NMR - News Letter
Updated May 2016
We held our annual auction on Saturday 7th May and it was a great success. All of the profits will be invested in to our new layout. Our thanks to all who attended, both buyers and sellers, and we hope everyone was happy with either their selling or buying prices. The next auction will be on Saturday 6th May 2017 at the same location. Details can be found on our Events page.
Our new clubhouse at Bygone Days Heritage Village is now complete bar some extra ceiling insulation that we’ll install in the spring. This winter has not, so far, been anywhere near as brutal as last year's, for which we’re grateful because electricity is horribly expensive and it's our only source of power for heating.
Work on the new layout progresses slowly but surely. Our chief platelayer, John Houghton, is making sure the track is well laid. “Good enough” is not good enough for John's exacting standards, which is a good thing, because as every experienced railway modeller knows, if the track isn’t properly installed in the first place there’ll be a price to pay in poor running and frequent derailments later on. Too many layouts have been abandoned because of this. Taking the time and doing it right the first time pays off in the long run.
All turnouts are hand-made, using Code 83 rail from Micro Engineering and Fast Tracks templates and Quick Ties. We calculate we can save close to 50% over purchased turnouts. Conversely, we estimate it’s less expensive to buy pre-made track rather than make our own, albeit only by about 30 cents a foot, but when we consider we’ll have in the region of 500 or so feet of track, the cost adds up.
The main line on the lower level is now complete, and John is managing the installation of the bus and track feeder wires. Until the main line was finished, only those at the ‘head of track’ could actually do any constructive work, but work can now start on the numerous sidings and yards, which will involve more members working simultaneously. We’ve only completed one loop of the four loop helix and have agreed to hold off on this until we have the funds to complete it and the upper level to Meaford.
Don Posluns, Jay Parkes, Bill Hanke and Al White are conducting some serious investigation in to the buildings that existed (very few remain) along the railway in Collingwood, Thornbury and Meaford and as their research yields results they will produce scale drawings so we can start reproducing matching models. It’s highly unlikely manufactured kits are available, so most will have to be built from scratch in styrene, basswood or a mixture of both. Jay and Don have already demonstrated their skill at this particular facet of the hobby. Bill Hanke is an excellent worker with wood, and is putting a lot of energy into the dock and grain elevators that are still a prominent feature in Collingwood.
The photographs below of Bailey Park and the Easton Mine, both on our exhibition layout, are excellent examples of the modellers skill, in these cases, Paul Bailey and Brad LeBeck. The old 4-4-0 steam locomotive is a static display in the park and it sits on our DCC programming track.
Click on the images to enlarge them!
The Smarts and Endoline modules on our exhibition layout have been freshened up and were on display at the Barrie & Allendale MRC annual show in mid-February. We received numerous compliments on the layout which, even if we do say so ourselves, are deserved. We’re proud of this model and the children and parents are always appreciative and grateful that we let them run the trains.