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Mid- Eastern Region of the NMRA
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        Potomac Division Challenge 19- The Kitbash Challenge (click caption to see write up)
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Bernard Kempinski's Crane and Ship
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Nick Kalis' Oahu Sugar Company Tender
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Deane Mellander's 4-4-0
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Alex Belida's Climax
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Martin Brechbiel's Tankers
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 Mat Thompson's Plant, Stock Cars and Engine
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Greg Cassidy's Check Printers Building
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Ernie Little's Brickyard Plant
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Brian Sheron's Gantry Cranes and Lift Bridges
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George Stanis' Merchants Row
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Dale Latham's Feed and Grain
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Lee Stoermer's Octagon Tower
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Ken Wilson's Flat Car

The Division's email Yahoo group is PD2MERNMRA@groups.io. If you have not joined and wish to do so please contact the Superintendent.

POTOMAC DIVISION ACTIVITIES

BUILD AND TAKE CLINICS

PREREGISTRATION REQUIRED

The Potomac Division has "live" build and take clinics which take place at Jerry Stanley's Hobby Barn and other locations.  If you have something you would like to do a presentation on please let Jerry Stanley know  by clicking here. 

Here is what on the schedule for the next three months.

DATE
 TOPIC
 CLINICIAN
Sept. 14, 2024 10:00 AM
 "TBD"
 TBD
October 12, 2024, 10:00 AM
 "TBD"
 "TBD"
November 9, 2024 10:00 AM
 "TBD"
 "TBD"

Click here to see ALL OF the upcoming Hobby Barn events.

VIRTUAL CLINICS

The Potomac Division Virtual Clinics are normally held on the third Sunday of each month at 3:00 P.M. using the Zoom video platform. Click here for information on how to use Zoom. An email containing information on how to register and gain access to the on-line clinic is sent to via the Division email list prior to the clinic.


Here is what is on tap for the next three months:
DATE
 TOPIC
 CLINICIAN
September 15 ,2024
 "Automating CAD - Making 3D Models Programmatically Using Generators"
 Dave Ackmann
October 20, 2024
 "Installing a Loksound Decoder, speaker, and LED in a Proto 2000 GP7/9"
 Ben Sullivan
November 17, 2024
 "Steam and Electric Locomotives of the Pennsylvania Railroad"
 Edward Koehler

If you have a topic you would like to present click here to contact our Superintendent, Ernie Little.
 
If you want to see a list of ALL Potomac Division clinics, both virtual and "build and take" click here.

To access the Virtual clinic area of the clinic page. Click here

Past Virtual clinic videos are posted on the Potomac Division's YouTube channel and can be access by clicking on "Potomac Division Mid Eastern Region NMRA".

NATIONAL VIRTUAL MODEL RAILROAD EVENTS

The NMRA has virtual model railroad events and the next event has not been announced. When information becomes available it will be posted here.  For more information go to the NMRAX page on Facebook. Past NMRA virtual events can be accessed on their You Tube channel by clicking here.

POTOMAC DIVISION MEMBERS VISIT THE BURNT TREE INDUSTRIAL RAILWAY

                        

Members of the Potomac Division members visited the Burnt Tree Industrial Railway located in Aroda, VA., on Saturday, September 16, 2023. Those participating had a full day of operating and riding on this 1/8 scale model railroad. To view a report on the visit click here.
 

LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO DO WITH ALL THE TIME YOU HAVE AVAILABLE?

The Potomac Division brings to your attention that the PD website provides access to past Potomac Flyer issues, past clinics, and railroad trivia in form of a crossword puzzle challenge. The crossword puzzle will be a PDF file you can download that provides the puzzle, clues, AND the solution.

LAYOUT TOURS

In person Layout Tours are back! The next tour is in the planning process and watch here for  information when it is available.

If you are willing to host an open house of your layout please email layout-tours@potomac-nmra.org and let the layout committee know.

VIRTUAL LAYOUT TOURS

Virtual layout tours are recorded and can be accessed by Clicking here to access the virtual layout tour area on the prior layout tour page.

