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$3 THE HotBox THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE NORTH CENTRAL REGION, NATIONAL MODEL RAILROAD ASSOCIATION VOL. 54, NO. 1 SPRING 2013 RAILFANNING Ken Chick’s N scale Danforth, Hadley and Northern Railroad A LOOK BACK AT THE Detroit &Toledo Shore Line GETTING READY FOR MODEL CONTESTS NCR - NORTH CENTRAL CROSSING CONV INFO! PLUS- RR History, Timetable, NMRA-NCR-Division News & more! HotBox Editorial Barry Hensel, Editor Brrrr… winter HAS hit! Since our last issue, we’ve been in the deep The HotBox freeze for a bit, plus we have had snow! While not a blizzard, we’ve had SPRING, 2013 some decent amounts and had to shovel a bit. Well, it is Michigan (for Vol. 54, No. 1 most of us anyway). Of course, this is not a bad thing, as winter IS our EDITOR main hobby time. We’re indoors and what better activity than model Barry Hensel railroading to keep us busy. And here’s a tip to help you keep busy at 43642 Lotus Dr model railroading – make a list!! I recently walked all around my layout, Canton, MI 48188 looking at everything and wrote down things that needed to be done. 734-397-5182 [email protected] These ranged from maintenance items to finishing detailing to basic scenery. If you want it done, write it down! I ended up with a near full Editorial Advisers sheet of “things to do”. Some were also longer term projects or wishes, Jack Watson Dave McMullian but that’s OK. At least I addressed the “want” of what I was wanting for Tim Fisher my layout. Have I made any progress on my list? Just a little (had to do Proof Readers this issue and my car club show planning is in full swing lately) but I have Marge Hensel John Beres that list to always refer to and as I cross off done projects, I can see the Marty LaForte progress on my layout! And that, is what it is all about, progress on our layouts and having fun with model railroading! The HotBox is published quarterly by the North Central Region of the National Well, time to do some model railroading… Model Railroad Association. Publication Thanks for reading… Barry dates are- SPRING, March 1 AUTUMN, June 1 FALL, Sept 1 WINTER, Dec 1 MODEL RAILROADING The HotBox is available online at- IS FUN! www.ncr-nmra.org All material, articles and advertising must be submitted to the Editor. All material should be electronic, preferably MicroSoft PROGRAM NOTICE Word or Powerpoint. Pictures should be in Jpeg format and color. Material can be We were to bring you one more installment of emailed or sent via US Mail on cd-rom. Mark Cowles “Static Action” in this issue. However, with some up-coming Materials will not be returned, unless event ads and some articles we received, I’m making one of those return postage and envelope are “editorial decisions” and we’ll call Mark’s series of articles, complete. included. Material submission deadline is FIVE weeks before publication date. Actually, we simply ran out of pages! Thanks Mark for a great series of Business ads- articles and modeling tips! 1/2 page $20 per issue or $65 per year full page $30 per issue or $100 per year business card $10 per issue or $35 per HOTBOX CORRECTIONS NCR "OOPS"…. year -or- free business card for exchange of websites and/or sales of HotBox Always striving to be correct is something we will do with the HotBox. Pike ads- $15 small, $30 double and $60 quad for a 3 year period! But, we are human and mistakes can/will happen. Please forgive us, NCR Division Event ads- FREE these are NOT intentional! Corrections for the September 2012 edition To pay for any ad space... send your of the HotBox are- a few spelling errors here and there and few grammar payment to the Editor. All checks/money issues. Hope you didn’t notice. orders need to be made out to "The North Central Region, NMRA" FRONT COVER PICTURES- NC Crossing 2013 logo; Ken Chick’s N Send address corrections to the scale DH&N At the west end of Broadview a double headed thru freight Registrar- David Simmons struggles upgrade on its way to the coast as is crosses the Yellowstone; D&TSL locos in Port Huron 1973; boxcar from the Lansing convention 734-662-9807 contest room. [email protected] Feel free to contact the Editor via email, REAR COVER PICTURES- 2013 NCR convention logo- North Central with any comments, questions or corrections. Crossing; special article up-coming; Reading Lines – Central Division 2 the HotBox SPRING 2013 NCR - NORTH CENTRAL REGION BOARD MEMBERS & DIVISION LEADERS President Resident Agent Dave McMullian 419-878-4888 Uwe Thormaehlen 