The Call Board SSSSSSSSSSS January 2018

January 2018

Volume XXVII

Number 1

A 100%

CLUB

2018 Membership Renewal is due by January 21. Sunday, January 21, 2018—NVNTRAK Annual Meeting at Trinity Christian School, 11204 Braddock Road, Fairfax VA 22030. Hours 1300 to 1600. Sunday, February 4, 2018—Back Shop at Franconia Fire Station, 6300 Beulah St. Alexandria, VA. 22310. Hours: 1300-1600. Sunday, February 4, 2018—Board Meeting at Franconia Fire Station, 6300 Beulah St. Alexandria, VA. 22310. Hours: 1400-1500. Saturday and Sunday, February 10 & 11, 2018— Greenberg Train Show at York Expo Center, 334 Carlisle Avenue, York, PA 17404. Public Hours: 10001600 both days; Set-up Coordinator: TBD; Trailer: TBD; Trailer Hauler: TBD; Set-up: 1400-1930 Friday, 0730-1000 Saturday; Clamp Down: 0930. Sunday, February 11, 2018—T-TRAK Fairfax Station Railroad Museum at 11200 Fairfax Station Road, Fairfax, VA 22039. Public Hours: 1300-1600; Set Up Coordinator: Kent Smiley; Trailer: N/A; Set-up: 1100-1300; Click together: 1200. T-TRAK Sunday, February 18, 2018—Fairfax Station Railroad Museum at 11200 Fairfax Station Road, Fairfax, VA 22039. Public Hours: 1300-1600; Set-up Coordinator: Jim Davis; Trailer: NVX-3; Trailer Hauler: Jim Davis; Set-up: 1000-1300; Clamp-down: 1130. Saturday and Sunday, February 24 & 25, 2018— Greenberg Train Show at Fredericksburg Expo Center, 2371 Carl D. Silver Parkway, Fredericksburg, VA 22401. Public Hours: 1000-1600 both days; Set-up Coordinator: Mark Bowman; Trailer: TBD; Trailer Hauler: TBD; Set-up: 1400-1930 Friday, 0730-1000 Saturday; Clamp Down: 0930. FUTURE EVENTS March 4—Back Shop March 4—Herndon Depot Museum (T-TRAK) March 10 & 11—Boy Scout Troop 964 Train Show March 18—Fairfax Station Railroad Museum

January 21, 2018 Annual Meeting Schedule: Note: We will have limited access to the School Facility before 1300 to do setup, so please do not plan to arrive early. 1300 Start registration of Silent Auction items and setup of Company Store items. 1330 Silent Auction opens for bids. 1400 to 1430 Live Auction (partial). 1430 (Promptly) Start of Annual Meeting.  End of year Board member reports.  Bylaws change proposal discussion and vote.  Items from the Floor.  Election of new Board members. 1530 (About) Meeting of new Board to elect officers. 1600 (About) Announce new Officers. Silent Auction Bids close. 1610 Continue Live Auction. 1700 Completion of Annual meeting. BILL OF LADING Rail Events Timetable ................................. 1 President’s Corner ...................................... 2 Superintendent’s Column .......................... 2 View from the Loo ...................................... 3 Rinker Yard Update .................................... 6 The Other Side of the Tracks ...................... 7 Bylaws Change Summary ........................... 7 Fairfax Sta on Holiday Train Show ............ 7 James City County Library Train Show ....... 9 Herndon Holiday Show (NTRAK) ................ 9 Herndon Holiday Show (T‐TRAK) .............. 10 Holiday Party ............................................ 12 Greenberg Train Show—Dulles ................ 12 Potomac Community Library (T‐TRAK)..... 14 Membership Renewal Form ..................... 16

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January 2018 SASSSASSSS THE Call Board

President’s Corner By Kent Smiley Hello, Again, It’s that time of year when we get to reflect on what we accomplished during the previous year and what we want to accomplish for the coming year. NVNTRAK did quite well in 2017. We added new shows at the Postal Museum, Purcellville Library, and the Potomac library in Woodbridge. We also continued to be invited back to shows we have attended over the years. We have had new members join and get involved in the shows, modules, Back Shops, etc. Personally, I got to build a couple of modules, installed a few decoders, weathered a bunch of rolling stock, and generally found my way with a few new things here and there. A few things I wanted to do and didn’t get to do, include trying out the spray gun, doing more with my static grass applicator, and getting more decoders installed. I hope you find the time to reflect on a few things you have accomplished over the year, and look forward to accomplishing more in the coming year. If you have something you want to try but don’t think you have the skill to do it, let a Board member know, and we’ll try to put together a Back Shop on it. I heard one suggestion of a DCC speed matching clinic that someone wanted to put on. We are continuing to fine tune the Bylaws and hope to get a new version out before the Annual General Meeting on January 21st. That’s all I have for now. I hope to see you at the annual meeting in a few weeks. Kent Smiley Superintendent’s Column By Mark Bowman At the end of most train shows that I join in, after the door on the trailer slams shut and the locks snap closed, I feel a bit sad as I make my way home. It’s an unshakeable trait I’ve had since childhood whenever coming off the emotional high of particularly fun events, such as a vacation or a party. Or, in this case, putting on a train show and running trains. As I drove home after the Greenberg Show in December, however, my melancholy seemed especially strong. I guess it was due to having just completed what was the last in a full and fun-filled year of club train shows and events. Luckily, 2018 looks to be just as full and as much fun

