary to create a highly accurate model of that railroad. His clinic includes many photos of the layout and the prototype scenes upon which it is based. The layout has appeared numerous times in the model railroad press including Model Railroad Planning, Great Model Railroads, and Model Railroad Hobbyist. |
| 63 | Cal Sexsmith | Prairie Town Layout Design | This clinic will show the various standard town designs used by railways on the Canadian Prairies and how to model them. Using prototype station grounds plans this clinic will explore various common track designs found in western Canada. The clinic will emphasize modeling the typical and how to create a believable representation of a prairie town on your layout including examples from the presenter's home layout. |
| 141 | John Young | The Ergonomics of Layout Design for Senior Modelers | As we age we face mobility issues we seldom have expected or experienced before. We will look at and discuss someways to overcome limited mobility issues and other limitations in manipulating a model road and tactics and ideas to include in designing and building your retirement layout. Layout size, location, building materials and dimensions are all part of this discussion. So are the social aspects of the hobby. |
| 142 | John Young | Current Thinking and Design of Modules for Bench Work | This clinic will discuss the use of modules for model railroad bench work and the challenges they pose. It will cover the key attributes a module needs to over come to make its use worth the extra carpentry involved. Legs, connectors, weight and strength are some of the areas that will be highlighted. |
| 21 | Bob Frankrone | Love Those Loads | Most model railroaders love open loads. Bob's clinic features a variety of open load models that can be built from commercially available kits or easily scratch built from basic materials. Beginners and master modelers alike will enjoy learning how to create interesting and realistic open car loads. With plenty of photos from both the prototype and HO scale models, Bob's clinic is always a real crowd pleaser. Bob is the author of the "Love Those Loads" series featured bi-monthly in the NMRA Magazine. |
| 42 | Dave McMullian | Superdetailing Steam Locomotives | Virtually every aspect of constructing or modifying steam locomotives will be examined here. Topics include research, drive mechanism, lighting and electronics, running gear, use of commercial parts, scratch-built details, and finishing. The clinic will focus on a Boston & Maine 4-6-2 that has over 1,000 parts and 300+ hours of construction time. I will share techniques that I learned along the way related to soldering detailed assemblies, fabrication from various materials, parts attachment, creating decals, and application of “rivet decals”. |
| 170 | Tom Persoon, MMR | Little Cats and Big Cats - Modeling Construction and Mining Machinery Loads | Manufacturing construction machinery is a $67 billion business in the United States, which is the worldwide industry leader. Caterpillar, John Deere, and Komatsu are a few of the manufacturers with plants in the US. These companies ship many of their products by rail, and the loads are interesting to model. This clinic will describe how to model construction machinery loads with methods that are applicable to all scales. Machinery model selection, car selection, weathering, and tie down methods will be covered in the clinic. At least ten different types of loads will be covered, with photos of the prototypes and the corresponding models. Discussion and questions are welcome. |
| 94 | Mont Switzer | Favorite Freight Cars 12, Freight Cars of Muncie, Indiana | This clinic describes the modeling opportunities for the bright yellow THE BALL LINE Mather patent and steel boxcar fleets, the red/yellow Marhoefer Packing refrigeration cars, the giant Westinghouse Schnabel transformer cars and commonly seen automobile parts cars. There is a handout with this clinic. |
| 93 | Mont Switzer | Favorite Freight Cars 11, Freight Cars of Muncie, Indiana | This clinic describes railroading in general and how the model railroading community was involved with the freight cars both common and unique to this midwestern city manufacturing center. Muncie was served by four class one railroads as well as a local switching railroad. |
| 87 | Don Winn, MMR | Scratching My Way to a AP Cars Certificate | Has the very thought of scratchbuilding cars derailed you from moving forward towards becoming a Master Model Railroader? There are some in our hobby who are superb model builders… and then there are the rest of us. Come along as I share my experiences on what worked (and didn’t work) for me. I’ll provide you with a specific roadmap that will allow you to gradually build up both your skill and confidence. You can do this! |
