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HUB HeadlightHUB Division Inc., Northeastern Region, National Model Railroad Association - Volume 31 Number 5, May - June 2015

http://www.hubdiv.org

RAILFUN TIMETABLE

The map to Cambridge School of Weston appears on page 10.

Field Trip: Fine Scale Miniatures, Peabody MABy George Sellios

9 AM and 10:30 AM Saturday, June 20, 2015, Peabody, MA

Please join us for this special opportunity to meet George Sellios and view hisworld famous Franklin & South Manchester Railroad. The HO Franklin &South Manchester Railroad is located in the main show room of Fine Scale

Miniatures in downtown Peabody, Massachusetts. The era of this 23' X 42' railroadrepresents a time when steam power still reigned, but some first-generation dieselsare starting to appear. This layout has been featured in Model Railroader andModel Railroad Hobbyist. If April's RAILFUN got you interested in craftsmankits, then you will definitely want to sign up for this field trip.

In order to attend this special RAILFUN, you will need to register in advance at theApril or May RAILFUNs. Since George can only accommodate up to 30 guests ata time, we have arranged for two layout tours, 9:00 AM to 10:30 AM and 10:30AM to Noon. Space will be limited to the first 60 registered HUB Division members.

Cape Cod DinnerTrain Excursion

May 16, 2015The 2015 HUB-sponsored dinner trainexcursion on the Cape Cod CentralRailroad is almost here. The train willbe departing Hyannis Station at 5:30 PMfor a trip across the Cape and over thecanal railroad bridge to Buzzards Bay.You will enjoy a five-course meal inclimate-controlled comfort. Theregistration deadline is May 8th. Pleasesee page 9 for additional informationand registration form. You can also seethe full flyer on the website athttp://www.hubdiv.org/ schedule.htm

HUB Summer PicnicJuly 19, 2015

The Summer Picnic will be held atWaushakum Live Steamers inHolliston, MA, on Sunday, July

19 (rain or shine) from 11AM to 2PM.Visit www.waushakumlivesteamers.orgMore information will be emailed, orlook for further details on the HUBwebsite and Facebook page.

Presentation: Digital PhotographyBy Michael Tylick, MMR

8 PM Friday, May 15, 2015, Cambridge School of Weston

Although digital photography has radically changed the way we takepictures, many of the principles of photographic technique remain thesame. Storage and retrieval of images is much more efficient and

computer-aided photo processing has completely transformed the control possiblein the darkroom. While enhancing photographs remains controversial and hascreated important ethical questions, photo manipulation is nonetheless a reality thatshould be explored by any serious photographer. Digital photography offers manyother advantages over the now all - but - obsolete film camera.

Even though rules are meant to be broken, the first part of this presentation will bea PowerPoint show presenting problems and solutions for close-up photography.Selection of a suitable camera, software for model photography and classictechniques for photographic lighting and exposure will be discussed. Simple“Photoshop” techniques for enhancing images will round out this part of the clinic.A live demonstration of indoor photographic lighting will follow. Those who areinterested may bring along their cameras and a model that may be shot using studiolighting. Although any camera will work, a camera with adjustable settings (suchas an SLR) is preferred.

Presentation: Digital Command Control (DCC) 101 & 201By David “Shack” Haralambou & Dick Johannes

8 PM Friday, September 18, 2015, Cambridge School of Weston

Come join us at our season-opener as two of the HUB Division's DCC experts willeach discuss aspects of DCC and various applications of it on home layouts.

The 2014 HUB Group boards the Dinner TrainPhotograph by Dick Towle

Photograph by Peter Watson

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By James VanBokkelen

THEPRESIDENT’S

CAR

Hello, members of the HUBDivision and readers outside ourgroup. Many of you know me

as a HUB member and Module Groupparticipant during the past 25 years. Atthis year's Annual Meeting in Taunton,I was re-elected to the Board ofDirectors and then chosen by the Boardas the HUB's new President, taking overfrom Manny Escobar. I appreciate theresponsibility and would like to thankthe membership and the board forconferring it on me.

In additional to myself, Peter Higginswas also re-elected to the board, and amember familiar to the modular group,David “Shack” Haralambou, has nowmoved over to the board of directors. Ilook forward to working with them andthe rest of the board in the coming year.I would like thank Bill Roach for hisyears of service on the board and as VicePresident in years past. I would like tothank Andy Reynolds for running andhope to see him run again next year.

As I write this, outside my window grassand trees are starting to grow and flower.But, we're (more than) done with snowand it's not time to mow or garden yet.It's warm enough to open my windowfor the spray booth, or paint with rattle

cans outside. There's lots of daylight forphotography, and leaves haven't yethidden the remnants of the era I model.

