Modeling With The Masters® (MWTM) is a unique opportunity to participate in an immersive hands-on clinic where participants learn and use both basic and advanced modeling techniques taught by Master Model Railroaders®. These skills include scratch-building in styrene and wood, kit building, kit-bashing, scenery construction, and more. There are eight (8) Modeling With The Masters® clinics planned as part of the Station No.VI program. NOTE: You must be registered for the Station No.VI 2025 Convention and pay the required MWTM fee to attend a MWTM clinic.
Modeling With The Masters® are now available on the registration page and the event agenda. Early registrants will be contacted and have the ability to add MWTM to their registrations if they desire. Make sure to follow us on FaceBook and Subscribe to our Mailing List to keep up on all the latest information.
MWTM participants are required to bring their own tools as listed on the tools list for each clinic; failure to do so will hinder your ability to take part in these hands-on clinics. Each Clinic identifies the tools required to fully participate in the Clinic and will be included under each clinic description. You may bring any other tools you usually use or might find useful.
NOTE FOR ALL MWTM CLINICS:
- PARTICIPANTS MUST PROVIDE THEIR OWN TOOLS TO PARTICIPATE IN MODELING WITH THE MASTERS®.
EVEN IF YOU SIGN UP ON-SITE, TOOLS WILL NOT BE PROVIDED! - An updated tool list may be sent to you the week prior to the convention.
- If not listed in the clinic tool list, MWTM will provide materials such as glues and paints.
Schedule and Descriptions
Below is a detailed list of MWTM Clinics and what is required for each session.
IMPORTANT: You must Register for These individually! THEY ARE NOT PART OF THE BASE REGISTRATION AND REQUIRE AN EXTRA FEE.
Making Realistic Foreground Trees
Cost: $ 60
Scale: Any
Date: Monday, 14 July 2025
Time: 2:30pm – 6:00pm
Lead Instructor: Jim Gore, MMR® assisted by MMRs Peter Youngblood, Carl Smeigh, and Clark Kooning
Jim will take you through the creation of two foreground trees: one deciduous tree (like cottonwood or oak or elm) and one conifer tree (pine, fir, spruce, or larch). You will learn about simple techniques that help make the tree appear more realistic as a stand-alone scenery item. We will also talk about the size, shape and height of the trees.
Participants are required to bring their own tools as listed on the tools list; failure to do so will hinder your ability to take part in these hands-on clinics.
Tool List:
- Cutting mat (should be reasonable size) (suggest 18×12) This is a must item!
- Xacto knife or scalpel with #11 blades
- Xacto saw with fine teeth
- Forceps / Tweezers
- Scale rule for your chosen scale
- #80 grit sandpaper (a single sheet)
- Pin-vise and a range of small drill bits (around #74 or so)
- Hot glue gun (or a hot glue pot)
- 2 Small squares of Styrofoam (about 6” x 6”) (the cheapest you can find – even the stuff used by florists)
Participants need to bring their own tools in order to participate in these clinics!
Bring any other tools you usually use or might find useful.
Optional tools: Optivisor, extra work light. These are handy tools which you could use in our clinics, but it is not essential that you buy them just for this week. It is your option!
A good way to carry all of these tools is to buy a small inexpensive plastic tackle box. These are usually available at department stores year-round.
Signs and Lettering
Cost: $ 30
Scale: HO (But the techniques apply to any scale)
Date: Monday, 14 July 2025
Time: 7:30pm – 9:00pm
Lead Instructor: Clark Kooning, MMR® assisted by MMRs Peter Youngblood, Carl Smeigh, and Jim Gore
Looking at trying to add life to your layout? Well, Clark will show you how to add signs and lettering to structures. We will provide a couple DPM building fronts to practice with. We will show you how to make your own signs, application of paper signs, metal looking signs, a hanging sign and using stencils for signs…. If you’re in another scale don’t pass on it because its HO only, this clinic presents the techniques to apply to any scale.
Participants are required to bring their own tools as listed on the tools list; failure to do so will hinder your ability to take part in these hands-on clinics.
Tool List:
- Self-healing cutting mat
- #11 X-acto knife
- #11 X-acto blades (5 pack)
- 12″ or 6″ HO scale metal Ruler
- Needle Nose Plier
- Small Pin Vice
- #78 Drill Bits (2 in case one breaks)
- 2 Paint Brushes (#00 & #3)
- Emery Boards (the kind women use for their nails)
- Black Marker Pen (Fine tip)
- Liquid Styrene Cement.
- Silicone Paint brush set ( Amazon or Art supply stores)
- White Glue
- 5 Small sandwich bags
Students need to bring their own tools in order to participate in these clinics!
