SNIPINGS by Jim Foster, King Snipe

 In our last issue, I mentioned the topic of “Outreach.”  You may recall that I suggested publicizing a Mini-Bunch meet by contacting the “national magazines,” and you may have wondered why I listed those that I did and not others, such as M2FQ and LIGHT IRON DIGEST, or the SN3 MODELER, or similar publications.  These magazines and others are worthy places to advertise anything we do. Anyone who gets them is likely to already be aware of narrow gauge modeling events, and many of us already receive these publications.  People who do not know about narrow gauge modeling probably do not, though.  I specifically named the two big, general interest magazines because, in my view, this is the audience to which we need to broadcast our message (I know, I know.  I also mentioned the GAZETTE, which is a “preaching to the choir” publication.  But it does have a large circulation). 

I have read and participated in discussions about the “graying” of our hobby and other hobbies, and it seems to me to be particularly acute for us Mini-Bunchers.  

I am 53 and hardly one of the older ones; I don’t believe we have anyone younger than probably their late 30’s.  Where are our new members coming from?  Most will come from the ranks of the general-interest modelers, and many will attend a narrow gauge event because of an article about narrow gauge, or a listing of a narrow gauge event, in a general-interest magazine. 

MR and the CRAFTSMAN are written for different audiences, and both those audiences need to find out more about narrow gauge.  I believe MR is disproportionately written for the new modeler or the “model rail fan”.  This is not only a service to the hobby but is also a good business decision for Kalmbach because that’s where the numbers are.  The CRAFTSMAN seems to be written more for the active modeler, which is why there are so many diesel and freight car detailing features.  I like to break this up from time to time with one of my lightweight articles about Our Stuff, again to get the message out to a larger audience.  I would also bring to your attention Jim Ruisinger’s article on Doc Sage’s layout in a recent SCALE RAILS, an NMRA publication with a large circulation.  There are other general-interest magazines and special-interest magazines, but the point is that the largest ones provide the best opportunity for Outreach.  They do have narrow gauge features periodically, but I would suggest that there can be more, and this is one way to reach new people. 

What else can we do?  Train shows and train flea markets are excellent places to meet new people and tell them about Our Stuff.  Offer to set up a modular layout and most train shows will welcome you.  Any of you with portable layouts can offer a ready-made introduction to narrow gauge.  I usually take all three[!] of mine to the NMRA Div. 3 show in Dayton every fall, and it is amazing how popular something running around in a circle can be to a general audience.  This does not make me a good modeler, but I do try to have a quality exhibit as these folks paid to get in.  One girl of about age 12 watched my 10” x 10” Atlantic and Ohio for an hour, twice.  I think she thought it was a legitimate model railroad but also the kind of thing anyone could do and the kind of thing that would fit anywhere. 

Make sure your equipment is reliable and you have enough spares if an engine goes bad.  It is critical that there be something moving; again, these folks paid to get in and you owe them a good performance.  Otherwise, as long as the train moves they are happy so don’t fool around with switching.  I allow interested children who show the proper respect to operate the layouts. This is one of the great Outreach strategies of all time. 

Be prepared to educate from scratch:

Visitor: “Look it this here, Bordell.  It’s Z Gauge.”

• Me:      “It’s HO Scale, actually, 30 inch gauge.  That’s the distance between the rails.”

• Visitor: “So it’s N Gauge then?”

• Me:      “Nope.  It’s HO Scale which means 1/87^th of the prototype size.  The distance between the rails is 30 inches.”

• Visitor: “Yeah, okay.  So what are you modeling here?”

Now, I have a sheet to distribute that describes the concept and has a photograph of two trains of different gauges. 

Take a narrow gauge layout to a train show and put on a demonstration!

Those of you who have home layouts can open up for tours from time to time.  In the Dayton area, Div. 3 arranges home layout tours every November associated with our show, and these opportunities allow the general public to see just what narrow gauge is.  I am not the best example because for a variety of reasons I am not able to have many visitors right now, but Richard Davoust opens every year and espouses the wonders of Our Stuff.  If your area has home layout tours, and you are comfortable allowing people in your home, please participate.  If your local NMRA organization puts on a conference, open up for the tours. 

And finally, if you see someone new at a Mini-Bunch meet, go up and make them feel welcome.  It is human nature to want to spend all our time with old friends with whom we feel at ease, so Outreach can be difficult, but do it anyway. 

The point of all this is:  Get the message out!  I would urge every one of you to make some effort to engage a young person, someone new to the hobby, or even a general-interest modeler in Our Stuff.  Thirty-six years ago, Bill Townsend and Ed Meier allowed a high-school senior to join a work group building Bill’s HOn3 layout, and I have never forgotten that act of kindness.  All of us can reach out in some way. 

Future subjects of this column:  motivation, little layouts and ?

 His Royal Snipiness,

 Jim 

Greenford Meet - April 16 -17

Gary Kohler is holding his 2004 Midwest Narrow Gauge Meet in Greenford, Ohio. Registration is $6.00 for one day or $10.00 for two days.

There is more information later in the newsletter, but  here is a brief summary: 

Greenford is about 5 miles NE of Salem, OH. (This is between Canton and Youngstown, and about 15 miles SW of Youngstown.) It will be held at the Greenford Christian Church which has a large auditorium and several classrooms in their annex building. 

Coffee, donuts, hot dogs and soft drinks will be available at the meeting. 

There will be a model contest, and clinics will be given Friday afternoon and all day Saturday. The meeting ends officially with the banquet on Saturday evening at Timberlanes in Salem. 