as 2017, if not more so! January may start out a little bare, but the Annual Meeting on the 21st should kick the year off nicely. After that, the 2018 slate of shows heats up in February with a couple of shows we had to miss in 2017. February 10 and 11 is the return of the Greenberg Train Show in York, PA, a show that wasn’t held last year due to a scheduling conflict between Greenberg and the host venue. We’ve been confirmed for a good-sized layout there this year. Another Greenberg show that was absent in 2017 for the same reason which also returns in 2018 is Fredericksburg, VA, on February 24 and 25. We recently received confirmation that we’re in that show as well. In March we have one of the club’s other highlight events of the year, the annual Boy Scout Train Show in Manassas, VA, on March 10 and 11. All indications point to another great show, and, like last year, we should enjoy lots of space in the main gym to assemble another fun and interesting layout. When assembling layouts in 2018, three recent changes are worth mentioning. All three should make layouts faster and easier to set up and more reliable and fun to operate. First is a new policy regarding connecting track that requires the use of a chip lifter tool as the primary tool for installing or removing connecting track. In the past, time has been spent fixing and replacing the loose ends of track on several club modules. They get loose over time or even come completely apart from the forces applied when installing or removing connecting tracks. Until they get fixed, those damaged modules contribute to more derailments. That’s not fun for anyone. Not only is repairing them not fun, but it also takes time away from doing more fun or fruitful projects during Back Shops. Our hope is that following this new practice will help lessen the overall amount of stress on the ends of track and reduce the need to fix or replace track on both club and member modules. The new policy is that members must use a chip lifter tool when installing or removing connecting track. Many of us already have and use this specialized tool, but some don’t, instead using pliers, flat head screwdrivers, or other more standard tools to slide rail joiners on and off. When using those standard tools, it’s too easy to apply excessive force in directions that can damage the ends of the track. Sliding rail joiners off and on with a chip lifter applies force mostly downward and in line with the track. (Continued on page 3)

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The Call Board SSSSSSSSSSS January 2018 (Continued from page 2)

If you don’t have a chip lifter, don’t worry. Although they sometimes can be hard to find and not all that cheap, we’ve thought ahead and purchased two dozen at a bulk rate. I’ve already handed out a few, and we’ll give one out free to anyone who needs one, whether you’re a brand-new member or an experienced veteran. We’re also ensuring that two lifters permanently reside in each track box. We want it to be easy for everyone to follow this new club practice. While we hope that this new practice will help protect the track ends, we know it won’t completely eliminate the problem. We’re also considering other remedies, including methods to more securely attach and reinforce the track at the module ends. Another new change is simpler and should have a more direct impact on the speed and efficiency of setting up and tearing down a layout. This year the club supply of metal C clamps is slowly being supplemented and will eventually be replaced with “quick clamp” style clamps. Several members already use their own quick clamps to join their modules, but given their obvious advantages, we thought, why not make them standard club clamps? We have plenty of space in the large trunks where clamps are currently kept, and the cost should be relatively low. One note about clamps: we’ll keep several of the metal C clamps for certain needs, in particular the wide-jawed clamps used to mount the bridges, and a few more to provide more solid connections with narrow width modules, like the club’s one-, two- and three-foot long modules. In the final change for the new year, members should expect to enjoy the fun, ease, and convenience of using their smart phones and other devices to run trains on club layouts. After a good deal of discussion by the special committee, a good deal of work from Randall Wood and Jim Davis, and a few successful test runs in 2017, WiFi throttle support is now a permanent part of all club operating systems for 2018 and beyond. Randall assembled and programmed the necessary components, and Jim is efficiently incorporating them into the club’s storage boxes that also contain the main DCC and power system. With these latest changes and a full slate of shows and events, I look forward to another fun-filled year of running trains.

View From The Loo: T-TRAK Update By Steve Jackson This month, I wanted to talk a little bit about how to hold down track on T-TRAK modules. There are basically three ways to hold down the track:  attach with glue from bottom,  attach with screw from top,  attach with screw from bottom. I would argue that the list above is from simplest to most complex, but all of them work well and each is valid in its own way and has its own compromises. You can decide which method works best for you. Glue from Bottom I built my first T-TRAK modules back in 2003, and at that time the use of glue to hold down tracks was very common. People experimented with different glues and methods and ended up coalescing around a mostcommon method using Liquid Nails for Small Projects. This particular glue was popular because it was highly viscous meaning that it stays where you put it so it doesn’t run and make a mess while it dries. While you can buy it in large tubes to dispense with a glue gun, it also comes is smaller tubes, like toothpaste, so that you can easily handle and store the stuff when you are using it.