Bring any other tools you usually use or might find useful.
Optional tools: Optivisor, extra work-light. These are handy tools which you could use in our clinics, but it is not essential that you buy them just for this week.
Hint: A good way to carry all of these tools is to buy a small inexpensive plastic tackle box. These are usually available at department stores year-round.
Making and Painting Rock Scenery
Cost: $ 60
Scale: Any
Date: Tuesday, 15 July 2025
Time: 7:30am – 11:30am
Lead Instructor: Carl Smeigh, MMR, assisted by Jim Gore, MMR, Peter Youngblood, MMR, and Clark Kooning, MMR
Carl will lead you through the process of building a rock wall and using various commercially available materials to color the rocks achieving a rock feature used in scenery. The session will include techniques for painting the rock feature to look like real rock. You will leave the session with your completed rock feature.
Participants are required to bring their own tools as listed on the tools list; failure to do so will hinder your ability to take part in these hands-on clinics.
Tool List:
- 1/2″ stiff bristle paint brush
- Several small paint brushes including a fan brush
- Plastic Palette (or metal ones) knives set (Michaels or other hobby store)
- 1″ putty knife
- 18mm utility knife with spare blade (Home Depot/Lowes)
- Pliers, garden variety type
- Hot glue gun with several sticks of glue prefer low temp
Students need to bring their own tools in order to participate in these clinics!
Bring any other tools you usually use or might find useful.
Optional tools: Optivisor, extra work-light. These are handy tools which you could use in our clinics, but it is not essential that you buy them just for this week.
Hint: A good way to carry all of these tools is to buy a small inexpensive plastic tackle box. These are usually available at department stores year-round.
Model a Branchline Livestock Pen
Cost: $ 60
Scale: HO / HOn3
Date: Tuesday, 15 July 2025
Time: 1:30pm – 5:30pm
Lead Instructor: Peter Youngblood, MMR® assisted by MMRs Jim Gore, Carl Smeigh, and Clark Kooning
At one time in rural America, branchline livestock pens were commonplace for smaller local ranches to facilitate shipping cattle, sheep, even pigs to market by rail. Today they’re mostly relics, livestock shipping taken over by the trucking industry. Peter Youngblood, MMR, will teach you how to scratch build this small livestock pen from a supplied scale plan and pre-stained wood.
Participants are required to bring their own tools as listed on the tools list; failure to do so will hinder your ability to take part in these hands-on clinics.
Tool List:
- Self-healing cutting mat (9″ x 12″ or larger)
- #11 X-acto knife
- #11 X-acto blades (5 pack)
- Razor Saw w/fine tooth blade
- Small Mitre Box
- 12″ or 6″ HO scale Ruler
- Emery Boards (the kind women use for their nails)
- Self-healing cutting mat
- A sheet of Wax Paper (approx. 14″ x 12″)
- black Marker Pen (Fine tip)
- Titebond or Gorilla Carpenter’s Glue (small)
- Wood toothpicks (used as glue applicators)
- Scotch Tape
Participants need to bring their own tools in order to participate in these clinics!
Bring any other tools you usually use or might find useful.
Optional tools: Optivisor, extra work light. These are handy tools which you could use in our clinics, but it is not essential that you buy them just for this week.
Hint: A good way to carry all of these tools is to buy a small inexpensive plastic tackle box. These are usually available at department stores year-round.
Painting and Improving Figures
Cost: $ 30
Scale: Any
Date: Tuesday, 15 July 2025
Time: 7:00pm – 9:00pm
Lead Instructor: Jim Gore, MMR® assisted by MMRs Peter Youngblood, Carl Smeigh, and Clark Kooning
Jim will discuss various ways to add some “life” to your layouts. Making your scenery look like it is actively populated is an important reminder to operators and modelers that your model railroad has a purpose. You will be provided with some primed HO figures to paint and detail as well as learning some tips on how to improve pre-painted or detailed figures.
Participants are required to bring their own tools as listed on the tools list; failure to do so will hinder your ability to take part in these hands-on clinics.
Tool List:
- 2 Paint Brushes (#00 & #3) (natural hair brushes are fine) (they don’t have to be sable)
- #11 Xacto knife
- Flat and round needle files (as small as possible)
- Small container of Tacky glue (Aleene’s, Elmer’s, MicroMark PSA, etc.)
- Optivisor or magnifier on a stand
- 6-well palette (Michaels sells them in 4-packs)
- Craft Acrylic Paints (from Michaels or Hobby Lobby, for example)
- Flesh (color as you desire)
- Burnt Sienna
- Neutral Gray
- Ivory / Eggshell
- Dark Blue
- Denim Blue
- Dark Brown
- Light Brown
- Charcoal (dark gray, not black)
Students need to bring their own tools in order to participate in these clinics!