If you are interested in providing a virtual layout tour please let the BOD know so it can be scheduled.


UPCOMING TRAIN SHOWS

Great Scale Model Train and Railroad Collectors Shows and Railroad Market Place. Click here to go to the show's website.

Greensberg's Great Train & Toy Show. Click here to go to the Great American Train Show's website.

Northern Virginia Model Railroaders.

Click here to go to the NVMR website.

The distractions of Summer are over! On Saturday, September 14th, prepare for your winter retreat to the train room with a visit to our club to see a great model railroad in action. The layout's HO scale trains depict the Western North Carolina Railroad during the steam to diesel transistion.  Traction fans will enjoy watching our trolleys running under overhead wire. The layout also features award winning structures and operations conducted on a permanent 20' by 50' layout using DCC.Bring the kids to see Thomas the Tank Engine and friends who will be running too. The Club resides in the historic, circa 1859, Vienna Depot of the former Washington & Old Dominion Railroad (W&OD), 231 Dominion Road, N.E., Vienna, VA. History buffs will enjoy the museum in the waiting room with its displays of the history of the W&OD. Hours are 1-5 P.M. with FREE ADMISSION (donations accepted). Virtual tour: click here. 

NMRA PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM:

Did you know that the NMRA has a partnership program where NMRA members can receive discounts as an NMRA member? See the information below:

  





POTOMAC DIVISION NEWS

SEPTEMBER BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING

The next Board of Directors meeting will be Tuesday, September 17, 2024, at 7:30 PM. The meeting will be held using the Zoom platform and can be accessed by the clicking here.

G SCALE MODEL TRAIN ITEMS FOR SALE

The Potomac Division is assisting the family of former Potomac Division and Life Member Albert Adams who passed away in 2020 by liquidating his G scale model railroad items from his estate. The proceeds of the liquidation will be used to further the future operations of the Division. The items appear to be in very good condition, and many are in their original box. The items are being sold "as-is", there is no implied warranty on the items, and all sales will be final. NMRA members can purchase items for a discounted price. For more information please click here.

JOINT MEET WITH JAMES RIVER DIVISION

Hold the date of Saturday, November 2, 2024 as the Board of Directors is working with the James River Division to hold a joint meet on that date. We are attempting to have the meet at either the Battlefield Baptist Church in Warrenton, Virginia or at the Arcola VFD annex in Sterling, Virginia. Watch here for more information when it becomes available.    

DIVISION ANNUAL MEETING HELD

The Potomac Division Annual meeting and meet was held on Saturday, May 4th at the Arcola Volunteer Fire Department Annex in Sterling, Va. Click here for a report on the event.

Thanks to the Arcola Volunteer Fire Department for allowing the Division to hold the event at their Annex building.

2024 MARSHALL ABRAMS AWARD

The  2024 Marshall Abrams Award was presented to Alex Belida, MMR, at the May 4th Annual meeting.

The Marshall Abrams Award was created by the Potomac Board of Directors in the Spring of 2021 in honor of the late Marshall Abrams who served the Division in several positions including Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent, Potomac Flyer Publisher, and Division webmaster.

Previous recipients of the award are Mat Thompson, MMR, and Jerry Stanley.

Division Meet held at Leisure World - Saturday, July 13th

On Saturday, July 13th the Division held a meet from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM at Leisure World consisting of two clinics and a layout tour of four layouts. Click here to see the write up on the meet.

A prior meet was held on Saturday, January 13, 2024, at this location where the Leisure World Model Railroad Club  opened their N, HO, and O scale layouts to the Division for a layout tour. The Division thanks Henry Jordan, a Division member and a member of the Leisure World Model Railroad Club for arranging this layout tour. Click here to see a write up of this event.

A Flashback: 1993 to 1996 Division Newletters found

In early February member Greg Cassidy found copies of Division newletters from Winter of 1993 to Fall of 1996 in a box at his home. Did you know that the Division was named the Dixie Division and was changed to the Potomac Division on March 12, 1994? For more information you can go to the Potomac Flyer page and look at the old issues or you can click here to see some of the history about the Division name change. While you are thinking about it do you have any old Potomac Flyers from December, 1996 to January of 2020 in a box at your house. If you do the Board of Directors would like to borrow them so they could be scanned and added to the Flyer page. Good time to look as Spring is just around the corner!