To apply this glue flip the Kato track over and wherever you see the little dimple for installing a screw/ nail, you put a glob of glue, similar to a Hershey’s Kiss, on the bottom of the track. Generally, two of these globs is plenty, and for shorter pieces of track, one is enough. The glob needs to be taller than the bottom of the track so that when you flip the track over and place it on the module, the glue hits the surface where you want the track to stick. Once the track is in place, you adjust as needed and then put a weight on it (book, can of vegetables, etc.) to hold it down for 24 hours while it dries. Once the glue dries, it is very difficult to remove. Most of my original modules have track that is glued down. I had to remove (Continued on page 4)

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January 2018 SASSSASSSS THE Call Board get what you pay for, and spending a couple of bucks (Continued from page 3) some because the track was damaged and found that I (literally) extra to get a screwdriver is a great thing. really had to fight to get the track up, even after a Unfortunately, what I have told you so far is that the decade in place. screw I recommend is no longer available; however,

One note is that I would NEVER put glue of any type on a turnout track. I would only glue adjacent tracks down and let the turnout float in between them. If you must have a turnout at the edge of a module (not recommended), then I would use a screw to hold down the turnout. Glue has a tendency to wander around and once you have glue in a turnout mechanism, then you no longer have a turnout. Gluing the track is very effective and is visually appealing because the fasteners are fully hidden by the track itself. The only real downside of using glue is that you can’t really use it on turnouts and that removing track that has been glued down will generally ruin the track. Attach with Screw from Top This method evolved after the T-TRAK community started to see that sometimes you wanted to be able to remove a piece of track without ruining it. Probably the first company to sell little screws with this purpose being identified was a now-defunct company called Trainaidsa.com.

Todd Blose recently came across a very nice replacement product on eBay. To find the screws on eBay, you can search for “mini track screws 1.2mm”. The screws are 1.2mm by 12mm and you can purchase 300 of them for about $10.

Todd compared the screws that he purchased to the samples I gave him and they are very similar. The ones that I had from trainaidsa are 11mm long, while his are 12 mm long. The other difference is that the ones that I gave Todd have a countersunk head whereas his have a pan head. Both use Philips screwdrivers to install and at that size, the difference in head types is barely noticeable. The other difference you will notice from the photo is that the originals have threads along the entire shaft whereas the new ones only have threads on half the shaft. Luckily, that portion of the shaft is within the Unitrack when the screw is installed, so the difference won’t affect performance. To attach tracks using screws from the top, start by flipping the Kato Unitrack over and you will find that

This small company was based out of Rockville, MD and I first saw their products at a train show at Timonium, MD. While they sold a wide variety of model train-related hardware and electronics, they sold a series of different screws and one was advertised as working perfectly for installing Kato Unitrack. Several club members purchased screws from them and also screwdrivers to go with them. Sadly, the owner of the company passed away a couple of years ago and his family was not able to keep the business running, so their proprietary products, like the screws, are no longer available. The screwdrivers that they sold are still available because they were not specific to the company. The screwdrivers are made by Wiha Model 26100, which is a Philips head size 00 - 40mm long. These particular screwdrivers are excellent for this purpose because they are strong and well made. Some other small, inexpensive screwdrivers are poorly made and as a result will strip the screw heads, which at this size are very delicate. This is one of those situations where you

there is a molded shaft for track screws/nails to be installed. Kato does not drill out this shaft at the factory, so you have to use a small drill bit to open the top through the track. I use a small pin vice and whatever drill bit happens to be handy since all I really need to do it open it enough so that I can find the location on the top of the track. Once I have identified the location of the shaft by drilling a hole from the bottom of the track, I can fit the track in place and then install the screw through the top of the track affixing it to the base. This method really only works on materials into which the screw can stick. (Continued on page 5)

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The Call Board SSSSSSSSSSS January 2018 (Continued from page 4)

If I was attaching the track to foam, I would use glue, but this method works very well for wooden bases. Most of the time, I attach tracks using screws from the

