Welcome

Division 12, Mid Central Region, NMRA, Inc., also known as the Alleghany Western Division, is a recently formed division of the National Model Railroad Association, located in Northwestern Pennsylvania and Southwestern New York.

For the most up-to-date information about our organization, membership meetings, or public events please use the News/Events page or search button at the bottom of this page.

 

Next Membership Meeting Event:

The March 2024 meeting event will be a joint remote Zoom meeting with WNY Division. Saturday March 9th 2024 at 9 AM. Hands-on make-and-take clinic with Jack Ellis from Bar Mills Scale Model Works. Division 12 members can attend the clinic remotely from home or attend via group Zoom at J.L. Innovative Design’s new facility at the Cow Palace near Bradford, PA. Head-count for the group Zoom was collected this pat week, however, if any Division 12 members missed the email or have had a change in plans and wish to attend, please contact Superintendent Mike Hauk at: superintendent@div12mcr.org ASAP. Link will be sent out next week.

Superintendent’s Letter for March 2024

Report from Springfield

At the end of last month, I had the opportunity to attend the annual Springfield train meet at the Eastern States Exposition Fairgrounds in West Springfield, MA. Also known as the “Amherst Show”, the full official name is “The Amherst Railway Society Railroad Hobby Show”. By most measures, the show is the largest railroad hobby show in North America, and possibly the world. There was 350,000 square feet of exhibition space in 4 buildings; straight math makes that about 8 acres. This year’s attendance of both exhibitors and attendees was 26,157, with 375 exhibitors including many manufacturers. Basically, the show is really really big. I was not really in the market for many items, but I managed to spend my fair share!

Ultimately though, I found that attending Springfield was not really about buying stuff. It was more, WAY more, about the fellowship of the hobby. I travelled to the show with Chris Costello and his team from J.L. Innovative Design and had a great time learning about the “behind the scenes” part of being a model railroad vendor and seeing all of the industry networking going on at the show. We stayed at the hotel where most of the folks from the “AML Podcast” were staying and got to know many fun people who I had only known previously in a “virtual” sense through the podcast. I also ran into a number of people who I only get to socialize with infrequently at various conventions, and it was like “old home week” visiting with them. In addition, I was able to briefly chat with some “industry bigs” about various topics, including Otto Vondrak from RMC, Bill Schneider from Rapido Trains, and Lucy Dormont from the NMRA.

I mention a few “big” names not to brag, but to illustrate how easy it is to meet and network and become friends with others in the hobby including some of the so-called movers-and-shakers. For that reason alone, I would have had a blast at Springfield even if I hadn’t bought a thing! It’s easy to be a lone-wolf in this hobby, especially with all the information online on YouTube, etc. But lone-wolfing it means you’re missing out on a big part of the hobby which is fellowship. So, I recommend you get out there, go to a big show or a convention or two, and make some new friends!

Mike Hauk

Superintendent, Division 12, MCR

 

Current Builder’s Plate newsletter available here.

Current Mid-Central Region Kingpin newsletter available here.

 

Know of any train shows in Western Pennsylvania, Western New York, or North East Ohio? Please send them to me at webeditor@div12mcr.org

  Allegheny Western Facebook Page or Facebook Group

 National Model Railroad Association

 Mid Central Region