When I moved to a new city in my twenties I searched for local model railroaders and joined a live steam (7.25” gauge) club. A digital camera and a willingness to write led me to author a half-dozen or so articles on various aspects of the 1:8 scale trains including prototypical operation with car cards and the nuances of various steam locomotive designs. When I realized that I could use these towards my Model Railroad Author certificate I decided to try for my MMR. It was quickly earned but since I only had a tiny home layout which was still in the plywood stage my journey stalled for a while.
When we bought a new home years later I based my next HO layout based on the Delaware and Hudson in Albany, NY in 1984. I made sure to incorporate as many Model Railroad Engineer – Civil and Model Railroad Engineer – Electrical elements as I could so to earn both certificates at the same time. This included installing a turntable, super-elevating curves, and adding block control even though I didn’t really need them.
Scratchbuilding track scared me because everything seemed fiddly and small, but when I found a stash of LGB track buried away I decided to handlay a turnout using this large code 332 rail based on an article in a magazine. I had to learn some new skills along the way, like how to handle a blowtorch without burning down the house, but I managed. Spiking rail is fun when you can easily handle the spikes. A diamond crossing based on a Fast Tracks template and a gauntlet track soon followed and before I new it, I had my two certificates.
Around this time local modeler Bob Hamm (MMR #322) offered to teach classes at his house on how to develop modeling skills. I jumped at the opportunity and started scratchbuilding an O scale D&H bobber caboose. This was selected for its simplicity and larger size which would make it easier to form parts. It took a year or so to finish but it was my first scratchbuilt car. Bob taught me a lot along the way but stressed most of all making the parts yourself if possible. He was right. It was fun, it led to more merit points, and it allowed me to more closely replicate the prototype.
I decided that I wanted the challenge of scratchbuilding alleight cars instead of modifying commercial kits. But that would be a lot of work, so I searched for something that would be easy to build. I found the NMRA Lone Star Region’s website which has excellent tutorials scratchbuilding flatcars. I used those instructions to build a pair of cars with custom loads. With those done, I wanted to push myself so I took what I learned on how to build frames an made a Borden “butterdish” tank car with a styrene-over-wood-former body; a B&M steel milk express car complete with fabricated plug doors, corrugated ends, and paneled roof; and a shortline MOW boxcar/flatcar. Jumping scales again, I built a Great Western Railway cattle wagon in OO scale and a Maine two-foot gauge ice cream dairy reefer in On2. This dabbling in O scale would come back to haunt me later on.
I insisted the Bob Hamm and another mentor, Kevin Surman (MMR #528), conduct the merit judging on my cars. They are very skilled modelers but also very tough, and I knew if they passed my cars that I must have done something right. All eight earned merit awards and my Master Builder – Cars certificate was done.
That winter I told my friend Irwin Nathanson (another accomplished modeler) that I wouldn’t work on Master Builder – Structures because my current HO layout wasn’t the right place to put them. Then I realized I could build each structure on a cheap wooden base and set them in my display case. This gave me freedom to do lots of different things and I was off to the races. I made a list of things I wanted to try: full interior detailing; lighting effects; a farm scene to pay homage to my wife’s family; several wood structures (I prefer working in styrene); a model based on a local industry; a structure in N scale so that I could appreciate how much of a challenge it is to work in the smaller scale; a church to pay homage to my Christian faith; a structure based on plans by noted draftsman Harold Russell; etc. I also decided that all twelve would be scratchbuilt, but I wouldn’t superdetail them all. Then I combed through magazines for plans and drew up others myself.
I started with what I considered the hardest building first: a brick warehouse with multiple levels and angles and a huge billboard sign painted on one wall. It was based on a picture in a railroad book and still existed near my house. It took several years to build and it barely squeaked by merit judging (it was too modern and “simple”) but that was good to know for the future.
A wooden house on a hill; a rustic tar-paper shack; a milk station; a fully detailed gas station with interior; a wooden coal trestle; a church; an “uncovered” railroad bridge; a big red barn with full interior detail; an N scale maintenance of way station; a hobby shop complete with fiber optic and LED lighting effects; and a wood and steel sandhouse based on my favorite shortline followed.
Unfortunately, I only earned three merit awards but two more were very close and Bob and Kevin offered excellent suggestions on how to improve them. This was done to get me to five merit awards. But I knew I needed to build one more structure that would “wow” them and it was obvious they loved old wooden buildings. Hence, my decision that the Hamm & Surman Lumber Company needed a new wooden board-by-board engine house for its steam locomotive #13 (it was my 13th structure). It worked and I had my certificate.
My Chief Dispatcher certificate was possible thanks to the work of Doug Dederick, who organizes “OpTober” operating sessions on various local layouts every year. It took me five years to get enough credits, but they slowly added up. One stumbling block was that I didn’t have a home layout that I could serve as Dispatcher on, and you need those hours. Who would open up their layout to a complete newbie and let them Dispatch it for 10 hours? My friend John Valachovic did, and without his help I never would have earned it.
My last certificate was Association Volunteer and it was perhaps the most rewarding as it involved me assisting with my local Division, and at the National level, with train shows, open houses, and other events. I met a lot of great people and interacting with the public who wanted to learn more about model trains and the NMRA as an organization was very enjoyable. I never thought I would talk with NMRA President Gordy Robinson about British Railways and other such things (another interest of mine).
The MMR process was a lot of fun and it pushed me to learn new skills. Wiring, soldering (torching?), scratchbuilding craftsman style structures, researching and drawing scale plans, handlaying track… all of it was because of this program. One of the only good things about the pandemic was that I had a lot more free time to work on this.
I worked in multiple scales (N, HO, OO, On2, O, G, and 1:8) to accomplish the certificates. Most of my builds are online at my blog which serves as a diary of my efforts and may help someone in the future learn things to do (and not do). I also discovered a love for superdetailing and building larger models, and my new layout is O scale “hirail” with three-rail track because of this. My toddler son also loves my trains and is already becoming a model railroader himself. It is a really fun hobby!
Certificates Earned:
Model Railroad Author
Model Railroad Engineer – Civil
Model Railroad Engineer – Electrical
Master Builder – Cars
Master Builder – Structures
Chief Dispatcher
Association Volunteer
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