There will be four layouts open in the Cleveland area on Sunday.  Directions to visit these layouts will be available for Mini-Bunch registrants. ($2.00 fee.) 

May Railfan Trip in West Virginia 

Fritz Prosch has arranged a railfan trip Saturday and Sunday May 15 and 16 on the Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad  in WV. Lodging will be at the Hermitage in Bartow, WV. ($54 per night with breakfast included.) 

Two charter trains  are scheduled:

• Sat 11:30 - 1:30 Rocket - Durbin

• Sat 2:30 - 5:30 Salamander - Cheat Bridge to Spruce

These cost $500 each and we need to know if you are interested!

Sat evening: Dinner at the Depot $8 

Sun 11:00 - 2:50 The Flyer - Elkins $21 per person 

The brochures of the D&GV will be available next month and more information will be available at the meeting in Greenford. If 20 riders show up, there will be two really nice runs for $50 per person. 

Make your motel reservation now-call the Hermitage Motel in Bartow WV. Phone is 303-456-4808. Address is PO Box 8, Bartow 24920. Refer to the Mini-Bunch rooms 

Fritz Prosch - 740-654-2922
963 Prestige Blvd  #211
Lancaster, OH 43130

 * * SHIRTS AVAILABLE * * Mini-Bunch Shirts available:

The shirts are a 60/40 cotton polyester blend, black in color with yellow gold embroidery. They don't shrink and are quite comfortable. Just ask any of the Mini Bunchers that already have them. To order one (or more) send a check or money order, payable to Jim Ruisinger and send order to:

Mini Bunch Shirts
c/o Jim Ruisinger
2490 Johnston Rd.
Upper Arlington,  OH  43220-4668

See Order form for details 

OR&W Decals 

Michael Yoakam of Canal Winchester has printed O scale sets of decals for the Ohio River & Western. Cost is $3.00 per set.  Each set will do three freight cars and cabooses. Mike’s address is

6299 Upper Ridge Dr
Canal Winchester, OH 43110
email: yoakam@prodigy.net

Are you old enough to remember this car??

Midwest Two-Foot and Narrow Gauge Show

 Held in conjunction with the Mini-Bunch,  the Cleveland Narrow Gauge Society

 and the Three Rivers Narrow Gauge Historical Society

When:             April 15-17

Where:             Greenford Christian Church, Salem, Ohio (55 minutes from Pittsburgh Airport)

Time:            Thursday night (7:00 until?  Open program at Timberlanes Inn) no reservation needed.

                        Friday morning for dealer and display setup only. Show open 12 noon until 4:30; break until 6:00; open 6:00 until????

                        Saturday: Show opens 9:00 am. Show closes PROMPTLY at 5:00 -- everyone must be out of the building.

                        Saturday night buffet: 6:30 to 7:00 cash bar and BS. Dinner will be served at 7:00.

Cost:             One day $6.00. Two days $10.00. Buffet is $17.95 (includes tax and gratuity) cash bar will be available.

Dealers:             $25.00 for first table (RESERVATIONS A MUST), $15.00 each additional table.

Operating layouts/modules please be early setup and ready to operate.  We will have live steam this year, so bring your large scale equipment to run! Warrior Run Locomotive will have their 20’ x 40’ large scale layout operating again this year.

 Clinic Schedule 

Friday

  2:20 -   3:10                        Jim Eakin                        Critters                                    

  3:20 -   4:10                        Jim Felton                        Narrow Gauge RPOs              

  6:30 -   7:30                        Gary Kohler                        The Maine Two Footers   

  7;30 -    ???                        Bob Richardson                        Narrow Gauge -

 Saturday

10:10 - 11:00                         Dean Odiome                        Water Putty Castings          

11:10 - 12:00                        Cliff Schoff                        n30 1:1; Cuba and Brazil        

12:30 -   1:20                           Three Rivers Business Meeting

12:30 -   1:20                           HOn30 Products Roundtable Discussion

  1:20 -   2:20                        Fred Abrew                        developing Models from Historical Information      

  2:30 -   3:30                        Lee Rainey                        FEBT Progress and Updates    

  2:30 -   3:30                           Open

  3:30 -   4:00                           Mini-Bunch Meeting

  4:00 -   4:20                           Model Contest Awards

Separate rooms for model contest, business meetings, On30 and lounge/BS area. 

Vendors/Suppliers/Manufacturers:

Train & Trooper - BTS (Bill's Train Shop) - Railhead Publications - Rickety Rails - The Car Works - S/Sn3 Modeling Guide Magazine - Underground Railway Press - Cross Roads Models - Jon Scofield - M2FQ Publications - C&D Model Engineering - Portland Locomotive Works 

We anticipate well over 140 individuals again this year -- plan now to attend the largest narrow gauge show east of the Mississippi.   

Sunday Layouts: 

• John Chlebowski - Sn3 DSP&S - 9-12

• Ted Wiese - On3 San Juan Southern - 10 to 2

• Nat Howard - Sn3 Quiver River RR - 11 to 3

• John Hansen - Sn3 Rio Grande Southern - 11 to 2
  

Gary Kohler
M2FQ Publications

Parties Responsible for this Newsletter
Jim Foster, King Snipe
1221 Hathaway Rd.
Dayton, OH
937-299-1599

Editors:
John Hansen
17826 Clifton Blvd
Lakewood, OH 44107
216-521-1779
jvhansen@earthlink.net

Ted Wiese
9099 Regency Woods Drive
Kirtland, OH 44094-9380
440-256-5212
mononbell@ncweb.com

Narrow Gauge Websites