| 83 | Steve Zapytowski, MMR | Two Prototypes, Two Models | Sam Swanson, MMR®, and Steve Zapytowski, MMR® compare and contrast their modeling techniques for two very different models. Sam details the construction of his C.F.F. & Co. cement mixing car. Sam used a period publication from the Browning Engineering Company in Cleveland, Ohio as his source material. A visit to Mystic Seaport in Connecticut inspired Steve’s Pacific Cordage. He took measurements and photos in and around their Plymouth Cordage building from which he built his model. A range of methods were employed on both models, including convention stick building, using forms and jigs, 3D modeling, use of a craft cutter, and 3D printing. |
| 171 | Bob Chaparro | Right Of Way & Trackside Details | Exploring the use of details as a means to make your layout a more complete, interesting and unique model railroad environment. Details exist without the presence of a train yet are “railroady”. Details add realism, completeness and atmosphere beyond the trains and structures, convey to visitors your railroad is a miniature transportation system, reinforce prototype or freelance railroad practice and are simple and sometimes subtle. Many photographic examples of prototype details will be presented. |
| 58 | Joe Green | Modeling C & O Prototype Scenes | This clinic presents a framework for planning and developing prototype-based scenes. The framework is discussed in detail in an article in the December 2023 issue of Model Railroad Craftsman. The framework can lead a modeler through the process of goal setting, track planning, scene planning, and the identification of signature and supporting elements. Successful prototype-based scenes can be developed in many different ways; the framework is intended to help a modeler think through their choices in advance to increase their enjoyment and their chances of success. Examples are drawn from my layout, the C&O Ryder Gap Sub. The layout has been published in MRP, MR, and RMC. |
| 146 | Lloyd Henchey | Enhancing Model Railroad Scenery: Ground Elevation, Vegetation, and Trees (Part 1) | Discover how to transform your model railroad into a visually captivating and lifelike scene in this clinic. We'll explore three essential aspects of scenery creation: Ground Elevation: Learn techniques to shape terrain with realistic contours, slopes, and elevations that bring depth and dimension to your layout. Vegetation: Discover how to create ground covers, grasses, and shrubs that add texture and richness to your landscapes. Trees: Master the art of crafting trees, from small saplings to majestic evergreens, to populate your miniature world authentically. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced hobbyist, this clinic will provide practical tips, suggestions, and creative ideas to make your model railroad scenery stand out. |
| 147 | Lloyd Henchey | Bringing Life to Model Railroad Scenery: Water Features, Roads, and Details (part 2) | Join us for an engaging clinic focused on elevating your model railroad scenery with three key elements: Water Features: Learn techniques to create realistic lakes, rivers, streams, and ponds that add movement and character to your layout. Roads: Discover how to design and build roads, from dirt paths to asphalt highways, complete with authentic textures and markings. Details: Explore the power of small details—signs, fences, rocks, and other finishing touches to bring your scenes to life. This session is perfect for hobbyists looking to add depth, realism, and personality to their layouts. |
| 50 | Norman Logan | Producing A Museum-Quality Backdrop for Your Layout -- Part 1 | If you are tired of flat blue walls and interested in having an effective backdrop for your layout this is the clinic for you. Painting a backdrop can be the quickest way to add a lot of scenery to your model layout in the shortest amount of time. It is also a great way to unify all of your scenic ideas and give focus to your modeling theme. The clinic will cover Pre-Production choices and backdrop painting techniques. We will show you, with a Power Point Program and will go over material and the steps to help you have a backdrop that will enhance you layout and models. |
| 51 | Norman Logan | Producing A Museum-Quality Backdrop for Your Layout -- Part 2 | During this clinic, Mr. Logan will talk about designing scenes to tie in the “Far away hills” with the foreground. We will also show how the use of pictures and clip art from catalogs and magazines can add scenes, cities, industry to enhance, detail, and add depth to you backdrop. The clinic will cover Pre-Production choices and backdrop painting techniques. We will show you, with a Power Point Program and will go over material and the steps to help you have a backdrop that will enhance you layout and models. |
| 33 | Norman Logan | Producing A Museum-Quality Backdrop for Your Layout -- Part 3 | During this clinic, Mr. Logan will talk about using and the installing of clipped photos from magazines and internet photos. There will be a discussion of matching photos to models on your layout. We will also discuss how to paint around and over photo create a scene that will blend in with the layout on the forefront. Lastly, Mr. Logan will do some painting “live” to show how different brushes work to create trees and other foreground details. |
