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ANNUAL REPORT - 2008

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE CAROLINA SOUTHERN DIVISION 12
MID-EASTERN REGION, NMRA
FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR 2008
(As of 1/20/09) 

OFFICERS
Elected Positions

 Appointed Positions 

CHARITABLE AND EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES:

The Division continued to restore Wade's Train Town, a display layout built in a room of the Brookford Town Hall. Many of the scenes on the layout have been reconstructed guided by the photographs taken when restoration began.  The Division has been hosting open houses monthly on the second Saturday of every month.

·        We held 11 open houses and hosted approximately 634 visitors in 2009. Since our Grand Re-Opening in 2006, over 1,500 folks have viewed the layout.

·        Restoration has encompassed about one half of the layout.

§         The residential area and carnival are complete, including lights.

The downtown area is 75 % complete.

The outside mainline is 66% ballasted.

·        During the year, ten persons put in 420 manhours of restoration work.

§         Three persons have contributed 70% of this level of effort.

·        Since the project began, 32 persons have put in at least 1 hour working on the project.

§         Many of these have not worked since 2006.

Six persons worked in 2007.

Nine persons worked in 2008.

Total hours worked are approximately 1,513.

·        Cash donations have been approximately $905 over the two years we have held open houses.

§         All of this, except about $70 currently in the donation jar, has been expended on materials and supplies.

We have outstanding obligations for approximately $90 for materials and supplies purchased, but not reimbursed.

·        We will continue to hold work sessions on the second and fourth Thursday evenings (6:30 – 9 pm) of each month and open houses on the second Saturday (10 am – 4 pm) of each month during the coming year.

The Help Line on the Division web site responded to four requests.  Two were for help in valuing and selling a collection, one for help in layout design and construction, and one for help in getting a DCC system started up.

NEWSLETTER

Each year, the Division plans to publish 4-5 issues of the Brass Pounder, our newsletter. In 2008, 5 issues have been published.  Almost all distribution to members and friends is by posting an Adobe .pdf format file on the Division website and sending an email with the link and notice that it is available. The newsletter currently has a distribution of about 160. The Brass Pounder contains reports of previous meetings, the schedule for future division meetings and other events of interest, other pertinent news, and modeling articles.
 

FUTURE DIRECTIONS:

The Carolina Southern Division plans to continue meetings on a bi-monthly basis, approximately 6 times per year. Meeting host sites will be a mix of home layouts, clubs, and prototype. Another RMU will be conducted in February, 2009.

DIVISION WEB SITE ADDRESSES:

The Division maintains a web site at http://www.bytedesign.com/CSDiv/ . The same site is now also accessible through http://www.carolinasouthern.org .   The division's activities, newsletters and AP progress are displayed along with other information helpful to the division membership. There is an email link for visitors to ask questions or seek help on model railroad related topics.

MEMBERSHIP:

Membership increased by eleven during 2008 from 73 to 84. There are also five NMRA members from outside the Division's geographic area who receive the newsletter and attend some Division events.

FINANCIAL STATUS:

We have had expenses of $916.39 over the past year. Income received was $797.90 from the Region, RMU, and donations and our current balance is $522.16.

DIVISION EVENTS:

The Division began meeting almost every month in 2008. Meetings included visits to nearby club layouts, home layouts and display layouts. In September, the Division scheduled a Railroad Modeling University (RMU) at a local church hall. However, it was cancelled due to the lack of response.  Another RMU is currently being planned by two members of the division for February, 2009.

ACHIEVEMENT PROGRAM:

Our Division has been making progress in the AP program. This past year we awarded:

1 – Golden Spike

1 – Volunteer

1 – Scenery

1 – Civil Engineer

1 – Electrical Engineer

1 – Chief Dispatcher

For the year 2009, we have members working towards 13 more Achievement Program Awards, including one member who may become a Master Model Railroader as he is working on his 7th  award.

CONVENTION ACTIVITY:

Eight members attended the MER Regional Convention in Reston, VA. Two members presented clinics there. Two members attended the National Convention in Anaheim, CA and presented several clinics. 7 more members are planning to attend the National Convention in Hartford, CT , again presenting several clinics.

Submitted by
Jack Haynes, Clerk

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