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April 2009, Volume 38 No. 8, Page 2

News for our members

Our next meeting

Our normal business meeting which will start at 7 PM on Thursday April 2nd.

Clinic: “Unique Buildings for your Model Railroad” by: Gordon Fewster.

Summary: Gordon suggests ways to make the buildings on your model railroad more unique. There will be examples ranging from a (very) mild kit-bash to a one-of-a-kind modular building. Techniques will include signs with decals made on a home computer, and the latest newly painted and lettered rolling stock from the Ontario Southern Railway will be on display.


Operating Sessions on the LOST RR

Sessions: Saturday, April 11, and Sunday, April 26, at 2:00 pm.

Module Showing: The division will take the LOST RR (HO modules) to Hickory for their 4 April show. (The sponsoring club claims they will rent 250 tables for the show, so it should be a big one.) Your help is needed on April 3: for loading , setting up; and April 4th: for running trains, and packing the modules and unloading at the barn. Please contact Wally Brown at 683 – 1976 if you can help.


The Operations Committee meeting is scheduled for Thursday, April 16 at 7:00 pm.


Have an interesting idea for a clinic that you can do. Please call Fred Coleman to schedule your time today! Hurry, there is a limited availability, call now for preferred placement.


Health and Welfare

With sad hearts, we announce that member Tim Wagner’s wife, Sharon Kay Hennessey Wagner passed peacefully before sunrise on Friday, March 13, 2009 at the SOLACE Center in Asheville of pancreatic cancer.

Sharon is survived by her husband of nearly 44 years, Tim; her mother, Alma K. H. Mosley; son, Bill of Gainesville Fla., and wife, Terri; son, Rob of Richmond, Va., and wife, Erin; son, James of Greenville S.C. and wife, Currie; daughter, Kristina of Ponce Inlet, Fla. and husband, Mason; and son, TJ, of Atlanta; 10 darling grandchildren; and siblings, Tom Hennessey, John Hennessey and Kristina H. Specht.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Tim and his beautiful family and we share their sorrow.


Minutes of the Division Meeting

Ken Granzin, Company Clerk

President John Williams called the meeting to order at 7:08 p.m. The meeting was held in the barn because of a scheduling conflict. There was no Treasurer’s report because of the absence of the Treasurer.

Fred Coleman reported on the annual train show held at the Asheville Civic Center 20-21 March. Attendance was 960. While attendance this year was higher than when the show was held at the Haywood County Fairgrounds, the high cost of nearly $3700 for renting the Civic Center greatly affected the profit margin. Given the high cost of renting the Civic Center, Fred is looking for (and asking help in locating) alternative venues for next year’s show. Fred thanked Penn Bullock and Mike DeVore for serving as overnight security guards on Thursday and Friday nights. Hiring professional guards would have very expensive and the contribution of Mike and Penn is much appreciated. Vendors were generally pleased with their success at the show. John thanked all workers for their contributions to the show.

The next work session in the barn for the HO layout will be held Tuesday, 10 March at 2 p.m. The next operating session will be held Saturday, 14 March at 2 p.m.

Penn Bullock reviewed the schedule for working with the Eliada kids. There are now four sessions held every Tuesday and one session on the second Saturday of the month. Penn once again called for more club members to join in this program, and he noted that help will be especially necessary during the summer months when some of the regular workers will be absent.

Dan Lang reported on progress at the Apple Valley Club The club is considering recreating the Asheville Division of their railroad. Dan also reminded members of the upcoming NMRA convention to be held this summer in Hartford, CT. Ballots sent to NMRA members recently for electing officers were invalid and voting must take place a second time. Dan will hold an open house for viewing his railroad in his new abode on 25 March from 2 to 5 p.m.

John reported that work on the layout at Lake Junaluska is proceeding well. Track-laying is almost complete and work on scenery will begin soon. John encouraged members to participate in this work. Contact John for information.

The Division will once again take the LOST RR (HO modules) to Hickory for their 4 April show. The sponsoring club claims they will rent 250 tables for the show, so it should be a big one.

Ben Bartlett presented the Golden Spike Award to Joe Norris and a NMRA Volunteer Award to Jim Fuqua. John presented Bill Siebert with an award for introducing the t-trak concept to area cub scouts.

John spoke of his recent trip to Denver and extolled the Caboose Hobbies store as worth a visit from any model railroader who visits Denver. John proposed a road trip to the transportation center in Spencer for some time in May. Members should communicate their interest in this trip to John.

Fred reported on health issues regarding some club members and friends of the club.

Following the business session, Mike Nicoletti provided a detailed description of how model railroaders can use current technology to automate the operation of their DCC layout. Mike’s focus was on the use of decoders and BM1, BM2, and MP3 modules sold by Lenz, a German company. It is possible to automate control of such functions as rate of braking, point of stopping, switching turnouts to safely protect routes, and keeping trains from entering occupied blocks. Mike very generously provided extensive notes in printed form, complete with many diagrams for connecting modules; if you missed the meeting, you might ask a member who attended to loan you his printed notes.