Over the years using this method, I have learned a couple of things. First, it is never wise to try to reuse one of these little screws. They are only good for one use and the chance of stripping the head or shearing it off entirely goes up exponentially when you use them a second time They are cheap, so just throw them away and use a new one each time. Second, I have had best results when I predrilled the holes in the base. I put the track in place and then drill through the track and into the base to help get the screw set. It doesn’t usually matter, but every once in a while, I will hit a particularly hard section of wood, and the head of the screw will shear off. Cleaning that up is a hassle, so I usually just predrill the holes before I install the screws. As I noted with glue, I don’t generally recommend installing screws into turnouts. I screw down the adjacent tracks and then let the turnouts float in between them. If a turnout has to be at the end of a module, then I would always screw it down before I would glue it, to avoid the risk of ruining the turnout. Attach with Screw from Bottom

top. The biggest drawback of this method is that you are left with a screw head visible on the top of the track. I have found that if you dab a little light-colored paint on the black screw head, most folks won’t ever notice. Although there is a visual compromise when using this method because the screw head is visible, the advantage of this method is that you can easily remove track when needed. This is particularly handy when track is damaged and needs to be replaced.

This method was historically only used by brave (and precise) souls and involves drilling a hole up through the module and into the shaft of the Kato Unitrack. Then, you can use a small machine screw or a wood screw to attach the track, but these are not the same screws as used above because they have to be large enough to stick into the plastic shaft under the track. This method requires precision that many of us struggle to achieve and that is why it wasn’t very popular. The plus side of this method is that it combines the advantages of using glue (not visible from top) with the advantages of using screws from the top (easily removable). Luckily, one of the manufacturers of T-TRAK modules, Masterpiece Modules (http:// www.masterpiecemodules.com/), offers premanufactured module kits that come with holes for the track pre-drilled, so fans of this method now have a ready source for modules with the hard work already completed! A couple of our club members have successfully used this method, but due to its relative rarity I don’t even have photos of an example to show for this article. I would encourage folks who want to use this method to look at the Masterpiece Modules site and elsewhere on the Internet for additional information on how to successfully install screws into Unitrack from underneath the module.

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January 2018 SASSSASSSS THE Call Board

Rinker Yard Update By Mark Bowman

Session 2: Two or more track work volunteers who can adjust a couple of track alignments, adjust some grades, and do other basic track work to get the modules ready for ballasting.

In the latter part of 2017, the club received the generous donation of Rinker Yard from club founder and member Edd Braithwood. Rinker Yard is named after our former president ,Dale Rinker, and is a four-POFF, 16-foot-long module set featuring five setup tracks each off the red, yellow, and blue lines.

Edd’s original construction features sturdy frames, quality track, and efficient and dependable wiring. Before being handed to the club, Rinker Yard reliably served in many train shows. However, to enhance its performance and ensure its protection and preservation, the Board is planning some work sessions in the early part of this year to perform the necessary tasks. The club is now looking for member volunteers to help make the yard bullet proof for transport and provide some basic scenery enhancements. The yard currently resides in Leo Bicknell’s basement in Ashburn, VA, which also has space for each work session. We anticipate having four work sessions led by member volunteers who are comfortable with, or have at least some experience with, the necessary skills for each particular session. However, all members are welcome and encouraged to help regardless of skill or experience. We hope that some club members might want to come and help while learning or refining a module-building skill. All needed materials will be provided by the club, but member volunteers may need to bring some tools. We’ve broken the volunteers and tasks down into the following work sessions: Session 1: Two or more woodworking volunteers who can help construct end caps for module transport, add small platforms for club literature, and add covers to protect the switch machines.

Session 3: Several ballast volunteers. There are four modules full of track and all will get ballasted. There will be a lot of ballasting! This will be the first/main ballast layer. Session 4: Several scenery volunteers to help make the yard feel “lived in.” Perhaps construct and install a yard tower? A yard office? Maybe some yard-like equipment sprinkled around? A discreet method of identifying track numbers that fits in with the scenery could be implemented. Some more touch-up ballasting may need to be performed at this session, as well. An additional work session(s) may be scheduled if necessary. The plan is to collect volunteers and then determine work days/times based on availability for 4-5 hour blocks of work time on various Saturday or Sundays during the winter months. It’s possible that a work session could be held in conjunction/in lieu of an upcoming Back Shop. Our goal is to have these enhancements finished in time to put the yard in a Spring show. If you’d like to volunteer for any work session, contact Leo Bicknell ([email protected]) to make arrangements. Thanks for your help with this important project.

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The Other Side of the Tracks By Chester Freedenthal

Bylaws Change Summary By Peter Jouannet

I, a Board Member Emeritus and member for over 25 years, read with disdain a proposal by the board to DENY VOTING RIGHTS to members that fail to participate or enter a module in a set-up during the year. Hear me loud and clear BOD, payment of dues GUARANTEES a member the right to vote, including those that live out of state.

The Bylaws Committee, Peter Jouannet, Cotton Bowen and Kip Petzrick, have made additional changes to the draft NVNTRAK Bylaws based on member inputs on the first draft.

Members join, and rejoin, for myriad reasons. Putting modules in a set-up or participating may or may not be one, but it should never be used the way you propose. If I remember correctly the Bylaws require a module to be built, but even that rule has never been enforced, and rightly so, for over 20 years.