| 135 | John Lowrance, MMR | Scenery Ground Cover Materials Palate | Today there are so many scenery products to choose from, that it is difficult to know which ones ro buy, and which ones to use to aohieve a consistant "look" aoross the entire.layout. The goal of this clinic is to show how to choose your colors and textures to best represent the area you are modeling and to create a reference board "Palate" of the chosen materials that can be used as a standard to guide helpers working on your club or home layout to ensure a consistant look of your prototype geographic area. e will answer the following scenery questions: How to choose colors that best match your prototype region? What is texture and when to use it? What sequence should I apply my scenery materials? and more. |
| 47 | Steve McMullin | Creating Believable Rural Scenes on a Model Railroad | Modelling rural scenes requires a focus on the kinds of buildings, industries, community life, and scenery that are typical of small town or "out-in-the-country" areas. Many rural areas have long been characterized by farming, forestry, and fishing -- and the rural lifestyle that goes with those industries. Using ideas I have used on my HO-scale Carleton Railway, this clinic will describe practical ways to create the feeling of a rural area on a model railroad. |
| 17 | Brook Qualman, MMR | Landscaping 101 | The bench work is done, the track is laid, and maybe a couple of buildings are built. What happens next? I will cover painting, weathering, and ballasting track. A brief mention of backdrops before streets and sidewalks. Moving on to terrain-dirt, grass, hills, bushes, trees, and water. |
| 123 | Robert Blake | Modeling Motion | DCC has fundamentally changed model railroad operations, and decoders have improved significantly over the past decade. In addition to more sound and lighting functions, motor control has also improved to a point where we can more prototypically model train motion. The cliniic uses prototype video to show starting and stopping and how current decoders can emulate prototype motion. |
| 124 | Robert Blake | Kick Up Your Switching | Prototype switching is often much more involved than simply setting out and picking up cars from a customer. We’ll look at prototype operations at several modeled customers to see how switching can be more involved without resorting to switching puzzles. |
| 133 | Michael Burgett | Proper Placement of Railroad Signals | Learn the engineering philosophy on why the prototype places, Signals and Signal equipment where they do. Following these basic prototype principles will allow your model railroad signal system to operate just like a Class 1 railroad. |
| 168 | Keith DeVault, MMR | B & O Prototype History | My clinic will be the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Mountain Sub Division from the B & O to today with CSX. It will cover from Cumberland, Maryland to Grafton, West Virginia. It will showcase the history of how the Baltimore and Ohio built the grades to make this sub-division the toughest piece of mainline real estate east of the Rockies. |
| 169 | Keith DeVault, MMR | Up and Over Sand Patch Grade | This clinic will showcase the beauty and the roughest of this piece of main line running from Cumberland, Maryland to Connellsville, Pennsylvania. It will show how this line was and is now the mainline from the East to the West from Baltimore, Maryland to Chicago, Illinois |
| 10 | Bob Frankrone | Cumbres and Toltec Railroad | Have you ever wanted to travel back in time? The Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad is a living time machine that will transport you to a place and time when steam ruled the rails. Travel with Bob as he takes both an archival and present day journey on the Cumbres and Toltec RR. |
| 158 | Eric Hansmann | Team Tracks & Team Yards | An historical review of team tracks and team yards in cities and towns. These facilities are key for serving local customers who do not have dedicated rail service. They are important delivery points for retailers and wholesalers that served the local population. These underutilized layout additions are universal industries which can increase layout operational interest and play value across many eras. Modern railroads use a similar facility known as transload tracks. |
| 157 | Eric Hansmann | B&O Allegheny Yard Branch | A forgotten six mile Pittsburgh industrial branch that inspires my next layout project set in 1926. Team yards, department store warehouses, the HJ Heinz factory, two more pickle packers, plus metal fabricators and other manufacturers were customers along the branch. |
