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Meeting Timetable

The "Semaphore"

The "Waybill"

Model Contest Photos

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High Wheeler 2012 Train Show

NS&W Modular Group

Clinic Notes

National NMRA Conventions

Model Contest Rules

Company Video Library

Maps

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About the Fox Valley Division

Board of Directors

Executive Handbook

National Model Railroad Association

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~~~ Company News & Activities ~~~

Special FVD Excursion Sunday September 2
Join the division on an excursion to the 56th annual Hesston Steam & power Show in Hesston Indiana. See the Timetable below for more details.

~~~

The FVD membership elects Jeff Jarr as the incoming Superintendent and re-elects Leif Hansen as Chief Clerk at its annual business meeting. Congratulations Jeff and Leif. Jeff takes the throttle effective May 1st 2012. Many thanks to Walter Radtke, for his leadership and contributions as Division Superintendent.

Jeff Jarr

Jeff Jarr, Superintendent

Leif Hansen

Leif Hansen, Chief Clerk

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See photos of the Midwest Region Spring Convention contest models on the Midwest Region Web Site

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See Jeff Jarr's clinic on the GOLDEN SPIKE APPLICATION

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Check out the latest on-line issue of the Semaphore in its new format with more pages and also in color.

~~~

Check out the new North Shore & Western Modular Group web page! Click to follow the link.

~~~

FVD 2010 Membership Survey Results

Click on the link above to view a PDF files copy
of the survey and its results.

Thanks to all who participated!

~~~

Bring a Friend

Bring a friend to a meet and your friend will have a chance to win a free 6 month Rail Pass membership. One free Rail Pass membership will be offered to a randomly chosen non-member guest at future regular membership meets. This drive will run until further notice.

~~~

The FVD supports youth activities and the division will reimburse members for the limited donation of materials and tools to teach the art and craft of model railroading to young modelers. Recently, the Board of Directors enacted a new Youth Fund Reimbursement Policy. Please click here to read the full policy before initiating a program requiring financial assistance.