WELCOME TO NEW MEMBERS OF THE DIVISION

Please join the Board of Directors in welcoming new members to the Potomac Division by reaching out to them and helping them settle in to their new Division.
AUGUST - 2023
Ethan Rogers - Alexandria, VA
SEPTEMBER- 2023
Ty Bateman - Great Falls, VA
 Chris Ruegger - Lansdowne, VA
Greg Tate - Woodbridge, VA
OCTOBER - 2023
Brendan Harrington - McLean, VA
 Jeffrey Jordan - Fort Valley, VA
Michael Byle  - Colonial Beach, VA
 William Hooks - Colonial Beach, VA
NOVEMBER - 2023
Abhishek Kotnis - Olney, MD
JANUARY - 2024
Jeffrey Barsky - Washington, DC
 Paul Dunham - Reston, VA
Russell Hann - Chantilly, VA
 Dana Richard - Nokesville, VA
Neal Shelton - Haymarket, VA
 Greg Viggiano - Alexandria, VA
Zoe Wei - Fairfax, VA
 John Witek - Leesburg, VA
FEBRUARY - 2024
Rodney Bosco - Vienna, VA
 Thomas Braithwaite-Berg - Laurel, MD
Tom Matty - Derwood, MD
MARCH - 2024
Todd Smith - Manassas, VA
 John Lyon - Rockville, MD
APRIL - 2024
Veon Coffman - Gainesville, VA
 John McWilliam - Aldie, VA
Jeremy Smith - Herndon, VA
 Stephan Gerhardt - Falls Church, VA
MAY - 2024
David Ray - Winchester, VA
 Lonnie Weyant - Lake Frederick, VA
JULY - 2024
Edson Worden - Lexington Park, MD
AUGUST - 2024
Curtis Clint - Reston, VA
 Theodore Daniels - Washington, DC

THE NEXT POTOMAC FLYER FAVORITE CHALLENGE - "Silliness on the Layout" - The October - November Issue

The Challenge for the October - November 2024 Flyer will be for "silliness on the layout." It can be anything: flying saucers, dinosaurs, aliens, Halloween, whatever. Get out your camera and send along photo or two with a short description. Send your submissions to: Potomac-Flyer@potomac-nmra.org. September The deadline for entries is  September 5, 2024.

The staff of the Potomac Flyer thanks everyone who submitted kitbash entries for our previous Challenge.

PRIOR POTOMAC DIVISION CHALLENGES

To see the prior Potomac Division Challenges  Click here to see the submissions.


ACHIEVEMENT PROGRAM NEWS:

The Potomac Division has several Master Model Railroaders (MMRs). To see a list of the PD MMRs click here.

There are several members working on Achievement Program Certificates and getting closer to becoming Master Model Railroaders. They continue to work toward the goal and are making progress. To see a list of the AP certificate members click here.

Congratulations to MIke Byle on his achievement of the Electrical AP certificate and receiving his Golden Spike Award.

Congratulations to Paul Hutchins on achieving the Volunteer AP certificate.  

Congratulations to Marty McGuirk on his achievement of the Master Builder -  Scenery and Model Railroad Engineer - Electrical certificates.

Congratulations to Gregg Cassidy on his receipt of his Golden Spike Award and his achievement of the Structure and Author AP certificates.

Many more of our members are one certificate from Power certificate.

Many more of our members are one certificate from achieving Master Model Railroader status. Keep up the good work!

    Have you changed your email address recently. Please notify NMRA headquarters of any changes in address, email address, or phone numbers so you can continue to receive  National, Region, and the Division notifications. Click here to go the the NMRA website.
Potomac Division (PD)       PD Contacts       Mid‑Eastern Region       National Model Railroad Association (NMRA)




Last modified: September 11 2024 16:07:36.