Spring and Fall are my peak modelingseasons, and I've been making progresson the HO-scale B&M Eastern Routelayout in my attic. I've reached the stagewhere I have enough motive power andequipment, and I've even built most ofthe kit structures I can use. This puts adifferent perspective on my train showand hobby shop visits; it's now down tome instead of my wallet to take myvision of the railroad from 'operable' to'mostly sceniced' or maybe even'complete'.

I hope all of you are enjoying modelrailroading this Spring too; most of usare NMRA members at least partlybecause of model railroading's socialside. In support of that the HUB has itsModule Group and RAILFUN Night.We've also been teaching people aboutlayout operations, but I've been thinkingabout taking it a step further:

Model railroading can be a complicatedhobby. RAILFUN and the ModuleGroup are good learning environments,but sometimes I meet model railroaderswho have built a layout but aren'tenjoying it as much as they'd hoped dueto electrical or mechanical problems.How about a Layout Doctor that makeshouse calls? Let me know if you'd beinterested in giving or receiving help ina program where volunteers could visithome layouts, toolbox in hand.

By the time you see this, it will bealmost time for the HUB's May 16Dinner Train on the Cape Cod Central.This was fun last time and, if you'd like

HUB Division Calendar of Events (Subject to Change)2015

May 9-10 (Sat-Sun) HUB Modular Railroad display at the Bedford V.A. Hospital, Bedford, MAMay 15 (Fri) HUB RAILFUN Meeting, 8 PM, Cambridge School of Weston, Weston, MAMay 16 (Sat) Cape Cod Dinner Train Excursion, 5:30 PM, Hyannis Station, Hyannis, MAJun 20 (Sat) HUB RAILFUN Meeting, Field Trip to Fine Scale Miniatures, Peabody, MAJul 15 (Wed) Submissions deadline for the HUB Headlight Sept-Oct issueJul 19 (Sun) HUB Summer Picnic, Waushakum Live Steamers, Holliston, MAAug 23-30 (Sun-Sun) 2015 NMRA National Convention, Portland, OROct 22-25 (Thur-Sun) 2015 Joint MER and NER Convention, Mount Laurel, NJ [www.delawarevalleyturn.org]Sept 18 (Fri) HUB RAILFUN Meeting, 8 PM, Cambridge School of Weston, Weston, MA

to get down to the Cape before thecrowds, return the registration form inthis Headlight issue to us ASAP.

Model railroading usually quiets downin June, as people pursue outdooractivities or vacation travel, but don'tforget our Summer Picnic (we've alsocalled it a Cookout some years) at theWaushakum Live Steamers on Sunday,July 19 in Holliston. The Waushakumgroup has a great time running theirsteam and 'diesel' locos and the site hasplenty of places to get out in the sun orrelax in the shade. Hope to see you there!

Jim Goldstom became the new member, recruitedat Greenberg, that brought the membershiproster back up to 400 active members. TheModular Superintendent presented Jim with anAmherst 2015 - 25,500 Gal Tank Car.Photograph provided by Peter Higgins

Mister 400

PASTPRESIDENT’STHANK YOU

By Manny Escobar

I would like to thank the board, officersand especially the members for theirsupport over the years.

"Keep on Chugging!"

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It finally looked like the worst ofwinter was over as the sun movedhigher in the sky and those snow piles

started to grow smaller. Then I got theunsettling news that Don Howd, hadpassed away. I first met Don at amodeling contest in Worcester in which Idecided to enter scratch-built stuff but hadno clue of all the paperwork needed andcategories one had to choose from. ForDon, every question was a teachingmoment and he taught me and a lot ofothers the ins and outs of modeling forcontests and for AP points.

Our tastes sometimes coincided as heenjoyed the smaller New England Roadsas opposed to the big Conrail, BNSF andUP lines. When I started entering somephotos of my work with Rutland models,he liked one photo so much that he said itshould have come in first rather thansecond. So I made a mounted copy that Igave to him, and he displayed itprominently as one descended the stairs tohis basement railroad empire.

Every couple years, we made sure to puthis layout at the top of our list to visit andoperate as part of the B&M operators’Railrun event. I always felt comfortablethere and looked forward to seeing whatnew scenery, building or equipment hehad added. He was helpful withinformation as I embarked on my D&HCaboose projects and was a bitdisappointed when I did not re-enter myNapierville Junction Caboose into thePalmer contest after the NationalConvention. But, I wanted to work on it abit more so I could be sure to garner therequired AP points. Besides, I knew ifDon liked it, I could be happy whether ornot I won a contest.

You see, Don was like a few people Iknow: Art Fahey, Mike Tylick, Jack Ellis

and George Sellios, modelers I reallyrespected, who if they said they likedsomething I worked on, it meant the worldto me. George saw my Schenectadymodule years ago at the Marlboroughshow and liked my incorporation of thebrick underlayment sections to a pavedroad and especially the overhead viaductabove the city streets. And Art said heconsidered me one of them regarding thequality of my work and attention to details.

