Contests and Clinics
As I explained in my previous posts, the National Convention was organized with activities at the convention center in the morning and evening, allowing free time in the afternoons for visits to area layouts and operating railroads. There were three primary options for the morning and evening time periods: perusing the nearly 100 manufacturers, vendors, publishers and organizations with tables in the main hall; participating in some 50 clinics; and visiting the contest room where one could inspect and photograph dozens of stunning models, as well as an array of outstanding photographs.
I attended three clinics during the convention. On Wednesday morning I joined a large crowd of modelers for Keith Glaab's clinic on white metal casting. Keith, affectionately known as "Cactus" to his on-line friends in the Narrow Gauge Chat group, gave a step by step explanation how to make master patterns and RTV molds, and then use molten pewter to cast almost anything from HO scale figures to cars. Pewter melts at a relatively low temperature and is safer to work with than lead. The metal is easily available from gift shops in the form of collectibles like thimbles and spoons. Keith melts these inexpensive knick-knacks down to make a wide variety of modeling details.
By coincidence, a new book by Keith, published by BHI Publications, was on sale in the vendors' room. It became a hot ticket item for many of us, who are interested in a way to cast small detail parts using safe and proven methods. The book is available for $19.99 from www.bhipubs.com.
Friday evening I attended two more clinics on topics of special interest to me. As a member of the Friends of the East Broad Top (FEBT) I was excited to hear Ron Pearson's presentation on Coal Mines Along the East Broad Top. The EBT was mainly a coal-hauler. Nine coal loaders filled empty, three-bay, narrow gauge steel hoppers with coal for the journey down Broad Top Mountain to the coal cleaning and sizing plant in Mount Union, Pennsylvania. Ron used photos and maps to show how he created selectively compressed, historically accurate models of the coal company's mining facilities.
By coincidence, a new book by Keith, published by BHI Publications, was on sale in the vendors' room. It became a hot ticket item for many of us, who are interested in a way to cast small detail parts using safe and proven methods. The book is available for $19.99 from www.bhipubs.com.
I had the chance to meet Ron personally at the 2014 annual reunion of the FEBT, when he led a small group of us on a hike along the EBT right-of-way on Broad Top Mountain, pointing out the remains of the mine structures still visible 60 years after the railroad ceased commercial operations. One of the modular railroads operating during the convention was an O scale recreation of the coal mining area similar to what Ron has built for his own layout. I will have more to say about modular layouts in the next post.
Following Ron's clinic on the EBT, I sat in on a presentation by Bruce de Young, MMR, on modeling the logging railroads of Pennsylvania. Bruce's overview discussed motive power and equipment used by hundreds of logging railroads in Pennsylvania from 1880 until roughly 1929. He also explained a wide variety of industries related to logging, from the extraction of tannin from tree bark to large chemical plants and furniture factories, even clothes pin factories! He reviewed literature on the topic, with a special emphasis on the out-of-print but still available series: Logging Railroad Era of Lumbering in Pennsylvania.
Following Ron's clinic on the EBT, I sat in on a presentation by Bruce de Young, MMR, on modeling the logging railroads of Pennsylvania. Bruce's overview discussed motive power and equipment used by hundreds of logging railroads in Pennsylvania from 1880 until roughly 1929. He also explained a wide variety of industries related to logging, from the extraction of tannin from tree bark to large chemical plants and furniture factories, even clothes pin factories! He reviewed literature on the topic, with a special emphasis on the out-of-print but still available series: Logging Railroad Era of Lumbering in Pennsylvania.
Contests
One of the highlights of the Narrow Gauge Conventions is viewing and recognizing the modeling and photographic efforts of the attendees. A lot of time, talent, effort and expertise go into the contest entries. Unlike the NMRA national and regional conventions, the Narrow Gauge contests are not juried and reviewed by experts. Instead, every attendee receives a ballot where they can select their favorite entries in a variety of categories, from rod and geared locomotives, to rolling stock, to structures, dioramas and modules. Winners are chosen by popular vote. Choosing the best in each category was not easy, as many submissions were simply outstanding. I spent a couple of hours in the contest room before I was ready to hand in my ballot.
As I mentioned in the first post of this series on the National Convention, a friend by the name of Ross Ames had brought his tiny HOn3 locomotive from the west coast intending to enter it in the Rod Locomotive category. The Neskowin is a miniature work of art, but it was competing against locomotives in every gauge, including HO, S, O, G, and larger. All these entries were impressively well done, and we were concerned that something as small as the Neskowin would be overlooked. It's the little wood burner at about 4:00 in the following photo.