| 113 | Douglas Harding, MMR | Livestock Facilities for Handling Livestock at Shipping Points in the Corn Belt Region | Starting with government reports and photographs this will be a detailed look at railroad stockpens and other facilities used to handle livestock. The main focus will be small towns in the Mid-west, though facilities from across the United States will be included. We will also briefly look at stockcars. Material presented will include photos, Sanborn and railroad maps, railroad drawings and standard plans, ICC Valuation reports, government reports on livestock and livestock transportation. Information gleamed from interviews will be interspersed. Handouts will be provided. |
| 111 | Douglas Harding, MMR | Meat Packing Part 1 -- Meat Packing Plants: Prototype and Model | A look at the Meat Packing industry, its history and development, using photos of a variety of meat packing plants, with Sanborn and railroad maps, and interviews. There will be a special focus on the Decker & Son's Meat Plant in Mason City, Iowa and how the I modeled Decker's in HO scale. Handouts will be provided. |
| 112 | Douglas Harding, MMR | Meat Packing Part 2 -- Operations of Meat Packing Plants and Meat Traffic | A two part clinic: First an explanation of Operations "How did railroads work meat plants?" This includes a listing of commodities and cars that move in and out of meat plants and the special paperwork for the reefer moves. Second will be a look at meat trains and meat traffic, "What happened to that reefer after it left?” This will include samples of meat train Train Orders, comments from dispatchers, etc. We will study the railroad operations of the Decker & Son's Meat Plant using car cards with a special insert. Handouts will be provided. |
| 98 | Mike Hauk, MMR | PRR X29 and B&O M-26 Boxcars | Clinic is designed to familiarize steam and transition-era modelers with the ubiquitous Pennsy X29 and the very similar B&O M-26 boxcars. Emphasis on spotting features and correlation with the still-commonly available Red Caboose HO-scale kits. Also covers construction of the RC kits with additional details and weathering with an eye toward the NMRA Cars AP Certificate. Also includes a section on improving the RC kit trucks. |
| 46 | Paul Hobbs | Business Cars, Private Cars | We will discuss railroad business cars and many different private cars that served on North American railways. |
| 55 | Steve Holzheimer | Tire Industry Traffic on the AC&Y: 1967 and 1979 | Using waybills for outbound data (1967) and interchange reports for inbound data (1979) the clinic discusses traffic patterns and the types of freight cars one can include on your roster to capture this traffic on your layout. Spoiler Alert: Those ACY billboard box cars really got around! |
| 60 | Dan Lewis, MMR | Bound for Glory | In the late 1800s and early 1900s, thirteen special passenger cars were fitted out for use as railroad chapels by Episcopalians, Baptists, and Catholics. These chapel cars ran on most of the major railroads, especially those roads in the west where population was sparse and churches rare. In a world where the popular saying was, "There is no law west of Kansas City, and west of Fort Scott, no God," the builders of these chapel cars shared the vision of mission service in remote areas. This clinic will be a history of these cars, how they were built, where they traveled, who used them, and what were the outcomes. |
| 35 | Rich Mahaney | I Love Tank Cars!! | This clinic explores the various types of tank cars based on the current DOT specifications. The audience will learn about low pressure tank cars involving DOT spec 111, 111-CPC 1232, 117, 117R and AAR 211. The audience will learn about high pressure tank cars DOT spec 105, 112, 114 and 120. The clinic will also briefly look at cryogenic tank cars also. |
| 154 | Ralph Moxley | HO Scale Model of the Ann Arbor Railroad | Focus is on northern Michigan and freight operation in the summer of 1955. Layout is 320 SF on two staggered levels with a fully landscaped helix connecting the levels (55" and 44"). Trains run from Selma Yard in Cadillac to Boat Landing Yard in Elberta. Freight cars are then loaded onto Ann Arbor No. 7 for a trip across Lake Michigan to two ports in Wisconsin. Landscape features 3600 trees, Manistee River, Crystal Lake, Betsie River and Betsie Bay. Towns along the route include Mesick, Beulah, Thompsonville, Cadillac and Elberta. Industries include Chris Craft Boat Factory, Yuma Sand Pit, and Elberta Packing Company. |
| 138 | Michelle Kempema | Women in Model Railroading - Gathering | The Women in Model Railroading Special Interest Group connects women across the hobby and supports the work of women in model railroading. Come to our gathering social event to meet others in the WIMRR SIG. |
| 139 | Michelle Kempema | Women in Model Railroading | Learn about the Women in Model Railroading Special Interest Group and meet other members of the SIG. The WIMRR SIG connects women across the hobby and supports the work of women in model railroading. |
