Rio Grande

RIO GRANDE

As a busy summer ends, and Fall begins with cooler weather, and leaves falling, Division 6 members are getting ready for the RAILS ALONG THE RIO GRANDE 2017 TRAIN SHOW!

The Train Show will be held in the Sid Cutter Pilots Pavilion at Balloon Fiesta Park, with setup beginning Friday morning, November 17- show hours 9am-5pm on Saturday, and 9am-4pm on Sunday.  There will be eight operating layouts;  N-Scale, HO (2), HOn3, Lionel, TTOS, Lego, and Garden RR setup outside; and almost 30 vendors on hand with railroad related items for sale.

Events that took place this past summer included the New Mexico State Fair, where the Rio Grande Valley layout was on display for the 11 days of the fair.  

The New Mexico Steam Locomotive and Railroad Historical Society held their annual Open House for visitors to see the progress on the restoration to running condition of the ATSF Northern #2926 - getting close to firing her up! 

At the September Division 6 Meeting, Superintendent Buzz Lenander presented Al Hovey with the NMRA President's Award, given to only one member of each of the 18 Divisions in the NMRA.  The Awards were presented by NMRA President Charlie Getz in Orlando at the NMRA Convention.   The Award is presented for Outstanding Service to the Division and NMRA, and certainly Al has done that, as Founder and Leader of the Rio Grande Model RR Club, our Youth Club which now has 23 members.  He has also helped start similar clubs in Santa Fe, Salt Lake City, and Greeley.  He was Chairman for the 2013 Rails Along the Rio Grande RMR Convention and Train Show; and has been Co-Chairman of the RARG Train Show the past five years.  Congratulations Al!!!

Al Hovey & Superintendent Buzz Lenander

The programs for the meeting included a 15 minute presentation by Chris Perea and Graham Zelinski (both Youth Club members) on Amtrak in Albuquerque, followed by an airbrush weathering clinic by Buzz Lenander.  A member's Steam Locomotive was weathered.

Chris Perea (standing) and Graham Zelinski (right)

John Moore and Tad Stanley have started the Modular Layout (DCC) Project with the Youth Club.  Together they have designed the modules, and built the frames for each Youth Club member.  They also built four corner modules and a couple setup track modules.  Each boy has received their own module to take home and bring to each meeting.  The boys are responsible for painting, laying track, and wiring (with adult help) their module.  In the future, they will be doing scenery on the module.  The modules are placed on tables to be hooked together to form a large layout.

John Moore (right)

Tad Stanley (in blue t-shirt)

The New Mexico Narrow Gauge (HOn3) Club recently participated in the Narrow Gauge National Meet in Denver, and won First Place for their layout.  Fantastic!

The New Mexico Rail RunNers (NTrak N-Scale Club) has a New Clubhouse, and they are setup and running trains on a 26' X 30' modular layout.  The location is in the former Trains West Hobby Shop location, 3351A Candelaria NE in Albuquerque.  New members welcome!

Photos from NM RailRunners previous clubhouse

Rio Grande Division 6 meetings are held on the second Saturday of the odd-numbered months at the Domingo Baca Multigenerational Center at 1:00 pm.  The next meeting will be November 11, 2017 - election of officers for 2018 will take place.

Buzz Lenander 

Superintendent