2012 NMRA Convention - Grand Rapids logo
national train show

Welcome to a Celebration of Models, Photos, and Crafts

contest

We on the National Contest Staff have been working hard to put into place an interesting and varied program for the Hartford. And, like last year we are premiering several new events to add a few more entrees to the menu. You may also have noticed that we changed our name to “A Celebration of Models, Photos & Crafts” because it’s so much more than just the “Contest” of years ago with a menu of events from technically judged to popular vote to show and tell. It is not just about who wins, but also about sharing our accomplishments, discussing techniques, teaching and learning and perhaps most important encouraging and inspiring each other.

In Anaheim we added the People’s Choice Awards, a direct entry, pop vote contest and the Model Showcase, a non-competitive, display-only event for complete or in process models. Both have minimal paperwork. For Hartford we are adding: a Kit Built Contest to run in parallel with the regular Scratch Built contest; “An Afternoon of Meet the Modeler, Photographer, & Crafter” comprising a show & tell for all entrants and attendees on Tuesday and a Thursday morning score review period for the judged contest (Kit and Scratch) to allow contestants to discuss and ask questions of the judges and staff which will be followed by the awards ceremony in the afternoon.

Whichever you choose, we on the National Staff take our jobs very seriously and are dedicated to bringing you a positive and rewarding experience. It makes no difference to us whether you are a well known veteran or a first timer, you and your entry will be treated with care and respect.

This year in the Judged Model Contest we have two parallel classes, Scratch built and  kit built. Both are judged using a well defined, matrix-based point system administered by experienced judges following the AP Judging Guidelines. Your model is evaluated against these criteria rather than one model against another. We are blind to scale, gauge, road name, type of model and methods and materials of construction. We regard only what you have set out to model and how well you succeeded. In addition, we provide positive feedback in each of five areas stressing how you can improve your skills. Judges and staff will be available Thursday morning during the new new score review period to answer questions and chat with you.

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The People’s Choice Awards and Model Showcase provide nice alternatives to the judged events and are intended to be a little more casual. Types of entries include model, photo and this year we will including the entire Arts & Crafts contest under the People’s Choice Awards popular vote umbrella. Paperwork is minimal in either case, regardless of who you are or what the entry. The winners of all People’s Choice Awards are selected by your fellow attendees by popular vote. The more impressive your entry, the more votes it gets.

The Showcase is just for fun. Bring your model to share, whether complete or in process, and new for this year is the Tuesday pm “An Afternoon of Meet the Modeler, Photographer and Crafter”, a meet and greet, show and tell activity for entries in the showcase as well as all other events to foster a dynamic exchange of ideas, inspiration and encouragement to entrants and attendees alike.

We sincerely hope one of these events will stir your blood and get you excited enough to bring an entry. But read on there is much more including a note from Director Charlie Getz, help with the contest forms, the who, what and where of the contest and finally the detailed rules and judging guidelines for all of the contest events. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call, write or email me.


My e-mail address is: contest@hq.nmra.org.

My Postal address:

Bob Hamm
NMRA National Contest Chairman
460 Grand Ave.
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

 

Thanks!

Bob Hamm, MMR
NMRA National Contest Chairman