~~~

Did you know that both the Fox Valley Division and the Midwest Region have budgeted funds for "Make & Take" model building programs?? If you know of, or are involved with, an organized group of children in the age range of about 7 through 16, who are located in McHenry, Cook, Lake, and or Kane counties in northeastern Illinois give this activity consideration.  We'll send some experienced modelers, as well as tools and a carton of easy-to-build kits to your meeting. The program takes about an hour or so of hands-on creative activity. We'll provide a short introduction to model trains and then take your group through the steps of making their own model train cars to take home. The division donates the cars, a short piece of display track and brings tools to make the event a success. We have found that children thoroughly enjoy this easy introduction to model railroading. "Where can I get more track?" is the most frequently asked question. We can support one or two of these programs a year depending on the group size. Contact us if you are interested.

~~~ Meeting & Activity Timetable ~~~
Regular meetings are held from 1:30 PM thru 4:30 PM, at the Gary Morava Recreation Center, 110 W. Camp McDonald Road, Prospect Heights, IL 60070. All activities and dates are subject to change, so please check meeting listings regularly for any change in activity, location or time. Click here to display a map to the Gary Morava Recreation Center. Unless otherwise noted, meetings are free and guests are always welcome.

May 20, 2012
This is the final meet for the 2011-2012 modeling year. Paul Gehrett will join us to speak on weathering, picking up where Alan Houtz left off in September. He will show us demos using chalks and other mediums that were not covered by Alan. Contest: Best of the Best of the 2011-2012 season 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners. Contest awards and refreshments.

September 2, 2012 - Special Event!
The Fox Valley Division is sponsoring a bus trip excursion to the 56th annual
Hesston Steam & power Show in Hesston Indiana on Sunday, September 2nd, 2012.

Travel in a deluxe motor coach to Hesston to see:

  • Steam train rides on 3 railroads
  • an operating 1929 Shay logging locomotive
  • steam tractor demonstrations
  • an operating steam powered saw mill and crane
  • an operating steam powered generating plant
  • County Fair style Food Stands
  • A Labor Day Flea market and much more...

The coach will leave from the Regency Square Shopping Center at Euclid and Quentin Roads at 7:30 AM. There will be a second pickup at the northwest corner of the Old Orchard Shopping center at Lavergne Avenue and Old Orchard Drive, by the Regal Cinema at 8:00 AM. The Division will pay for admittance to the park plus a 4-ride ticket. The bus will depart for home at 3:30 after a full day of fun. This event is open to all Fox Valley Division members plus up to 3 guests per member.

The event is open to the first 52 people to sign-up on a first come, first served basis. Contact David Leider, sooauthor@netzero.net or 847-253-7484 to reserve your spot on the bus. A standby list will be kept in case there is a last minute cancellation.

September 23, 2012
This is the first meet of the 2012-2013 modeling season. Clinic TBA. Contest: Local work train; locomotive, 4 car maximum and caboose. Contest awards and refreshments.

October 21, 2012
Clinic TBA. Contest: Covered or closed load - maximum 3 cars of same type. Contest awards and refreshments.

November 18, 2012
Clinic TBA. Contest: Large structure - 5,000 sq. ft or more. Contest awards and refreshments.

December 16, 2012 - Note a 1:00 PM start time!
Clinic TBA. Contest: Open Load - maximum 3 cars of same type. . Contest awards, lunch and refreshments.

January 20, 2013
Clinic TBA. Contest: Your Favorite Train Picture. Contest awards and refreshments.

February 17, 2013
Clinic TBA. Contest: Single Open load; 2 or 3 cars required to transport. Contest awards and refreshments.

March 9 & 10, 2013 - High Wheeler Train Show
There is no regular division meet activities this month.

April 21, 2013 - Note this is a 1:00 PM Start
This is our annual business meeting including the election of Assistant Superintendent and Treasurer Officers. Clinic TBA. Contest: Open heavy load on a depressed car. Contest awards and refreshments.

May 19, 2013
This is the final meet for the 2012-2013 modeling year. Clinic TBA. Contest: Let your creative juices start flowing with a Whimsical or humorous open load on your favorite rail transport. Contest awards and refreshments.

April 2012 Model Contest Winners

Category: Vehicles

Thanks to all participants.
We had 7 great contest entries.
Everybody is a winner!!

Click on a photo for a larger picture or

Click here to see all the entries

1st Place

1st Place

Jim Allen's

O scale Old Stuff

 

2nd Place

2nd Place

Mike Hirvela's

HO Scale Maintenance Truck

3rd Place

3rd Place

Frank Cole's

HO Scale

Jordan Car

Click on a photo for a large picture

Click here to see all the entries

Photos courtesy of Jim Osborn

Have train or layout photos you would like to share? Send them to FVDwebsite@comcast.net

Train Photos from the FVD Membership

Click on a photo to see more in the series

Festival of Trains FVD members Bill Boyd & Art Jones Hosted "The Festival of Passenger Trains" on February 6th, 2011 on Art's Connellsville Division of the B & O RR. 11 engineer/owners honored 13 great passenger trains. Thanks to Bill and Art for organizing the event. Photos courtesy of Jim Osborn.
Missing the snow?
Check out these beautiful  East Broad Top RR winter  train photos courtesy of David Crement.
Walter Radtke hosted a railroad open house in August. Click here to see a few pictures of his garden railroad if you missed the event.
Click on the photograph to the left to get a tour of David Crement's On3 recreation of the East Broad Top Railroad. David's On3 pike is featured in the December 2008 issue of the Semaphore.
Potato Warehouse David Leider's "Waupaca 1947" layout is featured in the October Semaphore's  "Track Treks" series. Click on the picture for an tour of David's pike filled with highly detailed structures.
The May issue of the Semaphore will feature another "Track Treks" local area layout tour. Click the thumbnail for an advanced picture tour of Don Cook's scenic Great Northern, Cascade Division pike.
Tom Schweiss' Milwaukee Road - Superior Division Follow the thumbnail link to see several pictures of Tom Schweiss' Milwaukee Road -- Superior Division Layout. Learn details about Tom's pike in this month's Semaphore.
Harry Schildkraut's NY, O&W Click on this photo of Liberty, NY to visit a few scenes of Harry Schildkraut's NY, O&W model railroad. Photos courtesy of Jim Osborn.
Caernafon RR The Caernafon, Wales, UK narrow gauge railroad. Courtesy of Kurt Youngmann.
Porthmadog RR The Porthmadog, Wales, UK narrow gauge railroad. Courtesy of Kurt Youngmann.
Snowdon RR The Snowdon, Wales, UK narrow gauge cog railroad. Courtesy of Kurt Youngmann.
Slate mine RR A Welsh narrow gauge railroad serving a slate mine. Courtesy of Kurt Youngmann.
FVD Logo Have train or layout photos you would like to share? Send them to FVDwebsite@comcast.net

 

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Copyright (c) 1986-2010 Fox Valley Division, Midwest Region, NMRA.
All Rights Reserved. For information contact:
The Fox Valley Division Superintendent
P.O. Box 1535
Arlington Heights, IL 60005-1535
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