Though my diorama, Schenectady, dideventually win a first place, one of thejudges remarked that the bridge over thestreet should have had supports. A goodfriend and structural engineer replied “TheS value of your girders is sufficiently highenough that you really wouldn't needsupport for that span!” Go figure! But itraises an interesting point.

I'm sure if you asked ten different modelrailroading hobbyists what drives theirmodeling effort, you might get tendifferent answers. There are some wholike to count rivets, those who model foraccuracy and craftsmanship to wincontests, some who want to get justenough recognition for their work to earnan MMR, some who love to get theircreative spirit into overdrive, some wholove to watch trains move throughconvincing scenery, and then there is me.

I love to model with enough fidelity anddetail so that when one looks at my work,they actually believe they are looking at areal place represented in time. It is why Ispend so much time next to the trackstaking photos, not just of trains, but ofthings, buildings, and scenes so that I maycreate something plausible. It does nothave to be exact, because the eye and brainfill in the details they believe should bethere.

After my first two layout efforts,consisting first of plywood and dyedsawdust with a Varney Ten wheel screwdriver kit, and a second of plywood,plaster and a painted multilevel empireconstructed while in junior high, I took ahiatus to explore the world of women andsong (read girlfriends and a band). Mynext modeling effort began when I hadsome time to sit in front of the TV againwhile watching football games, and I had

Shanty Talk:A Moment in Time

by Rudy Slovacek

taken some trips to Gordon ResearchConferences in upstate Vermont and NewHampshire.

It was there that I observed embargoedstrings of Rutland boxcars and recentlyrusted trackage. I had read about AllenMcClelland's V&O, and I began designingand building equipment for my imaginary“Taconic Lumber Company” line set inEastern New York and the westernBerkshires. To make my plannedoperations understandable to the commonman, I lifted names such as Austerlitz,Berlin, Chatham, and endeavored toconstruct a map where the towns werearranged in a logical alphabetical orderalong the backbone of the TaconicMountain range. A kit-bashed 2-6-2 wasbuilt from a Mantua Prairie engine.

After building up several commercialwood kits, I used their dimensions to buildmy fleet of TLC rolling stock from scratchto include boxcars, flats, maintenanceequipment, as well as a caboose and some33 log cars. I never did build that into alayout itself, but it kept my interest alivefor years. Or, at least long enough so thatwhen I moved to Massachusetts and had alittle space, I could build an N-gaugelayout based on John Allen's first Gorreand Daphetide. I also built a display boardwith a simple piece of HO track, and thatengine and a couple log cars were my firstentry into an NER judged contest. It iswhere Don gave me my first pointers.Needless to say, I won no serious contestbut was recognized as a new modeler. Itseems like just yesterday.

But, I digress. It would have meant a lotto be able to show that caboose to Don, butat least I had the pleasure of knowing theman and enjoying his company. Thereinlies the moral of my tale this month: Lifeis short and we never know when a change(any change) may wrench that which wehave a fondness for from our grasp. Howmany times have you heard “I wish I hadtaken more pictures of steam while it wasstill around” or “I wish I heard more ofHarvey Humphries stories about ALCOs,”or “I miss that old timer.” So grab yoursketch pad and note book, a pencil andperhaps a camera or a phone and capture amoment in time. Before you know it, itmay well be gone forever.

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Don Howd (1938-2015)MMR #364 2005

A Personal tributeby Gerald Abegg MMR #516

With the passing of Don Howd,the HUB Division has lost along-time contributor. Don

served on the HUB Board of Directorsin 1986-1991 and again in 1993-1994.His major contribution in the hobby washis work as the long-time AchievementProgram Chairman for the HUBDivision.

Don was a member of the Broken andMangled Operators group and hostedregular operating sessions on his homelayout “The Dividing Creek.” He waspart of the annual “Railrun" operationsweekend held in late March every yearfor the past 27 years.

Don was an exceptional modeler, but itwas his motivation of others to pursuetheir MMR that really shined through.

When Don presented me with the ChiefDispatcher and Volunteer Achievementcertificates, Don said “well what'snext?” I responded that I was probablygoing to complete the Electrical andCivil Engineering certificates, but that Ididn't want to deal with the intricacies ofjudging at contests. He informed methat my work did not have to be enteredin contests. It only had tobe evaluated by approvedjudges in order to earnthe merit awards requiredfor some of thea c h i e v e m e n t scertificates.

After Don and KeithShoneman visited mylayout to evaluate mywork on the Electricaland Civil certificates andpresent Merit Awards formy hand-laid turnouts,diamond and crossovers,he encouraged me tocontinue by mailing

Don Howd on left presents Gerald Abegg with his MMR at theFebruary 21, 2014 RailfunPhotograph by John Doehring

plans of car models that would achievethe merit awards needed for my Carscertificate. Due to Don'sencouragement, I earned merit awards inCars, Structures and Scenery and wasawarded Master Model RR in 2013.