| 136 | Kevin Rudko | Understanding Signals -- Prototype Signaling (Part 1 of a 2 Part Series) | In this presentation, we explore the fundamentals of mainline railroading and how signaling is related to safe and efficient operations. The concepts of blocks, operating speed, braking distance, and signal aspects & indications are explored and tied together to give the audience an understanding of why signals are placed where they are. |
| 137 | Kevin Rudko | Signal System Types & Layout Case Study -- Prototype Signaling (Part 2 of a 2 Part Series) | In this presentation, we explore different types of signal systems, and how these systems coupled with operating rules and methods of control, govern train movements across the railroad. A high-level history of railroad operations are discussed as part of the explanation of each system. Finally, a sample layout is used as a case-study illustrating how to design a signal system for your model railroad layout. |
| 153 | Randall Allio | Advantages of going Dead Rail | In this clinic I discuss the reasons that I chose to build my new layout using Dead Rail technology. I will have examples of several different systems available and models with them installed. Installation challenges will be covered and the tools needed to do conversions will be reviewed. Time will be allowed for attendees to run trains on the table top without track. As an aside I am working with Ray Persing ( National head of the achievement program) to include Dead Rail in the requirements for the Model Railroad Engineer Electrical . This is to be discussed at the Board meeting in Amherst this January. If there are changes I will include this at length in the clinic. |
| 5 | Steve Harsh | Enhancing Your Railroad by Lighting Structures and Scenes | By adding lighting to structures and scenes you can generate excitement and interest in your railroad. A small depot without lighting is just that. Add lighting and you can see people in the waiting room, the station agent selling tickets and railroad posters on the wall. The depot has now become a point of interest on your railroad. There is increased interest in lighting structures and scenes and this is reflected by the growth in commercial options available for lighting structures. The components and features of several commercial options will be briefly reviewed. The main focus of the presentation will be on the lower cost “do-it-yourself” method taking into consideration the desired results. Various lighting components will be reviewed including power supplies, bulb selection for different purposes, fiber optics, distribution systems, wiring, lighting control and new technologies. These methods and considerations will be illustrated with actual installations which reflect both daytime and nighttime operations. |
| 126 | Rick Lull | ABS Signaling with Layout Command Control | This clinic will describe and demostrate how to implement Automatic Block Signalling on your layout utilizing Layout Command Control. The clinic will cover design, use case discovery, LCC infrastructure, documentation, implementation strategies and process, and testing. This clinic is for all knowledge levels, but attendees with some baseline knowledge of LCC will get the most from it. The described methodology would be useful for other layout control buses, such as CMRI; however this clinic is focused on accomplishing it with LCC. |
| 41 | Dave McMullian | Beginner’s Guide to 3D Model Design | High-detail 3D printed models and parts begin with CAD programs: Computer Aided Design. There are a number of free software programs available that provide everything you need to create your own designs and get them print-ready. We will review a versatile program that is easy to use as well as a more sophisticated platform for added complexity. The clinic will also look at online learning resources, examples of drawings and their 3D prints, and some things you should know to make your designs more compatible with 3D resin printing technology. Sample models will be displayed and reviewed. |
| 148 | Seth Neumann | Arduino Circuits for Operations | This clinic describes simple circuits using Arduinos to enhance operation and provide animation on your model railroad. He explains the use of both commodity circuit boards and boards he has designed to implement train order board control, grade crossings, approach indicators and many more useful functions. Many of us model prototypes that did not have extensive signaling systems or Centralized Traffic Control. In many cases, simpler signaling systems (ABS/APB) overlayed Timetable and Train Order schemes which date back to the 1850s. These manual systems, supplemented by Interlocking Plants (Towers) served the railroads well into the modern era, being supplanted by radio and verbal authority with the adoption of GCOR in 1986. These systems had their own requirements, such as Train Order Boards, Approach Indicators and Interlocking Plants which can be easily modeled with Arduino based circuits. |
