Past Events – 2024

Chatham Nov 2, 2024. There was 21 attending including 2 non members in attendance…one appears to wishing to join. There was 22 for lunch as ex member  and webmaster Steve Wright was looking after the hall for us. So a very good attendance. The hall cost us $50 which is good price. There would have been a bit of an extra cost for the donuts and what Pat brought. My stuff was no cost to the WOD. Everything went smooth with three tables of models on display, two members spoke about their models and four layouts to visit. We had about a half dozen door prizes and Nick from ITLA brought out house hand outs for us. George Dutka

Jan 5 2024 Online Clinic:  Solving Track Planning Issues and Problems

Seventeen NFR members (out of 19 pre-registrations) attended the WOD’s January 5 two-part online clinic “Solving Track Planning Issues and Problems”.  Members attended from the ID, SLD, WNY and WOD divisions.

Paul Hurly discussed how he handled six planning issues on his double-deck HO layout: 1) Fitting Mainline curve radii in an 8’ wide room with the desire for large classification yards and customer sidings; 2) Installing a doorway that conserved space; 3) Bridging an Upper Deck wall gap of 7 ½ feet; 4) Overcoming a reach of five feet at Stelco for Operations; 5) Adding two staging yards to improve continuous operations; and 6) Dealing with multiple compass orientations.

Pat Rivard showed how he managed to fit three separate scenes from the BC Rocky Mountains for his O scale layout into a 22 x 14-foot room.  These scenes are: Valley City; a service peninsula; and a broad sweep over trestles in a mountain valley that loops at a lumber mill complex. 

Pat discussed and demonstrated the importance of planning and dissecting a track plan thoroughly over time before cutting and gluing that first piece of benchwork.

New and Proven Approaches  to Model Railroading – Feb 10
 
Eleven NFR members from other divisions joined with eight WOD members for this three-part online clinic.  Switching from the planned in-person session to online allowed the WOD Board to continue with the planned program by opening participation to members from other NFR divisions.
 
MMR® Ron Tuff kicked off the clinic with a presentation on how “Researching and Finishing 3D Brick Houses” was done for the HOMES Club Cumberland St. scene.  Ron provided a host of techniques and methods which would be beneficial on a wide range of structure projects, in addition to 3D structure modelling.
 
Ken Hutnik provided an imaginative and inspiring “Introduction to Micro Model Railways” presentation.  We learned micro layouts are popular in Europe, Japan and Asia where space is at a premium.  We saw ample examples of how ‘micro’ means endless possibilities for creativity and innovation in a space of 4 square feet or less.  
 
The morning ended with Ron Tuff using his years of experience working at Stelco.  This time at Stelco included when he was the yardmaster for the Hilton Works in-plant railroad.  He drew on this experience to show everyone how to model realistic steel loads.  Ron covered industry standards for dunnage, arranging and strapping loads, and paints and accessories for finishing plastic to look like steel. 
 
 
Some of the tools used by Ron Tuff to prepare the 3D printed house pieces before gluing.
The finished Cumberland St. brownstone produced by Yelton Models of Hamilton
Ken Hutnik shared this example of a micro model diorama he created.
Ken’s Lone Star Pine micro was designed so all the pieces fit inside a empty coffee can.
Some of the attendees at a WOD online clinic. NMRA members from four NFR divisions attended.
Ron Tuff provided prototype and model examples of steel loads, and guidelines for their construction, painting, and loading on flat cars and in gondolas.

WOD Waterloo Central RR Excursion and AGM – May 11 2024

Eleven members of the WOD enjoyed an afternoon excursion train ride, tour of the WCR’s shop facilities, discussed the organization’s business structure and plans and conducted the 2023 AGM. The new Executive, approved at the meeting, is listed below.

  • Superintendent              –       Wayne Wessner
    • Assistant Superintendent   –       Pat Rivard
    • Treasurer           –       John Wagner
    • Secretary/Clerk  –        Ken Hutnik
    • Registrar                        –        Murray Symington
    • Ex Superintendent         –        Paul Hurly
Members wait to board the train at the St. Jacobs Farmers Market station
Boarding the RDC car which served as the first-class coach on this run
The members gathered in front of the caboose converted by the WCR into a meeting space
Left to right, Mike Walker and Gary Shurgold received recognition for the long service on the WOD Board. Gary was also recognized by Paul Hurly (right) for facilitating the online skills clinic “Scratch Building a Machine Shop”.

St. Thomas Model Railroad Train Show 

This was the first time in more than a decade that a train show was held in St Thomas. The site used was the Elgon County Railway Museum. The WOD attended and received our usual constant stream of interested inquiries at Craftsman’s Corner.

WOD Registrar, Murray Symington, answers questions from one of the many people who visited the booth.
George Dutka, Mike Walker and Paul Hurly demonstrated and displayed a wide range of structure and rolling stock modelling to enthusiastic show visitors.