We have lost a great model railroaderand contributor to the hobby.

David “Shack” Haralambou shows off his DonPierce Award after receiving it from PresidentManny Escobar at the March 2015 RAILFUNPhotograph by Bill Barry

Above: Keith Shoneman started off the March2015 RAILFUN with a excellent introduction tooperations. Keith covered all aspects ofoperations, including going into detail aboutthe use of car cards and waybills.

Right: Stan Ames (still on crutches from hisaccident ice skating with his grand kids) spokeabout operations at his garden layout,including overall tips to being an operator onany layout.

Photographs by Bill Barry

March 2015 RAILFUNOP

ERA

TION

S!

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From theModular

Superintendent'sDesk

by Rick Murray

Currently we are about two thirdsthrough our season and thus far ithas been very successful. We just

participated in Spring TRAINing after ayear off, because the HUB hosted the 2014Regional Convention. Frank Sandstrumwas up from Connecticut with his twomodules of the Ames works that existedjust down the road from Taunton. Inaddition we had Erich Whitney and hisrather complex module.

Next on the agenda is the 20th AnnualModel Railroad Show sponsored by theHooksett Lions Club, held at the CawleyMiddle School on Rt. 27 in Hooksett, NH.This has been a fun event in the past withthe New Hampshire modules that we donot get the chance to see other than goingover the border.

The final event of this fiscal year will beour debut event at the VeteransAdministration Hospital in Bedford, MA.This event had been scheduled forFebruary, but despite Global Warming,we experienced record snow fall inFebruary. We had to postpone sincegetting our modules into the building wasgoing to be very difficult.

This is an event that we have been askedto do by the Recreation Department at thehospital. They are very enthused to haveus bring our modules to their facility.Most of these Veterans are confined to theHospital and our show will definitelybrighten their day.

This is a semi-private show as it is notannounced to the public and only theveterans and their families will beattending. It is not a very big room andspace is needed for the Vets in wheelchairs.

The new trailer is being prepared by themanufacturer as I write this column. It iscertainly not too late to contribute to the“TRAILER FUND.” The trailer is anecessity for us to continue our work ofbringing the joys and pleasures of Model

Railroading to others. Our activities bringmore and more members to the HUBDivision. We just reached our 400thMember (see photo on Page 2) and morehave joined in recent weeks.

Next fiscal year looks like it will beanother fun- and event-filled year. Wewill start off with Norwood Days, then offto Pepperell Siding. Then we have a newevent at the Wellesley Community Centerin Wellesley at the intersection of Route 9& 16. This is a first for them. They havetwo large-sized rooms. We will be in oneand the LEGO Group will be in the other.Also it is expected that the constructionwill finally be completed in the mezzaninearea at Children’s Hospital, so after atwo-year hiatus, we will be back with ourmodel trains to entertain the children at theHospital.

Then we will be doing some of our regularshows-NEMTE, Greenberg & Amherst.

As you might have heard we have newmembers, not only to the HUB, but also tothe Module Group. Bill Harley movedfrom Maryland and has participated insome of our events. He is an experiencedmodeler and is bringing his three modulesup north to participate with us (he also hasan extensive roster of locomotives). Herb

Rosen is going to rewire his module thathe did with his son for “Youth in ModelRailroading” to fit into the HUB layout.

You have probably seen another newmember, Mihran Tenekedzhyn’s, easternEuropean passenger train. It’s only sixcars, BUT he built it with the newtechnology of 3D printing. Yes, and itruns!!

I keep mentioning the NationalConventions in 2016 and 2017 that areaccessible by train. Indianapolis andOrlando (via the Amtrak Auto Train). Idyou have any thoughts of attendingreservations must be made well inadvance. This year’s National Conventionin Portland Oregon was sold out for roomsby January 15. The NMRA is scramblingto get more rooms, but these will not beclose to the convention site

UpdateAt the SpringTRAINing show, it wasannounced that, per a vote of the modulegroup members, Dick Ball had wonelection to be the new ModuleCoordinator. Dick would like to thankeveryone for voting for him and said thathe will do his best.

101: For the first half, “Shack” will review the various components that comprise aDCC system for small layouts to large layouts. DCC has advanced beyond controllingsound-equipped locomotives. There are now DCC modules for controlling switchmotors, semaphore signals and crossing gates, sound-equipped freight cars, turntables,etc. Your operational desires, creativity and budget all dictate how far you automateyour layout using DCC. For those with a small layout, you can add a starter DCCsystem for about $200 to control DCC-equipped locomotives. You will also learnabout how to operate a DCC throttle and practice controlling a locomotive on theModular Group's test track.