586-949-1878 [email protected] [email protected] Division Three Chuck White 260-760-1666 Vice-President NMRA Vice-President [email protected] Scott Kremer 734-420-2314 Dave Thornton 248-879-6806 [email protected] [email protected] Division Four Mark Baldwin 616-363-1695 Secretary NMRA Central Director [email protected] Marty LaForte 734-459-5173 Peter Magoun MMR [email protected] 231-941-1669 Division Five [email protected] John Hartmann 517-290-8948 Treasurer [email protected] Larry Wolohon, MMR Model Contests 734-454-4816 Joel Goldberg, MMR Division Six [email protected] 248-514-3207 Howard Andrews 734-728-4697 [email protected] [email protected] Registrar David Simmons 734-662-9807 Photo Contests Division Eight [email protected] Howard Andrews 734-728-4697 John Jackson 248-642-4825 [email protected] [email protected] Directors Glenn Joppich 734-464-6004 Achievement Program Division Ten [email protected] Larry Wolohon, MMR Don Westcott 810-513-5787 [email protected] [email protected] Skip Luyk 616-363-3453 Dr. Jan Gromada D.O. [email protected] Division One 810-688-4986 Fred E Lux 419-350-9197 [email protected] Jack Watson 586-598-7407 [email protected] [email protected] RAILROADING "WHAT THE ???" NCR HUMOR Just a guess, but thinking that there is one less CSX painting employee….. No, this is not unlevel or a derailment. Yes, the right of way needs some work. A Maumee & Western Railway westbound, stopped briefly to make certain they do not have any cars on the ground. Luckily it was a "false alarm". The train was amazingly able to continue west to the yard and CSX interchange at Defiance, Ohio. The railroad is a former Wabash line from Toledo, Ohio to Woodburn, Indiana. Rail pictures.net - J. E. Landrum SPRING 2013 the HotBox 3 PRESIDENTS OBSERVATION by Dave McMullian In the last issue of the Hotbox, I shared some Another point that Charlie thoughts about increasing membership and made really got me participation in the NMRA, with particular emphasis thinking too. When we on the vital role each of you plays in the process. talk about what NMRA THE DAVE When I received my February copy of Scale Rails, I membership has to offer, McMULLIAN was particularly interested in the President’s Car we tend to think in terms column written by NMRA prez Charlie Getz. Charlie of “stuff” we get, the shared some personal insights and fresh thoughts perks, the benefits. And on increasing membership. I could really relate to value is an important the way Charlie reminisced about how so many of consideration. But us have gotten into model railroading as kids and Charlie challenges us to look at membership in how different things are now, in terms of what kids another light: the NMRA is entirely dedicated to like to do and how they spend their time. He improving the hobby. Its mission, its purpose, its suggested that maybe we were so focused on activities all converge on that objective. You and I figuring out how to attract the younger generation are beneficiaries of that overarching effort in ways that we overlook another vital demographic: the that can’t be stuffed into a new member’s packet. soon to be or recently retired folks. I admit that I As a not-for-profit corporation, NMRA serves a haven’t given that much thought. I’ve been fixated larger ongoing purpose and we need to appreciate on the image of falling in love with trains as a boy that bigger picture. Each of us supports numerous and becoming a modeler for life because that’s how non-profit organizations without receiving a single I did it and so did most of my buddies. But now that tangible benefit in return, but we do so, and should I think about it, I have lots of friends who admire continue to do so because their cause is worthy and are interested in what I’m doing, and who are and their efforts make a difference. When we step at a place in life where they have some time and back and consider how many ways NMRA makes discretionary income. How come I don’t invite them the hobby better at so many levels, we can view to a division meeting or friend’s layout or train our dues as a worthwhile contribution and the show? Or give them some of my recent tangible benefits we get in return as icing on the magazines? I dunno. Guilty as charged. I need to cake. Chances are, if you are reading this, I am make a serious paradigm shift in my thinking, or preaching to the choir, because you are already a more specifically how I define a “prospect”. How member and you know what our organization does.
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