| 64 | Ray Persing | Introduction to 3D Printing | ln 2020, I acquired what has quickly become an indispensable tool in my modeling arsenal - a resin-based 3D printer. This clinic covers basic questions of Why 3D printing; What printers are available and what can they do; Where can I get printers and files; When is 3D printing appropriate; and How do I go about doing this? This is designed as an introduction to 3D printing, with specific application to structures, rolling stock, and details. |
| 128 | Nick Santo | Easier, Neater Decoder Installations With A Decoder Buddy | NixTrainz is the home of the Decoder Buddy. Decoder Buddys are motherboards for diesel and steam locomotives. They hold a 21-pin decoder from any manufacturer. Soldering to a $100+ decoder, choosing and installing resistors for LEDs and separating the locomotive frame from the shell are now problems of the past. Up to 12 lighting functions are available for you to use if your decoder provides outputs. Decoder and motherboard upgrades and conversions from dc to DCC are benefited greatly using a Decoder Buddy. |
| 90 | Gary Saxton | Signals with Very Few Wires | Four mini clinics rolled together to build a signal system. 1) Illumination using programable LEDs (Neopixels). One signal wire can control a practically unlimited number of LEDs at a signal node. 2) Wireless communication between signal nodes using ESP32 microcontrollers and ESP-Now which can cover distances up to hundreds of meters 3. Distributed control architecture. Micro controllers only, no PC, Mac, Raspberry Pi etc. 4. Infrared occupancy detection. |
| 91 | Gary Saxton | Home Manufactured Track | Using a 3D printer and Diode Laser to make your own track work. How to make flex, straight, curved, spirals, switches, crossings and bridges track tie curadrails and reoriented ties. Some basic steps will be shown in detail and other step in Brod overview. Samples will be passed around. |
| 160 | Alex Shepherd | LCC - What Can I Buy in 2025? | This is a non-technical overview clinic about the LCC products that are, or will be available in 2025 from commercial vendors. It will describe their main features and what they can be used for on layouts. Many of the products described should be on display in the SIG Room |
| 57 | Chuck Stancil | Special effects on-layout lighting | Overview of special effects lighting you can achieve using commercial products. Will show how to use and program, using LCC and DCC, the Light EFX-16 board from Logic Rail Technologies. A small diorama will be used to demonstrate many of the possible effects. The element of time-based triggering of lighting events will also be demonstrated. |
| 81 | Tim Verburg | Dead Rail Options for Today's Modeler | A brief description of dead rail, Pro's and Con's, and products available to todays modeler. I will talk about equipment needed with any dead rail system as well as installation ideas. Finally, I will show how I implemented dead rail on my HO scale equipment with some lessons learned. |
| 118 | Scott Walton | Signaling over LCC (Layout Command Control) | LCC adds a new dimension to signaling: with LCC you can run your signals without a computer attached. You will need a computer to configure them, but once configured, you can (but don't have) run the signals without the computer. This clinic will cover hardware and basic configuration, I will have a demonstration layout that shows the signal system operating with LCC on a table at the front of the room. |
| 117 | Scott Walton | Signaling over LocoNet | This clinic will cover signaling where the communication is over LocoNet. Though LocoNet is proprietary to Digitrax, you don't need to use a Digitrax command station to use LocoNet with your signals. This clinic will cover hardware selection (of Digitrax and other vendors) and basic configuration. |
| 119 | John Bopp | Before the Motor City: The Railroad Car Builders of Detroit | In the early twentieth century, Detroit earned the nickname “Motor City” for its leading role in the meteoric rise of the American automobile industry. But, half a century earlier, Detroit was in the forefront of the rise of another kind of car industry, the railroad car industry. Beginning on the 1850s, Detroit was the home to eight rail car manufacturing companies. Some were large, long-lived, and well-known. Others were short-lived and obscure. In this clinic I will present a picture of them all, from powerhouses Michigan-Peninsular and Pullman to the little-remembered Robinson, Russell & Co. and the Detroit Car Company. In this clinic I will use maps, contemporary illustrations, and photos of Detroit-built railroad cars to tell the story of each of these railroad car builders. |