201: For the second half, Dick Johannes will discuss how you can extend thefunctionality of DCC by using the free Java Module Railroad Interface (JMRI) suite ofsoftware programs. This free OpenSource software is available for PCs, Apple andUnix computers. DecoderPro is used to configure your locomotive DCC decoders andto keep a roster of your locomotives. Layout Automation is used to automate yourlayout by controlling signals and throwing turnouts. PanelPro is used for operatingUS&S style based CTC control panels that reflect the real-time status of your layoutand control it like a prototypical dispatcher. The CATS extension to JMRI can be usedif you prefer a modern CRT-based CTC panel. JMRI has long supported DCC systemsfrom Lenz, NCE, and Digitrax and now supports MRC as well.

RAILFUN TIMETABLE(Continued from Page 1)

Presentation: Digital Command Control (DCC) 101 & 201

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South Shore LumberCompany - Part 3by Michael Tylick, MMR

In the January-February issue, wefinished building the shed andadding lumber loads. Now it is time

to start building a larger structure towhich the shed is attached.

1. The prototype lumber yard wasconverted from an enclosed coal trestle,so the main structure should be barn-like. Traditional post-and-beamconstruction is suited to such structures– similar designs are still used formodern steel sheds. Since there arefewer and larger parts, post and beamwill be much easier to build than aballoon-frame stud system. The mainbeams were glued together over atemplate. For a contest model, onemight consider mortise and tenon jointswith the flooring laid after assembly.But, this model is complicated enoughas it is, and will not be seen by judges.The flooring will strengthen andreinforce the piece. The appearance isenhanced by having staggered joints inthe floor and this will show up in thelarger scales. Avoid the temptation torun single boards across the entire lengthof the floor - real lumber is rarely foundin lengths over twelve feet. And sincewe will later need to use board-by-boardconstruction anyway, please don't getsloppy and used scribed siding - the twodo not work well together.

2. (Bottom left) The first floor willnever be seen from the bottom so thereis no need for underside detail. Thesmall blocks reinforce the flooring jointsthat do not fall over the main beams.

3. The near cutaway floor will be seenfrom below, so floor joists are installedhere. The easiest way to taper the frontappeared to be carefully cutting theexcess flooring along a straightedge.The joists will then be cut to length witha sprue cutter. A few may fly off, butthis is a good way to double check thestrength of my glue joints.

4. Although they probably did not usewaxed paper, T-pins, and templates, weare following the lead of prototype barnbuilders by building the walls flat on theground. Mortise and tenon joints for acontest model, but butt joints and whiteglue works just fine for me.

5. The finished end wall with diagonalbracing and window framing.

6. Our O-scale walls are light and willnot require a small army to raise them,so we can simplify construction byinstalling the siding before raising. Thesiding boards are quickly cut on aNWSL Chopper and are glued along astraightedge. As a bonus, the siding willstabilize and strengthen the wall.

7. The shorter siding pieces are gluedonly on one end for now, so a clampedtemporary fence keeps them in properalignment.

8. The completed wall as seen from theinside. If we did not need such acomplete interior, we could have builtthe wall with scribed siding. Even thethinnest siding available would haveproven too thick when laminated back toback. Styrene would have worked andprobably would have made for a neaterand stronger model. But then therewould have been so much white plasticto texture and humor into the appearanceof unpainted wood.

(Continued Page 7)

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9. The short end wall does not have anextension. The prototype barn had onlyone floor, but mine required two to betall enough to cover the end of ourpreviously built lumber shed.

10. It's also easier to paint and letter thewalls while they are flat. Computersmake short work of the signs – a laserprinter makes for nice, crisp andwaterproof copy. I had consideredprinting on decal film, but I had run outof white decal paper. Being impatient inthis case, I decided paper with the backsanded thin would work just was well -it's certainly easier to paint and weather.Careful observers will notice that thelarge triangle sign will be partly coveredby the lumber shed. Bad planning onmy part, but the sign was already inplace by the time I discovered this. Onecould always argue that the shed wasbuilt later - I would have to say fairlyrecently since the exposed sign looks noolder than the protected one. I'm luckyI didn't weather the shed very much.

11. The short wall will not be seen fromland, but the signs are goodadvertisements for the many woodenboats cruising the North River.

12. My clothespin clamps areinexpensive and versatile. Idisassembled a few and cut one legshorter to use for my "raising."

13. It's easy to pick up a miniature floor,so the floor was held in place with myspecial clamps while the glue dried.

14. (Bottom center) I was certain thatthe wall would not be square with thefloor, so after the glue had dried, I gentlycracked the joint between the floor andwall and held a square against it.Thinned white glue was brushed into thejoint to invisibly reassemble it. Perhapsnot strong enough to withstand the wrathof Hercules, but certainly strong enoughto keep my small structure together.

15. The next truss is glued to the wallusing the crossbeams as spacers. Thingsnever go exactly as planned, so I workedmy way from the bottom up. Spacersfirst positioned the verticals to the floor– no mortises or tenons here. When dry,I worked my way up floor-by-floor,gluing the spacer beams and forcingeverything into place with miniatureclamps from Lowes. The successivetrusses and the other end wall wereattached one-by-one in the same way.