A second category of motive power was reserved for geared locomotives. Here again, the quality was amazing -- all the more so when the locomotive was larger than a mailbox!
There was also a category for internal combustion power rail cars. I struck up a conversation with a modeler staying at the same Comfort Inn as I was. He told me about entering a scratch built vehicle that was based on an article he read describing an ambulance on rails for injured loggers. I was delighted to find it in the contest room.
Other categories included cabooses, freight cars, passenger cars, logging rail equipment, special equipment, maintenance of way, structures, dioramas, modules, and a unique category called Favorite Train. Here is an entry in the passenger car division that caught my eye, a Sandy River and Rangely Lakes 2 foot gauge combine. (A natural for a convention in the State of Maine!)
I particularly enjoyed some of the special equipment models. For example, here is a beautifully executed Barnhardt loader lifting a log onto a waiting car.
There were several steam powered shovels and derricks. Here is one open for viewing the interior. As I was taking the picture, the fellow next to me said, "I'm a sucker for anything with a boom."
The structures and dioramas on display were amazing. One of them involved a fully detailed fish pier complete with stacks of Maine lobster traps. It won first prize for structures.
Take a look at the lobster traps -- it must have taken months to construct all this!
Here is a handcar shed open for view. The amount of detail, including junk, is amazing.
As I was looking over the details of the shed, one particular detail caught my eye. On the table in the middle of the building were two objects: a jug of moonshine and a Bible. Seems like the struggle between good and evil was summarized in this one little scene,
Here is a complete locomotive repair shop, complete with overhead shafts and pulleys, with belt drives connecting to the machinery on the floor. Wow!
The award for Best in Show went to a diorama with a southwestern theme. It stood on its own table, and was probably 3 x 4 feet in size. The amount of detail was incredible.
Winners of the various awards were announced on Saturday evening at the closing event. I will have more to say about that in a future post. Next up will be a post on the modular displays, some 12-15 of them. They covered the range of railroads, scales and gauges.
As I mentioned in the first post of this series on the National Convention, a friend by the name of Ross Ames had brought his tiny HOn3 locomotive from the west coast intending to enter it in the Rod Locomotive category. The Neskowin is a miniature work of art, but it was competing against locomotives in every gauge, including HO, S, O, G, and larger. All these entries were impressively well done, and we were concerned that something as small as the Neskowin would be overlooked. It's the little wood burner at about 4:00 in the following photo.
A second category of motive power was reserved for geared locomotives. Here again, the quality was amazing -- all the more so when the locomotive was larger than a mailbox!
There was also a category for internal combustion power rail cars. I struck up a conversation with a modeler staying at the same Comfort Inn as I was. He told me about entering a scratch built vehicle that was based on an article he read describing an ambulance on rails for injured loggers. I was delighted to find it in the contest room.
Other categories included cabooses, freight cars, passenger cars, logging rail equipment, special equipment, maintenance of way, structures, dioramas, modules, and a unique category called Favorite Train. Here is an entry in the passenger car division that caught my eye, a Sandy River and Rangely Lakes 2 foot gauge combine. (A natural for a convention in the State of Maine!)
I particularly enjoyed some of the special equipment models. For example, here is a beautifully executed Barnhardt loader lifting a log onto a waiting car.
There were several steam powered shovels and derricks. Here is one open for viewing the interior. As I was taking the picture, the fellow next to me said, "I'm a sucker for anything with a boom."
The structures and dioramas on display were amazing. One of them involved a fully detailed fish pier complete with stacks of Maine lobster traps. It won first prize for structures.
Take a look at the lobster traps -- it must have taken months to construct all this!
Here is a handcar shed open for view. The amount of detail, including junk, is amazing.
As I was looking over the details of the shed, one particular detail caught my eye. On the table in the middle of the building were two objects: a jug of moonshine and a Bible. Seems like the struggle between good and evil was summarized in this one little scene,
Here is a complete locomotive repair shop, complete with overhead shafts and pulleys, with belt drives connecting to the machinery on the floor. Wow!
The award for Best in Show went to a diorama with a southwestern theme. It stood on its own table, and was probably 3 x 4 feet in size. The amount of detail was incredible.
Winners of the various awards were announced on Saturday evening at the closing event. I will have more to say about that in a future post. Next up will be a post on the modular displays, some 12-15 of them. They covered the range of railroads, scales and gauges.
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