Northeastern Region NMRA
National Model Railroad Association

2008 NER Convention
September 11-14, 2008
Syracuse, NY
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Metro North Division Meet

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Date:
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Venue:
Stamford Public Library (Harry Bennett Branch)
Location:
115 Vine Road, Stamford, CT

10AM to 1PM

Three clinics are planned for December’s meeting of the Metro North Division, which is scheduled to be held at the Harry Bennett Branch of the Stamford Public Library, 115 Vine Road.

When Fred Dellaiacono moved to a new home he had a much smaller space available for model railroading. He will talk about the problems of scaling down his layout, and how he solved them. In particular, he will describe how he devised a system for storing locomotives off the layout, and transferring them to the layout safely without handling them, using ingeniously designed engine carriers.

Also, Fred designed and built two under-the-table roundhouses (UTRs) which can hold up to 20 locomotives. Who said you need a large room for model railroading?

Alex Conta scratchbuilds large HO scale diesel locomotives from the 1960s and ’70s, which he has shown and discussed at previous Metro North meetings. Last summer, on a business trip to Chicago, Alex took along four locomotives. Taking advantage of some free time, he contacted the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry and arranged to have his locos run on its fabled HO scale layout. They performed beautifully, pulling long freight trains all over the massive layout. Alex digitally recorded the action with his handheld video camera, complete with sound. It’s a great way to see and hear the railroading going on, and see this fine layout’s scenery as well.

Scott Russell will show us how to install DCC decoders in locomotives. There are choices and decisions to be made, from locomotives to decoders to installation. Using step-by-step photos and with locos opened up and on display, Scott will talk about all of these issues. He will also show the installation of sound decoders, a feature of DCC that is becoming very popular with modelers.

After a lunch break, Franklin Lang and Dick Wolter will once again open their layouts for visitors. Directions will be available at the meeting. New features have been added to both layouts since Metro North members visited last spring.