Bring any other tools you usually use or might find useful.
Optional tools: Extra work-light. These are handy tools which you could use in our clinics, but it is not essential that you buy them just for this week.
Hint: A good way to carry all of these tools is to buy a small inexpensive plastic tackle box. These are usually available at department stores year-round.
Building and Weathering Plaster Structures
Cost: $60
Scale: N, HO or O
Date: Wednesday, 16 July 2025
Time: 7:30am – 11:30am
Lead Instructor: Clark Kooning, MMR®; assisted by MMRs Peter Youngblood, Jim Gore MMR, and Carl Smeigh
Clark Kooning, MMR, will take you on an amazing journey into building a kit made from Hydrocal plaster. Clark will walk you through the steps to build a great starter kit called First Timer Bar. We will explore sealing plaster, basic assembly, learn to paint brick and other masonry items. There is no time like the first time for anything and that includes building your first hydrocal kit! Designed with rank beginners in mind, this kit features simple construction, but amazing detail. Try one, you’ll like it! 1 1/2″ x 4″ in HO scale.
Participants are required to bring their own tools as listed on the tools list; failure to do so will hinder your ability to take part in these hands-on clinics.
Tool List:
- Sandpaper – 80 and 120 grit
- Hobby Knife – Xacto #11 blade
- Emerey boards or sanding sticks
- 1/8 Drill bit
- Pin vice for drill bit
- Assorted flat paint brushes (Get them at Amazon)
- 1″ wide flat brush
- Small Silicone Smooth Brush Tip Paint Pen
- Fine Tip Paint Brushes
- Small Clamps
- Square
Students need to bring their own tools in order to participate in these clinics!
Bring any other tools you usually use or might find useful.
Optional tools: Optivisor, extra work light. These are handy tools which you could use in our clinics, but it is not essential that you buy them just for this week.
Hint: A good way to carry all of these tools is to buy a small inexpensive plastic tackle box. These are usually available at department stores year-round.
Laying and Detailing Track
Cost: $30
Scale: HO
Date: Wednesday, 16 July 2025
Time: 1:30pm – 3:30pm
Lead Instructor: Carl Smeigh, MMR® assisted by MMRs Peter Youngblood, Clark Kooning, and Jim Gore
Participants will hand-lay 12” of track, staining ties, tie plates, spiking rail, adding ballast, painting rail and adding track side details. In addition, participants also take a 12” piece of flex track, add ballast, paint the ties, paint the rail and adding track-side details. The object is to try both and see which “looks” better in the eye of the beholder.
Participants are required to bring their own tools; failure to do so will hinder your ability to take part in these hands-on clinics.
The tool list will be communicated to registered attendees of this clinic via email.
Bring any other tools you usually use or might find useful.
Optional tools: Optivisor, extra work light. These are handy tools which you could use in our clinics, but it is not essential that you buy them just for this week.
Hint: A good way to carry all of these tools is to buy a small inexpensive plastic tackle box. These are usually available at department stores year-round.
Better Telephone Pole Realism
Cost: $30
Scale: HO
Date: Wednesday, 16 July 2025
Time: 7:00pm – 9:00pm
Lead Instructor: Peter Youngblood MMR®; assisted by MMRs Jim Gore, Carl Smeigh, and Clark Kooning
Better telephone pole realism on our model railroads is most often overlooked because they’re so commonplace we don’t easily notice they aren’t always the same. Applicable to any scale, Peter will teach you the basics of how and why they differ and how simple it is to make your plastic telephone poles (supplied with clinic) more realistic.
Participants are required to bring their own tools as listed on the tools list; failure to do so will hinder your ability to take part in these hands-on clinics.
Tool List:
- Self-healing cutting mat
- #1 X-acto knife
- #11 X-acto blades (5 pack)
- Razor Saw w/fine tooth blade
- Small Mitre Box
- 12″ or 6″ HO scale Ruler
- Needle Nose Plier
- Small Pin Vise
- #74 Drill Bits (2 in case one breaks)
- 2 Paint Brushes (#00 & #3)
- Emery Boards (the kind people use for their nails)
- Black Marker Pen (Fine tip)
- Liquid Styrene Cement
- Liquid Super Glue
Students need to bring their own tools in order to participate in these clinics!
Bring any other tools you usually use or might find useful.
Optional tools: Optivisor, extra work light. These are handy tools which you could use in our clinics, but it is not essential that you buy them just for this week.
Hint: A good way to carry all of these tools is to buy a small inexpensive plastic tackle box. These are usually available at department stores year-round.