Well, the walls are up and barn raisingparty is underway; we're enjoying ourfood and drink and music. Let's enjoythe moment, but soon we will have toget to work and build the rest. The wallsand roof still need enclosing andfinishing work always seems to go moreslowly. I hope I can get this done intime for the next installment!

South Shore LumberCompany - Part 3(Continued from Page 6)

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HUB Division AP Chairby Gerald Abegg MMR#516

Although I have met many of theHUB members through myinvolvement with the module

group, I take this opportunity toreintroduce myself in a new role. As yournew Achievement Program Chair I amhere to provide information,encouragement and evaluation of yourwork. Two years ago, I completed therequirements for the Master ModelRailroader and became MMR #516. Up tothat point, it had been a number of yearssince anyone in the HUB had earned theirMMR, and I see my role as one ofencouraging members to study therequirements and get to work. Perhaps abrief story about how I did it willencourage some of you to move forward.

I began my quest by earning theAssociation Volunteer and ChiefDispatcher certificates. These were easybecause all I had to do was document whatI had already been doing in the HUB andthen develop a little extra paperwork.After finishing these, I went on todocument the work I was doing to buildmy home layout. It turned out that I hadalready met all the electrical requirementswith the layout. All I had to do wasprepare circuit diagrams, describe thepower blocks on the main bus and identifythe variety of electrical circuits andfeatures I used to power the yard, sidings,turnouts and signals. That gave me theModel Railroad Engineer-Electricalcertificate.

I had sufficient trackage finished for theModel Railroad Engineer - Civilcertificate, including hand-laid turnoutsand a crossover. All I needed to do wasdesign and build one more hand-laid item.Since I needed a 22-degree crossing in myyard extension, I decided to build one.Building the crossing using the frogs fromthe #6 turnout jig was relatively easy, butan electrically live frog presented a realproblem. I had to insert gaps to isolate thefrogs but maintain the integrity of thestructure. If the gaps were not properlylocated there would be a short, or the frogwould have no power.

So, I isolated the frog and then powered it

using a DPDT switch to align the polarityof the frog with either track. I added agreen/red LED to indicate which path ofthe frog was powered (green powered/ redoff). That completed my Engineer-Civilcertificate.

At that point I was prepared to stop workon the Achievements because I didn't wishto get involved in building contest models,but Don Howd convinced me to continueby pointing out that I needed to buildmodels to be evaluated by approvedjudges, but that I did not need to entercontests. Furthermore, he said I couldenter models at the regional contests if Iwished, and ask that they be judged formerit award points as a way to earn therequired number of merit awards. Withthe plans for a wooden track repair car hesent me, I entered my first scratch-built carat the Syracuse NER convention and wona second place in the Non-RevenueCategory, a Merit Award and a $50 checkfor the best new modeler. That was it! Iwas hooked and went home and builtseven more cars in the next two monthsand completed the Master Builder-Carscertificate. I subsequently went on to earnthe Structures and Scenery certificatesusing many of the things I had alreadydone or planned on my home layout.

The message I would like to deliver withthis story is that the task is not difficult butit is challenging. Along the way you willlearn many new tricks and techniques andwill surprise yourself on how easy somedifficult things can be with a little studyand effort. I see my role as your new APchair as a coach and as a supporter. Beginby taking a look at the NMRA website.Open the tab for “Education” on the mainpage and you will find the “AchievementProgram.” When you click on that, youwill find a complete list of the categories,requirements, etc. Other than therequirements for each award, I found "TheMasters" Articles to be the most helpfulfor beginners. It explains what to do andwhat not to do. Study these and beginyour work.

You will note that all of the categoriesrequire documentation, but only a fewrequire judging. An item can be judgedseveral times until it receives the merit

rating. I had a signal tower that failed toqualify on the first judging for structures,but using the judges notes, I was able to"redo" the building and earn a merit awardon the second judging.

The most efficient way to reach me foradvice is via email at HUB.AP.Chair@hubdiv.org. If you wish to speak byphone, send me an email asking me to callat a given time, and I will do that. Iusually attend most RAILFUN events butthis year my cancer chemotherapy hasprevented me from driving at night. Sincethe cancer is nearly gone andchemotherapy is nearly over I don't expecta problem beginning in May.

