Cowcatcher Division

Please remember that this Saturday, August 16th, is the next meeting of the Cowcatcher Division. The meeting will be held at 10AM in room #1 at the Lockheed Martin Recreations Association administration building at 3400 Bryant-Irvin Rd., Ft. Worth, TX 76109.

This time we are going to have a presentation on Jack Kibee’s outstanding layout by Frank Treadaway and Tom Stamey. Jack won’t be able to make the meeting, but has invited the group over to tour the layout and ask questions after the meeting Saturday.

We’ll also get an update on the 2009 convention progress and have a short business meeting.

As always, please feel free to bring any models or photos of your layout progress and other items for show and tell.

Hope to see you all next Saturday.

Bring a friend,

Chris

I have uploaded an updated copy of my RailOp clinic titled “Beginning RailOp” and it is available here in as a Microsoft Word document.

Please feel free to use all or part of this document in your own clinic as I have licensed it under the Creative Commons Attribution license. The only thing I ask is that you mention my name as a contributor. Also, if you make any additions, please send me a copy for my own future use, and I will attribute your contribution in turn.

What is not obvious from the handout is that when I give the clinic, the only thing I display with the projector is the actual RailOp program running with data from an example layout based on Allen McClelland’s plan in the 1996 Model Railroad Planning magazine titled “The Virginian & Ohio’s Muddlety Creek branch.”

I chose this track plan because it is what I consider to be a typical small to medium sized bedroom track plan within the realm of possibility of almost any Model Railroader. The plan has several things necessary for a good operating railroad: staging and classification yards, several industries and an branch line.

I received news from Jerry Hoverson about the next 2009 Convention planing meeting is this Saturday, May 10th at the Hobby Town USA on Walnut Hill Lane and US-75 in Dallas. The meeting will start at 10:30AM. There will be refreshments and Jerry promises a mystery guest and a couple surprises.

The meeting will be to get committee updates, and most importantly, work on the Houston presentation.

Please consider coming and joining the group. While most of the committee chairs have been filled, there are plenty of jobs to fill and many of the committees need help.

With the combined efforts of both divisions, the 2009 LSR convention can be the best yet.

Thanks,

Chris

The next Division 1 quarterly meeting will be Saturday May. 17th 2008 at 10AM.

I am preparing a clinic for the Houston convention on beginning operations with RailOp and will present the clinic at the meeting. Also, I have a brand new Joe Fugate DVD on scenery that I will bring to fill out the morning. This is the next in the series of DVDs that we watched last year.

I hope you have all made plans to attend the 2008 LSR convention in Houston. Some of the finest layouts in the region are in Houston, and this year’s convention will surely be a hit. If you are interested in saving some gas money and carpooling to Houston, let me know. Also, my wife won’t be going, and I am looking someone to split a room with.

We are still looking for a young person to nominate for the youth scholarship.If you have a child or grandchild with a love for trains or you are in a club with a young person, please email me their name, and we will make sure they are nominated for a free youth membership to the NMRA.

Also, if you have anything you would like to bring for show and tell, please do so.

We will meet as always at the LMRA administration building - 3400 Bryant-Irvin Rd., Ft. Worth, TX 76109.

See you on the 19th,

Chris

From Jerry Hoverson:

Just a reminder of the 2009 Convention Committee meeting at my house 10:30 to 12:00 on Saturday, March 1st.

Plan to discuss the following:

• Convention Theme/Slogan
• Guest Speaker
• Tarantula Ride
• Local layout to honor
• Non-Rail activities
• Prototype tours
• Special contest theme
• Budget items

I know there are a couple of you with conflicts and will be unable to attend but we’ll proceed anyway, after all June is just around the corner and we have to present this at the Houston Banquet.

Contact Info:

1900 Spring Blossom Ct.

McKinney, Tx, 75070

972-540-5315

Please let me know if you are planning on staying for the operating session after the meeting, I typically operate with a crew of 6 to 7.

See you Saturday,

Jerry

The next Division 1 quarterly meeting will be Saturday Feb. 16th 2007 at 10AM. This time, we’ll have a show and tell, so please bring some photos, slides or models to share with the group. I have another one Joe Fugate’s DVDs to share with the group.

We’ll also get a status update for the 2009 convention. There are several committee chairs still open, so start thinking about how you would like to help out.

We will meet as always at the LMRA administration building - 3400 Bryant-Irvin Rd., Ft. Worth, TX 76109.

See you on the 16th,

Chris

I received a note from Jerry Hoverson, please attend if you are interested in volunteering for the 2009 Convention:

Hi gang,

I’ve got the meeting room at the Sheridan reserved for 2pm on Saturday the 15th of December.  We’ll have a quick tour of the hotel facilities and get the ball rolling on the 2009 Convention.

I set the time at 2pm so that those in Division 3 can go to the division meeting in the morning if they desire and still make the meeting.

For those that don’t know the Sheridan Grande DFW is our hotel and is located at the north end of  the airport on Hwy 114, diagonally accross the street from the Hyatt where the 50th convention was held (hotel was the Harvey back then).

If anyone has the email address for Steel Craver please forward this to him and pass his address back to me.  I also realize that there are a couple of you that don’t live in the metroplex area and therefor won’t make the meeting but I’ll correspond with you individually later.

Thanks again for your help, this wouldn’t be possible with out you.

Hi gang,

The next Division 1 quarterly meeting will be Saturday Nov. 17th 2007 at 10AM. This quarter, we are going to have a field trip to outstanding members O scale layouts. Mike Ross and Mike Walters have been kind enough to open their homes to the group.

We will meet as always at the LMRA administration building - 3400 Bryant-Irvin Rd., Ft. Worth, TX 76109. We will then split into two groups and half will caravan over to Mike Ross’ while the other group heads to Mike Walter’s.

Be sure to also check out our new web site www.cowcatcherdivision.com for the latest news and links. My goal is to use the new web site to manage these announcement emails.

See you on the 17th,

Chris

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