... The backbone of model railroading is the building of railroad models...

Locally Presented Clinics
Title Author Date Format Notes
Cabooses, A Kaleidoscope of P Gliebe May 2017 PDF      
CAD and Your Layout D Yarnall Jul 2017 PDF PP    
Cliffs and Cuts, Stomping some good looking B Fink Jun 2017 PDF      
Dalmatian Switching District T Masters Jul 2011   PP   Historical
DCC Decoder Installation W Davis Jun 2017 PDF   SS  
DCC, Selecting a System UNK Nov 2012   PP   Dated
Decoder Tester, Improving a W Davis Jun 2017 PDF      
Dennison Presentation E Swain G Rauch May 2014   PP    
Diorama Contest, Member brief R Zimmerman Apr 2016   PP   Dated
Diorama Contest, 4-16 R Zimmerman Jun 2018   PP   Dated
new gifDiv3, History, Presepective on R Lach Marc 2021   PP    
Engine Facility Presentation E Swain Sep 2015   PP    
Foam on the Fast Track R Persing Jun 2017 PDF   SS Foam roadbed
Foam Roadbed?, Ready to Work with B Fink Jun 2017 PDF      
Freight, Cars, Superdetailing R Lach Jul 2017   PP    
Freight, How Moves H Schmellenkamp Sep 2019   PP    
Grasshopper Railroad M Mason R Starnes May 2018   PP    
New gifKitbashing Narrow Gauge Locomotives P Gliebe Jan 2021 PDF      
Layout Planning, Design and Benchwork UNK Jan 2013   PP    
LED Clinic W Davis Jun2016 PDF      
LED's For Your Layout B Feairheller Sep 2017 PDF PP    
new gifLEDs Types and Uses W Davis Dec 2020   PP    
Living With a Train Nut P Smith May 2013   PP   Dated
Model Railroad Planning & Design R Zimmerman Jul 2015 PDF PP    
Open Loads Clinic B Frankrone Jan 2020   PP    
Open Loads Manual Alaska RR 2015 PDF     88 pages
Rails To The Capital 2016 MCR Convention UNK Mar 2016   PP   Historical
Soldering, Basic, for Model Railroaders W Davis Dec 2014   PP    
Shelf Layouts, Designing small, for Ops. P Gliebe Apr 2016 PDF      
Sugar Beet Industry, Operations Oriented Industry. R Zimmerman Nov 2016 PDF PP    
Trees, Decker on D Decker Jan 2009     HTML  
Water, Modeling S Swanson G Albers Apr 2014   PP    

Legend:

PDF = Portable Document Format(Adobe)
PP = Power Point(Microsoft)
SS = Slide Show
HTML = Web page
Historical = All or some information contained within may be out of date. Use with caution.
Dated = Contain references to past events but basic information still valid. Check other sources for updates.

 

Hints and Tips Link List--places to go for helpful information

This PDF list links to various web sites that contain information useful to the modeler. There will be links to sites with modeling tips, also to sites with scale and prototype data and information. From the beginning modeler to the MMR it will have information useful to all. It will be a continuing project with updates as sites are found. If you know of a site that you have used to gather information, techniques and data drop a line to the webmaster. Click here for the PDF



DCC Decoder Installation

Here is the information from Wil Davis' clinic on installing DCC decoders in locomotives from the July 2013 meeting. You may view the slides on-line, or download the package as a PDF file.





Ready to Work With Foam Roadbed?

track laid on foam baseBob Fink has shared his approach to using foam on spline as roadbed. He has prepared some instructions, with photographs in PDF format so you can download and print the sheet. Bob has had a lot of luck with this fast and easy way to build track. Click HERE to view and download the file.












Improving a Decoder Tester

In the September 2013 Call Board, Wil Davis presented an article on improving a commercial decoder tester. The full article is downloadable here as a PDF file.








Doing an Open Load?

 

Here's a reference manual to modern standards for securing all types of open-top loads. The 2015 edition of the Alaska Railroad Load Manual describes and illustrates almost every type of load carried by rail and also gives detailed descriptions of different tie-down and securing methods. This 88 page manual is in PDF form and may be downloaded from Alaska Railroad Corporation Load Manual.








Tree Demonstration


Dave Decker, our late, great tree guru, has made a sample tree demonstrating the different techniques used to get away from the "bottle-brush" look of many commercial trees. Click HERE for a look at the demo.

Dave's tragic passing left a large hole in the modeling community, and he is sorely missed.













How a MMR Does It

a series of partially completed modelsBefore there was "shake-the-box", long before RTR, there were still terrific models. This miracle came about by way of a technique called "scratchbuilding". If you read the mainstream magazines you might think that this is a nearly extinct side of the hobby, but never fear. It's magic is still being practised in basements all over the Miami Valley!
This example comes from the workbench of Bob Fink, MMR. Bob needed some B&O Wagontop boxcars, but no kits were available. Starting with a formed wood block for the basic shape, Bob added hand formed ribs, detail parts, and paint to achieve the delightful result shown here.
A scratchbuilt model won't be complete overnight, but it sure will be something to be proud of when it is finished.







Foam on the Fast Track!

foam workRay Persing has developed a fast and efficient way to build foam roadbed and risers. He has made a fully illustrated manual of instructions available which can be downloaded HERE in .pdf format. Ray is using this technique to build his Cincinnati and Western layout with outstanding results.

Click HERE for photos of the completed project.



Good News! Ray has promised Part 2 of this seminar in the near future! Keep an eye on this space.







Stomping some good looking Cliffs and Cuts


Bob Fink reports: I've been trying to find a way to easily get the broken shale look of a rock cliff or sides of a railroad cut. While looking up at the upstairs ceiling it hit me! They “stomped” them with a tool while the plaster was still soft and left a pattern . Why not make a tool and stomp the wet plaster or spackling on a layout? I did and it worked. I ended up with the most realistic ones I've produced yet. It was far quicker than carving and a lot more realistic. Here's a link to the .pdf:













Note: Do you have an item for this page? bring it to a meeting to share and we'll photograph it, or you can send the photo(s) to the webmaster, along with a description of the project and he'll take it from there.