Gerry Leone, NMRA Communications Director

News from the Winter NMRA Board of Directors meeting last week

  • Tom Draper, manager of the National Train Show, reported that the number of booth sales for the show at Grand Rails 2012 is at the same relative level now as last year’s Sacramento show.
  • After a short search by the NMRA Canada Nominating Committee when Don Hillman stepped down for health reasons, Clark Kooning volunteered for NMRA Canada Director. We wish Don all the best and thank Clark for his willingness to serve at the last minute.
  • Financially, the NMRA ended 2011 in very good standing and is currently rebuilding some of its funds from which it had borrowed in the past. In addition there is currently enough money in the budget to hire an IT professional to repair, maintain, and update the NMRA website.
  • The NMRA has announced an agreement of cooperation between itself and the Hasea.com Model Railroad Association of China, a community of over 100,000 railfans and model railroaders. The HRMA, a relatively young organization, is interested in learning how the NMRA is organized and will promote NMRA standards in China. Members of both organizations will be able to enjoy the many benefits of each. A press release and story will appear shortly in NMRA Magazine.
  • The Board is in the initial stages of studying electronic balloting as a way of saving on postage and encouraging member participation.

More Board meeting news next month!

In other news, the Grand Rails 2012 website at www.gr2012.org has some new features:

  • A page for the Layout Design Special Interest Group
  • The Operations Special Interest Group Sign-up sheet
  • PDF copies of all of the traditional Registration forms
  • A complete list of all of the extra fare events and tours
  • A schedule of days and times for most scheduled events
  • More Sidetracks events for the non-rails
  • The Silent Auction schedule
  • The contest room schedule

Interested in the Achievement Program? I was interviewed on The Model Railway Show about it. Trevor Marshall talked to me about the hurdles and joys of my path to MMR. Episode 32 is available for listening or downloading now at www.themodelrailwayshow.com or through iTunes. After March 1, it is available via the Model Railway Show’s online archive.