A summary of changes you will be asked to vote on during the annual meeting include:

The Board of Directors will issue this revised draft Bylaws change soon so members can review it before the Annual Meeting.

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Minor changes to the "Classes of Meetings"

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Adding definition of the "T-TRAK Superintendent" --to be the same as the NTRAK Superintendent with the exception of running Board meeting when President, Treasurer, and NTRAK Superintendent are absent. (too many will be out for a quorum at that point).

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Definition of the Terms of Office - staggering to prevent complete change of Directors any one year.

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Financial controls replaces "Encumberment of Funds" to align with current banking processes.

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Dropped all language requiring a module to be owned to be an active member of NVNTRAK.

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Added to Operating Standards the ability of the Board to develop a Rewards Program to entice folks to participate in shows with modules.

If you want more members to participate or be in a setup then focus on the following: 

Decide if T-TRAK and NTRAK can coexist under the same Bylaws.

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Work one-on-one with new members to get modules ready and explain all the ways they can participate.

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Limit the number of modules a member can enter in a set-up, maybe 2, until any members that want in have been accommodated, and work with them to give them opportunities. Review all current venues. How many satisfy the core existence of the club? How many satisfy the desires of a few at the club’s expense? Are any no longer viable? Are there any untapped venues? Can we sponsor a cub, brownie, or scout troop? Is there somewhere we can work with a church or senior center to teach the hobby? Can we do a public access TV show? Look at the demography of the membership… age, skills, location, desires, etc., and rebuild the club to take advantage of them and nurture them. Spread the wealth.

One member’s opinion. Wishing everyone a happy and healthy New Year. Editors Note: Several members provided the Bylaws Committee with comments similar to those made above by Chester. As seen in the following article, the Committee is now proposing that any reference to module ownership be dropped.

The full Bylaws with changes noted will be sent to all members early in January 2018. Fairfax Station Holiday Train Show December 2 & 3, 2017 By Staff Writer On Saturday and Sunday, December 2nd and 3rd, Northern Virginia NTRAK participated in Fairfax Station Railroad Museum’s 28th annual model train show. The annual train show is the oldest and biggest event at the Station. It was begun two years after the station was reopened as a museum. The club first participated in this annual event in December 1996, when Chester Freedenthal set up a small N-track layout in the caboose. The rest, as they say, is history Train layout setup began Friday morning as the (Continued on page 8)

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January 2018 SASSSASSSS THE Call Board (Continued from page 7) Saturday with Dave Davies, Greg Lindsey, Mike Washington, Virginia, Maryland Garden Railroad Rathje and John Turner running trains on Sunday. Society (G scale) set up their track outside around the Station. In the evening, the National Capitol Trackers (O scale), Potomac Module Crew (HO scale) and Hope Danielson (Standard gauge) set up their layouts in the freight room. An S gauge layout was tucked into the telegrapher’s space and Monty Smith (LEGO scale) set up in the caboose. By 10:00 a.m. Saturday morning, trains in 7 gauges were running on layouts inside and outside the station building.

The ideal weather resulted in large crowds both days. A total of 1,059 adults and children visited the show, many repeat visitors from previous years. The Friends of Fairfax Station Board of Directors want to thank all the clubs, train runners and volunteers who participated in this year’s show. It was their most successful train show ever.

To complete the annual show, a work table for the train doctors was set up in the Stationmaster’s office and a bench for Santa was placed in the waiting room. JB Weilepp, the club’s representative to the Friends of Fairfax Station, coordinated the Station’s estate sales table. Items in the estate sale included O and HO scale locomotives, rolling stock and scenery. Mother Nature smiled all weekend as train clubs and visitors enjoyed seasonal fall weather perfect for a holiday train show. Several members of the George Washington Chapter of the Model A Ford Club of America arrived Saturday morning with their Model A Fords. They were joined from time to time by several other vintages including two 1932 Ford hot rods. During the two-day show the club’s layout in the caboose was run by Ed Boland, Jim Davis, Rick Ehrenreich, Kent Smiley and Bob Yetter on

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James City County Library Train Show December 2 & 3, 2017 By Bob Tucci

left her child while venturing to other locations. It didn’t really interrupt anything. However, on Sunday a father let his three children take up most of the space at the table coloring while he just scrolled his phone. I think this was a deterrent to others who could not see a spare seat for their children.

The weekend of December 2 and 3 saw the return of the Train Show at the James City County Library. Fords Colony provided their home layouts for the N and Z scale, but did have a portable layout, while the O-gauge folks had a modular setup. I provided the Operation Lifesaver experience.

The library also provided some activities. They had stencils of locomotives, animals and rolling stock and invited the children to draw tracks or a landscape on poster board and glue the locomotive and rolling stock, with zoo animals, on the paper where the tracks were. I saw a lot of children with poster board on both days.