| 122 | John Bopp | Riding the Michigan Central Through Nineteenth Century Detroit | The Michigan Central Railroad along with its predecessor, the state-owned Central Railroad of Michigan, has been a fixture in the state of Michigan and in the lives of its residents since Michigan attained statehood in 1837. In this clinic I will outline the nineteenth century history of the MCRR in its headquarters city of Detroit. I will begin with a look at the MC’s 1840s era facilities along the river in downtown Detroit, followed by a train trip along the MC’s main line out to the city limits in what is now known as West Detroit. The clinic will be illustrated with historic illustrations, photographs, and maps. |
| 120 | John Bopp | Using Sanborn Insurance Company Maps for Railroad Research | In this clinic I show how to use the Library of Congress Sanborn Insurance Company Map collection for railroad related research. From 1868 through 1961 the Sanborn Map Company produced maps of approximately 12,000 cities and towns in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. These large-scale maps show the commercial, industrial, and residential areas of these places as well as the locations of railroad structures and tracks. These maps can provide a valuable resource for modelers. Over 35,000 images of these maps are available, free, on line, from the Library of Congress. I describe Sanborn maps, show how to read them, and provide step-by-step examples showing the use of Sanborn maps for railroad related research. These include how to find the track plan for long-gone railroad facilities, how to use Sanborn maps to find the locations of historic photos and how to find the track plans for a selection of trackside industries. Sanborn maps can be a powerful tool for research but they do have their limitations. So, I also provide examples of what kinds of information cannot be found on them. |
| 80 | John Coy, MMR | NMRA History Trivia | This Clinic is a fun Interactive Clinic with questions involving the 90 years of history, NMRA. Attendees may attempt to answer (oral) the questions. I'm currently in the process of writing the 90 year history of the NMRA with Gordy Robinson's approval. This history will be the LARGEST history ever assembled for the NMRA. Out of this history are many interesting pieces of information. These bits of information are asked in questions with attendees given the opportunity to answer. I anticipate there may be some discussion or comments after each question. This is a very informative, interesting and fun presentation. |
| 105 | Bruce DeYoung, MMR | The Logging Railroads of Pennsylvania: the Industries Served | The peak period of logging by rail in Pennsylvania ran from 1880 until roughly 1929. During that period there were literally hundreds of logging railroads that came, operated, and then disappeared. About half of those railroads were narrow gauge. In Pennsylvania, unlike in some other logging locations, there were many forest-product related industries served by these railroads. This clinic will discuss the variety of industries in the woods, and how they were interrelated. These will be looked at from both a prototype and modeling perspective. The presentation contains many prototype photos of the period and is augmented by model photos from Bruce’s HOn3 Slate Run Railroad and a sampling of model photos from friends in the hobby. |
| 104 | Bruce DeYoung, MMR | Railroads and the Natural Ice Industry: a Symbiotic Relationship | The harvesting of natural ice to preserve food and cool drinks began in the early 1800’s on farms and homesteads. By the middle 1800’s, it became a large industry. Like many other industries involving heavy, bulky commodities, the ice industry turned to the railroads to transport their product. For the next 50-60 years, the natural ice industry became huge customers of the railroads. At the same time, shipping refrigerated products by rail increased dramatically, and the railroads became huge customers of the ice industry. In this clinic, Bruce will look at the commercial process of harvesting, storing, and shipping natural ice and the role that railroads used in the process. |
| 82 | Steve Hide | UTLX Tank Cars | An overview of UTLX tank cars over the first half of the 20th Century. This clinic covers the history and development of the largest fleet of privately owned tank cars in the country. Connections are made to available models, including the recently released Rapido cars and some possible future additions to that lineup. Steve "wrote the book" on this topic and has shared different versions and subsets of this clinic at RPM and NMRA meets. |
| 45 | Paul Hobbs | 90 Years of Development and Achievement in Model Railroading | Our hobby today is vastly different from that available to our organization’s founders in 1935. We will review a number of significant events, processes, inventions, companies and individuals contributing to the progress of our hobby. |
