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Regular meetings are held from 1:30 PM until 4:30 PM, at the Gary Morava Recreation Center, 110 W. Camp McDonald Road, Prospect Heights, IL 60070 and via the Zoom Video Conference application. 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. Click on a meeting date below for additional details of that event.
All activities and dates are subject to change, so please check meeting listings regularly for any change in activity, or time. Meetings are free and guests are always welcome. Non-member guests should contact the webmaster for meeting logon information. Click on a meeting date below for additional details of that event. Please download the first two reference PDFs in advance of the Zoom meeting:
• FVD Zoom Meeting Procedures to understand our virtual meeting process.
• FVD Zoom Meeting Quick guide for quick assistance with the Zoom screen and other FAQs.
If you need additional help, click on: Zoom Help Topics for general application assistance.
Note: Zoom now requires that its applications have the latest updates installed before it will connect you to a meeting. Just open the application and it will automatically update itself or open the app and click on the small account icon in the upper right corner. Scroll down the menu and click on "Check for Updates". This takes a few minutes so please do not wait until the last minutes to open the app.
Regular division members on our email list will receive video conference login credentials via our meeting notices emailed to you about ONE WEEK PRIOR to the meet. If you are not a FVD member and/or not on our email list, and would like to attend as a guest, please contact the FVD webmaster for details on how to participate.
Photographs of contest entries will be displayed on the CONTEST WEBPAGE as they are received. Please upload your photos of your entry using the NO LATER THAN Noon on the Friday before the meet. Please include, your name, category, entry title and scale. You may send up to 3 photos of each entry - but only one entry per member per monthly category. Photos will display the best if they are 1200 pixels wide at 72 px/inch minimum but any size will work.
Contest voting will be via on-line ballot available either here, on the contest photo web-page or the Zoom meeting notice. The voting window opens 2 days before the meet and closes at NOON the day of the meet.
Click here to VOTE
Clinic Presentation: Dining on the Rails by Marita Richards
A brief history of railroad dining cars will be presented. In addition dining car service instructions which included detailed table set ups in the diner, the use of tableware, the variety of tenures, the life of the dining crews and more will be explained. Dining in the rails was an “experience like no other."
Contest: One Passenger Car
To enter the contest, please follow the instructions above this notice.
Show and Tell: Display any category or train related item
Clinic Presentation: Tips and Hacks by Jerry Kruger
Jerry will cover numerous ideas of using commonly available tools and supplies in novel and unexpected ways to help build and maintain your model railroad. You will want to try at least one of these and put it on your “to do” list, guaranteed.
Contest: Gondola with a load - Up to 5 entries per person. This month's contest is for in person meeting attendees only - no photograph voting.
Show and Tell: Display any category or train related item
Clinic Presentation: Grain and Railroads by Mark Vaughan
Contest: One entry of Over, Under, Around, or Through
To enter the contest, please follow the instructions above this notice.
Show and Tell: Display any category or train related item
Clinic Presentation: 2 Proto Steam Engine Overhauls by Chuck Rita
Contest: 1 Steam Locomotive
To enter the contest, please follow the instructions above this notice.
Show and Tell: Display any category or train related item
Clinic Presentation: Simple NCE Turnout Control by Mike Wood
The first part of my presentation will focus on the use of the NCE Switch_IT-2 and I will lead into the Switch_IT-8. When I spoke with several members quite a while ago, they expressed interest but most felt that "programming" and "macros" were intimidating. My intent is to show the simplicity of the Switch-IT 2 and that no knowledge of how code, programming or macros is needed, just a few entries on your NCE cab to set things up.
The second part of the presentation I will lead into the Switch_IT-8. I will expand on the similarity of the Switch_IT-8 versus the Switch_IT-2. I will introduce the additional capabilities the listener can take advantage of with two basic examples:
Example 1) is for those who have existing turnouts wired up for push button operation and want to add the Switch_IT-8 into the mix.
Example 2) introduce the concept of Macros to allow control of multiple turnouts simultaneously. I believe I have a way to present this material in a way that will be easy to remember.
Click Here to get a copy of Mike's presentation notes.
Contest: 1 Diesel Locomotive
To enter the contest, please follow the instructions above this notice.
Show and Tell: Display any category or train related item
Clinic Presentation: Interchanges by Scott Payne
Scott will discus the use of interchanges by the prototypes and then why and how we should incorporate them on our layouts.
Contest: 1 Illuminated structure
To enter the contest, please follow the instructions above this notice.
Show and Tell: Display any category or train related item
Clinic Presentation: Rerail: Two Prototype Steam Engine Overhauls by Chuck Rita
(Hopefully we will get this presentation right this time!)
Contest: 1 Refrigerated billboard car
To enter the contest, please follow the instructions above this notice.
We will also host the FVD Rail Yard Sale.
Members may bring Modeling Items to Sell.
10% of the proceeds go to supporting the FVD.
Mark your items with a price and your name
We'll take care of the rest.
Show and Tell: Display any category or train related item
Clinic Presentation: Weathering with PanPastels® by John Drozdak
Contest: 1 freight car with an Open load
To enter the contest, please follow the instructions above this notice.
Show and Tell: Display any category or train related item
Clinic Presentation: History of Cardboard Structures by Dave Lull
Contest: 1 Sturcture
To enter the contest, please follow the instructions above this notice.
Show and Tell: Display any category or train related item