It was pretty much the same as in past years. A couple of tables for the kids to color while watching “Sly Fox and Birdie” and “Tracks are for Trains, not for kids”. Once the children started coloring, I grabbed the parents for a presentation. It worked very well on Saturday where I had 5 presentations with 16 participants from 10 AM to 5 PM. The table was also visited by approximately 68 adults and 62 children. After the presentations I asked several of the adults to observe the Engi-

One of the drawbacks was the quality of the videos which were displayed on the MondoPad digital display. Both “Sly Fox and Birdie” and “Tracks are for Trains, not for Kids” videos had poor analog quality pictures. OL needs to upgrade its video presentation materials. I plan to mention this to OL in my report submissions. Herndon Holiday Show NTRaK December 9 & 10, 2017 By Ed Boland NVNTRAK participated in the 12th annual Herndon Holiday Show hosted by Richard Downer, Event Chairman for the Town of Herndon, on December 9 & 10, 2017. NTRAK was, once again, in the front of the lobby which gave the public the first view of the train displays. Estimated attendance for the Municipal Building, Caboose, and Train Station was 950 people. Jim Davis and I arrived about 1:30 pm on Friday to begin the set up for the show. Other module providers arrived by 2:00 pm and the fun of erecting the layout began. Due to sharing the hall with the HO club we were limited to a 2 POFF by 3 POFF layout.

neer’s dilemma. On Sunday from 1Pm to 5 PM, I was able to have 2 presentations with 5 recipients. The table was visited by 50 adults and 37 children. This year the Sunday audiences seemed to be more interested in railroad safety. There were approximately 1,500 on Saturday and 1,000 on Sunday. Unfortunately, this year I was provided with two 12”X6’ tables instead of the usual 2’ X 6’ tables. This presented a challenge of what could be put on the tables. On one end of the tables, there was room for the children to stand on both sides of the table and color. The biggest challenge is to keep the children away from the outlets which are on the floor. This year’s crowd was different. No more than a dozen took the handouts on railroad safety. I also experienced my first incidents of babysitting. On Saturday, a lady

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January 2018 SASSSASSSS THE Call Board (Continued from page 9)

We had more modules than we could use, which makes it easy for the coordinator. I left my POFF’s out and Jim Davis left his POFF’s out so others could show their handy work. Set up went fast and smoothly since we had many hands helping. Track was cleaned and trains were running by 1615 hours.

When the doors opened to the public, we had a steady flow of visitors through the day Saturday and Sunday. As usual people were in awe at the detail of our modules. One person asked how we made the small people that were on some modules and I explained that those are available for purchase from hobby shops along with some buildings and other detail items.

A few us retired to a local eatery for dinner to let the Friday night traffic subside a little before venturing home. The layout consisted of 10 POFF’s and 4 corners which were provided by Jim Davis, Ed Boland, Randall Wood & Augusta, Cotton Bowen, Bob Tucci, Pete Jouannet, Bob Yetter, and J.B. Weilepp. Jim Stapleton and Dave Carey also helped with the set up. Jim Davis and I provided corners for this show so only one corner from our trailer was needed to complete the layout.

Saturday and Sunday we all had time to run many trains and interact with the public during the two day show. The trailer and all of our cars were packed up by 4:35 pm and we were on the road home.

We had access to the Municipal Building at 08:00 am on the weekend, allowing a couple of hours of private time to run our trains.

Herndon Holiday Show T-TRaK December 9 & 10, 2017 By Steve Jackson For this year’s 12th Annual Herndon Holiday Train Show, the weather was perfect! Two years ago, we had temps in the 60s and sunny so we attended the show in shorts and t-shirts. Last year, we had seasonable cold (near freezing) weather, but it was still sunny so you couldn’t really get right into the holiday spirit. This year, we had freezing temperatures and snow outside, but it was warm and cozy in the station. (Continued on page 11)

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of the modules in the set features removable snow scenery that spans across the modules creating a seamless scene from one side to the other. This layout is right with winter-themed detail and is always a hit with the kids and adults alike. The Poole’s layout is in the background of the photo with Janice running trains for the kids.

As was the case last year, the museum provided four eight-foot-long tables for us and we used them to create an 8’ x 10’ surface for our layout. The space is somewhat small, but using the tables in that configuration leaves us with about 3 ½’ all the way around the layout. That is a little cozy, but works out really well. We used the excuse of the holiday theme of the show to bring out all of the snow modules we could lay our hands on.

As is typical for us, we set up two layouts on the tables. One layout was Janice and Phil Poole’s North Pole Village set which is a stand-alone layout designed to sit on a six foot table. The layout includes a double on each side and two 180 degree modules for either end. Each

The second layout included modules by Steve Jackson, Greg Lindsey, Jim Nickle, and Kent Smiley. Greg and Jim brought out snow-themed modules to complement the Poole’s North Pole Village. The winter-themed modules are always a big hit this time of year, but especially this year since there was real snow on the ground outside.