| 74 | Robert Porter | 75 year anniversary Milwaukee NMRA Convention/Consummete Railfan | 2025 is the 75 year anniversary of the 1950 Milwaukee Wisconsin NMRA conference. Russell Porter (my dad) was a NMRAX member and one of the 23 person committee that presented the national conference. During the conference, Russ presented his HO gauge model railroad, the “Western Valley Line”. More than 90 attendees visited his model railroad. On Saturday, the members rode the “Speed- Rail” interurban. During the morning, two two-car trains collided and 10 NMRA members died and 47 were injured. Thereafter, 1956, Russ took first place in the Minnesota –MRA conference – receiving the best of show-of-Honors and he took second place at the NMRA conference in Minneapolis. He became an associate editor for Model Railroader and then, Midwest editor for Railroad Model Craftsman. Russ was an artist who created over 200 paintings including magazine and book covers, was a photographer who took more than 60,000 slides which are now owned by the national railroad museum. He was a historian who helped to rebuild passenger and enter urban cars, restore a depot, he owned a Pullman private car and he authored three railroad pictorial books. Russ was a consummate rail fan!! |
| 162 | Mark Tomlonson | The Railway Post Office, 1860-1977 | A look at the rise and fall of the Railway Post Office and its equipment, from the first attempts to quickly deliver mail to the Pony Express to an American Institution to the slow decline of the Railway Mail Service, as highways, airplanes and automatic sorting made it obsolete. |
| 65 | Ray Persing | NMRA Achievement Program Update | The Achievement Program is one of the great perks of being in the NMRA - a structured way to learn more about this great hobby, improve your modeling skills, and have a great time in the process. For people who aren't active in the AP, we'll show you how participating in the AP can make you a better modeler and for those who are further along on their journey we'll talk about what we're doing at all levels to improve the experience for everybody! |
| 73 | David Achmann | Using "Generators" to Create Structures WITHOUT Learning CAD | Learning CAD for 3D Printing is hard. Filling out a form with design parameters is easy. Dave has created "Generators" which are MS Windows based forms that create 3D structure models at the push of a button. Building walls, roofing, windows are all a part of the collection that allows you to create custom models without learning CAD, and best of all, they are free. Introduced at the 2022 National Convention, Dave has continued to create new, innovative tools for creating structures. Even if you have seen an earlier version of this clinic, come see "What's New" and add Generators to your toolbox for creating structures. |
| 151 | Randall Allio | Tools of the Trade | In this clinic I demonstrate the use of many types of tools that can be used by the modeler. Tools demonstrated, but not limited to, Cricut cutting tool for structure and rolling stock construction. Several cutting tools that are more advanced than a Chopper. Scenery tools including cordless foam cutters and power cutting devices. Resistance soldering. Several sanding tools both power and hand operated. Also shown are a variety of clamping and work stations along with tools to aid in detail painting , wire striping and weathering tools. Had one spouse in attendance at the Pittsburg Narrow Gauge convention say that she had her husbands Christmas shopping list filled out at my clinic. |
| 100 | Mike Hauk, MMR | Photography 101 for Railfans and Modelers -- Part 1 | Clinic compresses a community-college level introduction to photography course into 2 1-hour sessions geared toward railroad photography. The first 45-60 minutes covers the basics of exposure, lens selection, editing, and tips for cellphone use. The second session dives into composition, again geared toward railroad photography as a genre. |
| 101 | Mike Hauk, MMR | Photography 101 for Railfans and Modelers -- Part 2 | Clinic compresses a community-college level introduction to photography course into 2 1-hour sessions geared toward railroad photography. The first 45-60 minutes covers the basics of exposure, lens selection, editing, and tips for cellphone use. The second session dives into composition, again geared toward railroad photography as a genre. |
| 127 | Bob Jacobsen | JMRI/DecoderPro user community meeting | JMRI/DecoderPro user community meeting |
| 61 | Dan Lewis, MMR | Shootin' the Rails | Model Railroad photography is a hobby within the hobby. Some aspects of this niche will be similar to the techniques used in the larger field of photography, but some are unique to model railroading. This clinic will mostly focus on the latter. Assuming the attendee uses a high-end digital camera, this clinic will address lighting and color temperatures, apertures and shutter speeds, focusing, depth-of-field, focus-stacking, composition, front surface mirrors, gaining space on the front edge, and shooting for publication. |
| 140 | Michelle Kempema | Colorado Model Railroad Museum Update | Colorado Model Railroad Museum Update |