Outgoing HUB DivisionPresident MannyEscobar presentedPresident’s Awards atthe Annual Meeting:Top: Manny recognizedthe contributions ofPeter Watson, Bill Barryand Dick Towle tomaking the Palmer NERConvention a success.Middle: Manny recognized the work of theModular Signaling Committee, David “Shack”Haralambou (Barbara Hoblit accepted on hisbehalf), Dick Johannes, and Gerry Covino.Bottom: Dan Fretz was recognized for his workon the HUB website.Photographs by Bill Barry (with an assist fromJames VanBokkelen)

President’s Awards

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Order Form - HUB Division ApparelShort Sleeve Shirt and Sweatshirt Available Sizes S M L XL 2XL 3XL

Short Sleeve Shirts - Ash color Shirt with HUB Division Logo - $30.00 each Size: _______ Quantity: ___ Amount $ _______ Circle ONE With Pocket Without Pocket Name on Shirt _____________________________

Sweatshirt - Ash color with HUB Division Logo - Sizes as listed for shirts 8.0oz Weight $25.00 each Size: _______ Quantity: ___ Amount $ _______ 9.5oz Weight $30.00 each Size: _______ Quantity: ___ Amount $ _______ Name on Shirt _____________________________

T-Shirts - Ash color Shirt with HUB Division Logo - $18.00 each Size: _______ Quantity: ___ Amount $ _______ Circle ONE With Pocket Without Pocket Name on Shirt _____________________________

Long Sleeve Shirt - Heather color Shirt with HUB Division Logo (NO POCKETS) Small to XL $30.00 each Size: _______ Quantity: ___ Amount $ _______ 2XL to 5XL $35.00 each Size: _______ Quantity: ___ Amount $ _______ Name on Shirt _____________________________— (If you wish to have it mailed to you add $5.95) — Shipping $ _______

Total Check (Payable to The HUB Division, Inc.) Amount $ _______Your name: _____________________________________________Phone or email: __________________________________________

Mail to:Gerald Covino, TreasurerThe HUB Division, Inc.P.O. Box 672Hollis, NH 03049-0672

Orders must be received by Oct.1, Jan. 1 or Apr. 1. You willbe contacted if there are anyquestions with your order andyou will be notified when yourorder arrives. People may pickup their orders at RAILFUNmeetings or shows to avoid theadditional mailing costs. If yourequest mailing, please provideyour mailing address.

To purchase using your creditcard, email your order toTreasurer@hubdiv.org and aninvoice will be sent to you.

The HUB Division welcomes the following new members

● Jim Goldston, Needham

● Ethan Haslett, Medford

● James Kirby, Walpole

● Paul Lascari, Framingham

● Steve Muise, Haverhill

● Sarah Porter, Walpole

● Nick Torini, Charlton

● Bruce Wolfeld, Needham

Elegant Dinner Train ExcursionSaturday, May 16, 2015

Departing Hyannis Station at 5:30 PM

● Joe Brown, Stoughton

● John Canadas, Billerica

● Ralph Capalbo, Shrewsbury

● Joseph Couture, Ipswich

Please reserve ______ spaces on the Dinner Train Excursion.$69.00 per person (Price includes tax & gratuity for meal, but not beverages)Enclosed is amount of $ _________ for the following: Choice of Entrée:

Name ______________________________________ __Beef

Address ______________________________________ Chicken

City _________________ State ______ Zip ________Phone _______________ E-mail*__________________________Make checks to HUB Division, Inc. and mail to Manuel Escobar, P.O. Box 302, Norwood, MA 02062-0302Reservations and payment must be made no later than May 8, 2015.*E-mail to be used for directions, updating menu and confirmation only!

For Reservations andInformation Contact:Manuel Escobar781.718.5693 cellhubboard1@hubdiv.org e-mailFares: $69.00 / personFare includes five-course gourmetmeals, and three hour ride.v Reservations required by

May 8, 2015v Full Bar Servicev Appropriate attire

__ Fish__ Vegetarian

HUB Headlight

Page 10

HUB HeadlightVolume 31, Number 5, May - June, 2015

HUB Headlight, published by The HUB Division Inc., Northeastern Region, National Model Railroad Association, is issued in January,March, May, September and November. Contributions may be sent by email to the Editor or by mail to the Office Manager.

Headlight PrintersVersatile Printing Services, LLC

Burlington, MA

HUB Division Board of Directors

Membership: National Model Railroad Association members residing within theboundaries of The HUB Division: zip codes 01400 through 02699. (Barnstable,Dukes, Essex, Franklin, Middlesex, Nantucket, Norfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk, andWorcester counties of Massachusetts.)

Other HUB Division Leadership

PresidentJames VanBokkelen

President@hubdiv.org

Vice PresidentVacant

Debbie AmesHUBboard9@hubdiv.org

John DoehringHUBboard6@hubdiv.org

Manny EscobarHUBboard1@hubdiv.org

WebmasterDan Fretz

Webmaster@hubdiv.org

David “Shack” HaralambouHUBboard2@hubdiv.org

Membership ChairmanPeter Higgins

Membership.chairman@hubdiv.org

Dave InsleyHUBboard8@hubdiv.org

Model Train Expo Show DirectorDick Johannes

NEMTE.Director@hubdiv.org

TreasurerGerry Covino

Treasurer@hubdiv.org

SecretaryBarbara Hoblit

Secretary@hubdiv.org

Headlight EditorBill Barry

Editor@hubdiv.org

Office ManagerPete Watson

Officemanager@hubdiv.org65 Branch Road

East Bridgewater, MA 02333-1601

Railfun CoordinatorRay Barry

Railfun.coordinator@hubdiv.org

Module CoordinatorDick Ball

ModCoordinator@hubdiv.org(508) 429-1467 (leave message)

