![[ABEL logo]](./images/ABELLOGO.GIF) |
AMHERST BELT LINES |
![[ARS logo]](./images/ARSLOGO.GIF) |
HO Modular Railroad |
Copyright © 2003, Amherst Railway Society
|
Sudro Brown BrownSudro@cs.com |
Clark Huber chuber@charter.net |
Alan Rice abel.planning@comcast.net |
Since the NASCAR® season has started down the home stretch, it must mean it’s time to load up some modules and head off to a few train shows. Although it was wet for most of the summer, we hope you were able to make the best of it and spend some quality time doing what ever you enjoy during the “off” season, and of course, some rail fanning. Things have been so busy for us this summer that we are now a bit late with this edition of the Modular Mumblings. Of course, the fact that the show season is starting a month early (and snuck up on us) doesn't help…
Starting Grid
We have a very full season this year with SIX shows! Here's how our 2003-2004 show season is shaping up so far:
| Sixteenth Annual Pepperell Siding Model Railroad Club Show, Hollis, NH | September 21, 2003 |
| Great American Train Show (GATS), West Springfield, MA October 11 & | 12, 2003 |
| Twenty-First Annual Bedford Boomer's Model Railroad Exhibition, Bedford, NH | November 9, 2003 |
| Amherst Railway Society's 2004 Big Railroad Hobby Show, West Springfield, MA | February 7 & 8, 2004 |
| Worcester Model Railroader's Show, Auburn, MA | February 29, 2004 |
| NMRA Little Rhody Division Show, West Warwick, RI | Mid-March 2004 |
Yes, you read the date right, SEPTEMBER 21! In an effort to avoid competition with other shows, while at the same time having to find more reliable (and better) facilities, the Pepperell Siding Model Railroad Club has moved their show from Townsend, Massachusetts in mid October, to Hollis, New Hampshire in late September. The Hollis Brookline High School in Hollis, New Hampshire is on Route 122 and apparently very easy to find.
Setup will begin on Saturday, September 20, at 9:00AM and continue until about 3:00PM. The show hours on Sunday are from 10:00AM to 3:00PM. As always, we are looking for help setting up/breaking down, and train operators for show hours, so please let one of the coordinators know if you plan to attend. Otherwise, take a nice drive to New Hampshire and stop in and see us!
We have finally been confirmed as a participant in the GATS show in West Springfield on October 11 and 12. We have been allocated a layout area of 24'x44' (including any barricades) and will be using this show as an opportunity to advertise, heavily, for our own show in February. There is still plenty of room in the layout for additional modules, so if you would like to have your modules included in the layout, please let Alan know right away.
More details are expected very soon from the show organizers regarding setup (possibly Saturday morning only!) and operation at the show, and we will forward them as they become available. Even if you weren’t bringing a module we would love to have you participate and run trains, or help setup/breakdown. The show is open from 11:00AM to 5:00PM, both days.
The Bedford Boomer's "display only" Model Railroad Exhibition is an excellent event, to say the least. This will be their twenty-first year, and it just keeps getting better. If you would like to have your modules in the layout this year, or would like to help out at the show, please contact Alan by September 28. It is important to let Alan know of your participation, regardless of whether you bring a module or not, as the Boomer's require all participants to have name tags which they provide. We must submit a list to the Boomer's as soon as is practical to get these name badges printed.
The show will be held at the McKelvie Middle School in Bedford, New Hampshire with setup beginning on Friday evening at about 6:00PM. Setup continues on Saturday and the Boomer's usually offer a variety of clinics in the afternoon. In recent years, after a group dinner, we have had made a trip to a local home layout for an operating session on Saturday evening, but arrangements have not yet been confirmed for this year. Finally, the show opens to the public on Sunday from 10:00am to 4:00pm. I can’t think of an address that this newsletter gets mailed to from which it would not be worth the trip to Bedford for this show
That is all for this edition of the Modular Mumblings. May the wind blow your leaves into you neighbor’s yard…
Modular Railroading is FUN!
Sudro, Clark and Alan
Amherst Railway Society, Inc.
Amherst Belt Lines home Page
Modular Mumblings Index
If you have questions or comments, please email the Webmaster.