Spring Modelers Meet - Toledo/NW Ohio - March 23rd, 2024

[big train james]

Our local division has been shut out of our normal meeting location for March, so instead we are hosting a one day Spring Modelers Meet.  The date is March 23rd, 2024, and the location is the Sylvania Senior Center on the northwest side of Toledo.  Visit SMM.ncrnmra.org for more details.

• While the event is hosted by a local NMRA division, NMRA membership is not required to attend the meet.
• The meet is intended to mimic the RPM premise, with the primary focus on showcasing models of varying scales and subject matter in the interest of encouraging discussion about modeling techniques and processes.
• All models are welcome whether completed or in progress.
• Nine clinics on various topics will be offered throughout the morning and early afternoon.
• There will be a handful of layouts on site, plus another nine home layouts open for viewing in the afternoon and early evening.
• A food truck will be on site serving lunch, or there are all the normal restaurant options within two miles of the meet location.

Pre-registration is not required, but we are encouraging it as a means to gauge interest.  Admission is $20 at the door.

If you have questions, please visit the website or shoot me a note here.

Jim

[12bridge]

Gotham Rail & Marine will be there with a table!

[hudsonyard]

Twin Cites chapter does a similar thing, outside of the NMRA framework and mimicking an RPM, always looks like a bunch of fun. Usually is connected to a couple operating sessions/layout tours.

[big train james]

We have nine layout open houses planned for the afternoon into early evening on Saturday, after things wrap up at the show location. There are at least a couple in each direction, so that people can hit them on their way home no matter which way they are headed.

We were originally going to skip any operating sessions for this event, for two reasons. We don't necessarily have the bandwidth as a committee to get it all set up at this time, but more critically none of the typical session hosts were interested for a one day show. The solution was going to be that people with regular operating sessions would take the names of interested parties, and arrange for participation at a later date. That isn't ideal depending on distance traveled, but it is the best we could offer.

Now I'm hearing that some form of operating session may fall into place after all. Apparently there are a good number of people planning on coming into town on Friday afternoon/evening, so an informal session may be organized for that evening. I'm not sure what the current status is at the moment.

Jim

[big train james]

The Spring Modelers Meet is fast approaching this weekend. We have a nice slate of clinics to present, several layouts on site, and ten layout open houses available for visiting on the way home. We are hoping attendees bring models of all sorts for display, whether completed or still in progress. The goal is to put our efforts on display and spur discussion and the exchange of ideas.

There's more information in the original post above, and even more specifics at the meet website. Check out smm.ncrnmra.org for schedules, clinic topics and presenters, home layout descriptions, and other general information.  We are also excited to host Gotham Rail & Marine with their lineup of 3d printed diesel and marine parts.

I hope to see some folks at the meet!

Jim