NMRA NER RepresentativeGerald Abegg

ma.nerdirector@hubdiv.org

LibrarianKen Belovarac

Librarian@hubdiv.org

Donations ChairmanRudy Slovacek

Donations@hubdiv.org

Model Train Expo Business ManagerMark Harlow

NEMTE@hubdiv.org

Public Relations DirectorTim Garner

PRDirector@hubdiv.org

NMRA AP ChairmanGerald Abegg

HUB.AP.Chair@hubdiv.org

MAP TO CAMBRIDGESCHOOL OF WESTON

GEORGECOHANBUILDING#52

PAR

KIN

G

MAP OF EXIT 27BROUTE 128/I-95

WINTER ST.

DOUBLETREEGUEST SUITES

BERTUCCI’S

WESTINHOTEL

WES

TST

GEORGIAN RD.

CSW RTE

128

/I-95

TOTTENPOND RD

WYM

AN S

TEXIT 27Bfrom the north

EXIT 27Bfrom the south

TO RTE 20,RTE 30, MASSTURNPIKE (I-90)

ADMINBLDG

0.8 MI BETWEEN DOTS

LEXI

NGTO

N ST

to a

udito

rium

PARKINGPARKING

TAKE ELEVATOR OR STAIRTO SECOND FLOORWE MEET IN ROOM G6 PA

RKING

MAP TORAILFUNMEETINGS

N

N

RAILFUN Weather / School Closure Note:If the school is closed, we will NOT have RAILFUN that evening.School closings are broadcast over the radio at WRKO 680AM andWBZ 1030AM, and on TV Channels 4, 5 and 7. The Cambridge Schoolof Weston recording is at 781-642-8600. Check the radio or TV stationsearly on the morning of RAILFUN! You can also check www.hubdiv.organd we plan to post notices on Facebook and Twitter.

Seacoast DivisionModel Railroading Night

� May 8th� June 12thMeetings are Friday night at 7 PM in theMarion Gerrish Community Center, 39West Broadway, Derry, NH. Seehttp://www.seacoastnmra.org for info.

HUB Headlight

Page 11

HEADLIGHT Subscription Form - HUB Division, Inc. - NER/NMRA

Name

Address

City State Zip

I enclose $7 for a subscription to the HUB Headlight for 2014-15.Make checks payable to:The HUB Division, Inc.Mail to: Gerry Covino, Treasurer

The HUB Division, Inc.P.O. Box 672Hollis, NH 03049-0672

To order or renew subscriptions by credit card, send an email to Treasurer@hubdiv.org and anelectronic invoice will be sent to you.

JOHN DOEMODULE GROUP

NAME TAGSWith magnetic holders

Badge and first line of printing is $11.30, plus $3.00 S&H.Each additional line is another $2.00. You may have up to threelines on your name tag.COST: __$14.30 (1 line) __$16.30 (2 lines) __$18.30 (3 lines)

First Line2nd Line3rd LineMake check payable to:The HUB Division, Inc.

Mail order to: The HUB Division Inc. P.O. Box 672 Hollis, NH 03049-0672

Send completed tag to:NAME ____________________________________STREET __________________________________CITY _____________________ST ___ ZIP ______

The HUB Division, Inc.P.O. Box 672

Hollis, NH 03049-0672It Takes All of Us Working Together!

( ) $25.00 ( ) $50.00 ( ) $100.00 ( ) Other $_________ YES, I am happy to support The HUB Division, Inc. to fosterrailroading through displays, modeling and educational opportunities tomembers and the public at large. I show support with the enclosed gift.NAME ____________________________________________________ADDRESS_________________________________________________CITY______________________STATE_______ZIP______________

To make a donation using your credit card, email Treasurer@hubdiv.org.Please make your check payable to "The HUB Division, Inc."Send your payment to the address above.

Support YourDivision!

April 2015 RAILFUN

At the April 2015 RAILFUN, Andy Reynoldsexplained how he builds craftsman kits. Heposted on the white boards examples of thedetailed instruction sheets that companies likeFine Scale Miniatures include with their kits.Andy went into detail explaining some of hisreally ingenious finishing techniques. He alsodetailed how he researched and scratch-built acranberry processing building for the HarwichMuseum.Photograph by Bill Barry

Artist Wanted for HeadlightThe Headlight is looking for someone with anartistic background willing to create linedrawings, etc. to add character to future issues.Also, the Headlight is always accepting photosand articles relating to model and prototyperailroading. Articles about model building orhome layouts would be appreciated. Pleaseemail editor@hubdiv.org.