Estes Valley

ESTES VALLEY DIVISION

Winter is here, snow from well before Christmas still lies in the shade of our patio roof. Spring will not come until March 21st, and that date does not guarantee warm weather. Model railroading is a four-season hobby, where the activity takes place moves around a bit as the seasons change.

The December joint meeting of the Estes Valley Division and the Estes Valley Model Railroaders celebrated the season with a pot luck party.

This photo shows the preparation of the serving table being loaded with holiday goodies.

The call to “PLATE UP!” has been issued and the crew loads up with the carefully prepared culinary delights.

This photo of Estes Valley members and visitors shows only one of the three tables that filled the Hondius Room at the Estes Park Library.

The January 2016 joint meeting of the Estes Valley Division and the Estes Valley Model Railroaders welcomed a visit from electrical wizard Joe Baldwin.  Joe presented a video tour of his layout and illustrated description of this Arduino powered animation and layout structure lighting displays.

Joe Baldwin, Mr. Wizard

These are some of Mr. Wizard’s electrical toys

The electronics that Joe told the group about are an exciting aspect of the hobby. The entrepreneur that reduces them to useful practice will find modelers beating a path to his (or her) door shouting “Here, TAKE MY MONEY!”

Estes Valley people take Rails in the Rockies© quite seriously and have been working for some time on a surprise that they hope to have on display at this year’s show at the Estes Park Conference center, February 13th and 14th. I hope to see many there and am anxious to participate in “SHARING KNOW-HOW” as our friends in the British Region say.

Friendship, helping each other, and sharing knowledge are hallmarks of the hobby and of the NMRA. That is our purpose in the Estes Valley Division.