In addition to his great winter themed modules, Jim N also brought out his Farm Corner and Dairy Corner modules. In between these two he placed a little sound module like that one that I featured in the May 2017 View from the Loo article in The Call Board. Jim was able to find a nice assortment of animal and general farm noises to create a really nice soundtrack (Continued on page 12)

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January 2018 SASSSASSSS THE Call Board (Continued from page 11)

Greenberg Train Show Dulles Expo Center December 16 & 17, 2017 By Mark Bowman

The funny thing about the Greenberg Train Show at Dulles Expo Center in December was the simple fact that we were in the show at all. Having already been excluded from previous Greenberg shows at Dulles for lack of space, I was pleasantly surprised to receive confirmation that we would have a layout again after having just been in there for their show in August.

that effectively caught the attention of folks who were looking at the layout. These little sound modules are a great way to call attention to your modeling. When folks hear the cow or chicken noises, they immediately start looking around the module to find the animals they are hearing. They are all there, even if some of them, like the cat and the chickens, take some looking to locate. Additional photos of the show can be found on the wikidot site at: http://ttrak.wikidot.com/20171209herndon-holiday-train-show. Holiday Party December 9, 2017 By Staff The Holiday party was held at Fairfax Station Railroad museum with barbecue for dinner and the traditional gift exchange. Many of us had to rush from the NTRAK and T-TRAK show in Herndon to get there in time for the fun. Although it snowed all day, as indicated in the preceding article, there was little accumulation and it made it seem more like the holiday season.

With confirmation in hand I set out to plan the layout in the week preceding the show. We were given the same amount of space but in a different location. Instead of our usual spot near the large overhead door, we were located next to the concession stand. This didn’t mean much except that we were constantly bombarded with the scent of warm pretzels, fresh popcorn, and steaming hot dogs. I guess that’s better than the odor from our old location next to the bathrooms. I wasn’t able to set up with most other members on Friday afternoon, but I was told it was pretty cold. Most modules were already in place by the time I arrived Saturday morning, and the hall was much warmer after all the doors had been closed and the heaters had run all night. After some last-minute module shuffling, we ended up with a simple loop that filled our space. A couple of nice sidings aided in setting up trains and helped keep them moving. With a more complete idea of the exact track configuration of all modules beforehand, we may have been able to optimize the layout design to give us sidings that are a little longer. There always seem to be areas to improve.

We had the traditional gift exchange with Kent Smiley and JB Weilepp running the drawings and refereeing the process. Near the end, Kip Petzrick “stole” the grand prize from Cotton Bowen, much to Judith’s relief. It appears no one took any pictures.

(Continued on page 13)

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The Call Board SSSSSSSSSSS January 2018 (Continued from page 12)

Members who contributed modules included Bob Yetter, Mike Rathje, John Turner, Rick Ehrenreich, Randal Wood, Jim Davis, Pete Jouannet, Leo Bicknell, and Mark Bowman. We had help running trains and assisting with the layout from Sam Bowerman, Dave Davies, Steve Grath, and Jim Stapleton.

The layout ran well for the most part all weekend. Early on we encountered a problem with power on the bridge. We diagnosed it as old rail joiners and a lack of feeders to some rail sections. This was quickly remedied in place with a battery powered soldering iron to make more reliable electrical contacts.

This show served as one of the final test runs for our WiFi throttle system. While I and others put it through the paces, the public took notice. Many

times throughout the weekend, observant spectators could be heard asking questions, such as, “Are you really running that train with your phone? Wow, that’s cool!” Others were even more inquisitive and asked many detailed questions about smartphone throttle apps, our WiFi system and the cutting edge of train control.

On sale by one of the vendors, but we are not sure of the price. I had never seen this before.

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January 2018 SASSSASSSS THE Call Board

Potomac Community Library T-TRAK December 16 & 17, 2017 By Steve Jackson

A few years back, the holiday season used to be one of NVNTRAK’s busiest times. One Saturday in 2007, we had a pentuple-header with the club participating in two NTRAK shows, two T-TRAK shows, and the Virginia Railway Express (VRE) Operation Lifesaver International (OLI) Santa Trains on the same day. Over the years, some of our annual holiday shows have faded away, like the Train Collectors Association Toy and Train Show and the South Columbia Baptist Church Christmas Show.

mid-December. This was another chance for the club to show off our work and to educate the public on both model and real trains. Since this was a show in the holiday season, we took another chance to bring out all of the snow and winter-related modules. These modules included Janice and Phil Poole’s North Pole Village independent loop, Greg Lindsey’s Winter double, and Jim Nickle’s Winter Wonderland double and Snowball Fight single. Todd Blose didn’t have a module in the layout, but he was there to help run trains and ran the great little German holiday train seen in the first photo in this article. Greg brought out his Microtrains 12 Days of Christmas set, and the Poole’s had a sound-equipped holiday train that they purchased from Streamlined Backshop. The baggage car in that set plays holiday songs as it travels around the tracks.

While having a little extra free time during the holidays is certainly a welcomed relief on the calendar, the holidays are one of the times when folks think about model trains. They think about their youth and those big Lionel trains around the Christmas tree. As a result, they want to show their children trains as well, so having the club out and about is a good thing for inspiring that next generation. Thanks to Jay Jennings, NVNTRAK added a new venue to the T-TRAK calendar this year. Jay lives near the Potomac Community Library in Woodbridge, VA and one day stopped by to talk to the staff about using their large community room for a train display. The staff seemed eager to work with us and provided Jay with some information on how to coordinate the show. He forwarded that information to me, and I was able to work with the staff to get the show on the calendar. With the show scheduled, Jay then worked with the staff to get room measurements and table information that we needed for the setup. The end result is that Jay was able to get a 2-day TTRAK show down in Woodbridge at a new venue in

In addition to the winter modules, Greg took this chance to bring out the Outside Yard 12x module set that he purchased from Nick Sklias. The yard was a great asset to have available for this two-day show because it allowed us to set up trains and then park them when we stepped away for a break. Jay Jennings brought out his six-single Passing Siding Set that he also purchased (Continued on page 15)

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The Call Board SSSSSSSSSSS January 2018 (Continued from page 14)

ings donated to the club.

from Nick. I brought out the Construction Site Set pair of singles that I bought from Nick as well. Kent Smiley brought out the two junctions that he also purchased from Nick. For a guy who wasn’t at the show, Nick had a bunch of modules in the layout! John Steitz contributed modules as well.

As you can see from the diagram, we had a lot of places to run trains on the layout. In addition to the two loops on Janice and Phil’s layout, the main layout had an outer loop and three inner loops resulting in six independent loops for running trains. At one point, we had nine trains running on the layouts!

Kent brought out two singles to the show. One is his Town single and the other was a new As-of-yet Unnamed single that he assembled using track and build-

Northern Virginia NTRAK, Inc. P.O. Box 523051; Springfield, VA 22152 h p://www.nvntrak.org/ Ques ons? Need Help? [email protected]

Editor—Jim Davis The Call Board is produced monthly by and for the membership of NVNTRAK and selected supporters. Items for publication should be submitted in MS Word or text format; either is acceptable. Send submissions to the Editor: [email protected] All submissions must contain clear text identification of the author to be accepted for publication. Articles and other submissions for the next issue MUST be received by the 25th of the month. NVNTRAK E-mail Lists NVNTRAK maintains a list server in conjunction with the club web site. A message from a club member addressed to reaches all club members who are subscribed to the list. To subscribe, or if your email has recently changed, contact the Call Board Editor at .

Northern Virginia NTRAK 2017 Officers: President: Kent Smiley Treasurer: Leo Bicknell Secretary: Mike Rathje NTRAK Superintendent: Mark Bowman T-TRAK Superintendent: Steve Jackson Directors at Large: Mark Andersen Peter Jouannet Northern Virginia NTRAK membership is $45/year Dues are payable each January. Northern Virginia NTRAK membership includes NTRAK membership. Northern Virginia NTRAK is a 501(c)(3) educational organization. Donations are accepted at any time and may be tax deductible. Send checks for membership or donations to: Treasurer; Northern Virginia NTRAK, Inc.; P.O. Box 523051; Springfield, Virginia 22152

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January 2018 SASSSASSSS THE Call Board

NVNTRAK Membership Renewal Process:

1. Membership is maintained on a Calendar year basis. January 1 to December 31. 2. Membership must be renewed before you can vote at the Annual meeting. You may renew when you arrive at the Annual meeting site. 3. Each member has received an invoice, with personal information currently listed in the NVNTRAK Database.  If personal information is wrong, please make sure corrected information is provided to Jim Davis.  If you joined in 2017, the 2018 dues may be reduced, depending on when you joined. 4. NVNTRAK membership includes the NTRAK membership, which is managed on a club basis and will be renewed in February. You should ignore any notices from NTRAK 5. Payment: You may pay by Cash or Check, as has been the practice in the past.  The NVNTRAK Treasurer is preparing to take payment by credit card. Details will be provided soon. DO NOT send your credit card information to the Treasurer by email. We will be using a third party online system that keeps us from having to see, and protect, credit card data. 6. Very Important: When your payment has been received and recorded, you will receive an email from Jim Davis with your 2018 membership number. If you do not get this in a reasonable time, contact us so we can investigate. 2018 membership cards will be available at the Annual meeting.

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