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great hobby

The sHOw Modular Model Railroad Club
Bowling Green, Kentucky

MILEPOSTS

The sHOw MODULAR MODEL RAILROAD CLUB formed in 1993. Membership is composed of persons from Southern Kentucky and Northern Tennessee. Meetings normally occur on the first Saturday at the Historic Railpark and Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Beginning in 2000, the club has won three Best of Show and one Second Prize in the Great American Train Show at Nashville, Tennessee. The show sponsors model train expos at many locations and has a Train Show and Sale each year in February. A permanent 20 x 30 foot layout was begun in 2008 at the Museum. New members are welcome.

1993

Mike Dowell talks to John Warren Oakes about shared interests in model railroading. They decide to form a club. Oakes places a call for members in the 1993 Model Railroader magazine. Charles Hogan of Park City, KY and Jay Jones of Bowling Green answer the call. Both are veteran model railroaders. After many phone conversations, plans for a club are developed and a location is selected. A new hobby shop in Bowling Green - Hobby Crossing - offers space for the first meeting which is convened November 6, 1993. Owners are Aaron and Shauna Boggess

Persons attending the first meeting: Joe Bailey, Mike Dowell, Charles Hogan, Jay Jones, John Warren Oakes, Hans F. Schell, and Edie Stine.

Oakes builds a model of the Louisville and Nashville Passenger Depot in one month.

Likewise, Jay Jones builds the first module by the next meeting.

Club standards, by-laws and constitution planned.

Constitution approved.

Rumsie Butler donates funds to get the club started.

Officers elected:
President: Michael K. Dowell
Vice-President: Brent Arritt
Secretary-Treasurer: Tracy reynolds
Events Coordinator: Charles Hogan

Oakes begins publishing the sHOw NEWSLETTER

1994

Charter members: Brent Arritt, Bruce Baggett, Joe Bailey, David Boyd, Rumsie Butler, Frank Chelf, Michael Dowell, Charles Hogan, Jay Jones, Boyd F. Jordan, Jr., John Warren Oakes, Chuck O'Conner, Tracy Reynolds, Paul Schnoes, Sonny Spillman, Eddie Stine, Neal Toms, Bruce Wilson, John Welther.

Oakes designs club logo.

John Welther, professional engine painter and author of numerous articles in Model Railroading and Railroad Model Craftsman magazines, moves to area from California and joins club.

First EXPO at Plaza Shopping Center in empty store in April. Space donated by Michael Buchanon.

Jack Brown joins.

Hans Schell joins.

EXPO at Rolling Fork Iron Horse Festival at New Haven, KY in September.

Members ride L & N steam engine #152 at New Haven at the annual club picnic and train ride.

Club meets first Saturdays for business and module building. Third Thursdays are devoted to running trains at members' home layouts. Paul Schnoes hosts club in August for the first of these meetings.

Master machinist Sonny Spillman leads construction of modules at his son's barn in Barren County.

In October, Rumsie Butler hosted a slide show and videos of the L & N at this home.

David Boyd, Frank Chelf, John Warren Oakes and John Welther named as Trustees of the club for a two year term.

EXPO at L & N Passenger Depot at lighting of the tree ceremony after the Christmas parade. Club helps clean depot interior prior to the EXPO.

EXPO at Western Kentucky University's Center for Economic Development with bussing of school children from area schools.

Hobby Crossing store moves to larger store on Campbell Lane. Donates an IHC building as a door prize at November meeting.

By-laws and standards approved.

Letters of Incorporation filed.

Construction of a club trailer started.

Dowell publishes article on Bowling Green Railraod History in the Newsletter.

TOP

1995

T-shirts printed with club logo.

Butler offers space at Butler Motors to set up modules, run trains and work on modules.

Watching slide shows and videos of model railroading voted top activity in a club survey; next was workshops, L & N historical reports - third choice, followed by railfanning , photographing trains. making modules and way down the list was running trains. (Strange but true.)

Officers elected:
John Welther, President
David Boyd, Vice-President
Rumsie Butler, Secretary-Treasurer
Paul Schnoes, Events Coordinator
Dowell replaces Welther on the Board of Directors.

EXPO at Bardstown Doll, Toy and Train exhibit in February.

March home layout visit hosted by Schnoes.

April home layout visit hosted by Welther. Welther begins home layout. Members help.

May home layout visit hosted by Oakes. Oakes begins home layout. Members help.

Plans for scratchbuilding a water tank located at Horse Cave, KY published by Charles Hogan in Newsletter.

Ricky Huff joins.

Jay Jones and Oakes revise standards for club.

Schnoes elected President of the L & N Depot Development Authority.

Prospects for a permanent layout discussed.

Welther and Hogan ran trains with the Cumberland Division, Southeastern Region of the NMRA at the Tennessee State Fair.

EXPO in Park City, KY Labor Day Weekend Festivities.

President Welther attended the NMRA convention in California. He gave a clinic on General Electric modern locomotive production. Welther's models of diesels won 1st and 3rd prizes in the Railroad Prototype Modelers contest.

EXPO at Rolling Fork Train Festival in New Haven, KY

Layout featured in the Fall 1995 Cumberland Division Meet at the Exhibitors Building of the Tennessee State Fairgrounds in Nashville. 1700 visit the display. Welther won 1st prizes in Model Train and Model Engine.

Members help clean and paint interior of the L & N Depot.

Beauty of the Southland video produced by Peridot Productions.

TOP

1996

Officers include:
President: David Boyd
Vice-President: Paul Jones
Secretary: John Warren Oakes
Treasurer: Rumsie Butler
Events Coordinator: Charles Hogan

Club prints and distributes a tri-fold brochure describing the club and membership application.

EXPO presented in May at the Western Kentucky University Institute for Economic Development and Public Service in May. 1500 attend.

Hogan leads a railfanning trip from Glendale up 31-W to Louisville and back.

Plans discussed for a HO layout for the Hobby Crossing store.

Workshop on weathering buildings and rolling stock given by Boyd at Hobby Crossing.

Workshop on scenery using Sculptmold and ceiling tile to model limestone outcroppings given by Oakes at his home layout.

EXPO at Park City Labor Day Festival.

Bruce Simmons joins Hobby Crossing staff.

Hobby Crossing closes August 10th.

Club begins meetings at Butler Moters in Bowling Green in August.

Rebel Rails donates T-shirts with club logos.

Schnoes announces that bids are out for external renovation of the depot in Bowling Green.

Dale Gray joins.

Club buys Aristocraft throttles.

John Allen's Gorre & Daphetid Model Railroad and George Selio's Franklin & South Manchester Model Railroad videos shown at meeting at Western Kentucky University's Fine Arts Center.

Two pieces of 3/16" Luann board topped by 1/8" Vinylbed substituted for Homosote roadbed in new module standards. 6" spacers causing problems connecting modules.

Baggett and Spillman begin construction of club yard.

Baggett, Butler and Spillman contribute funds to keep the club going.

Michael Swift joins.

EXPO at the Barren River Imaginative Museum of Science in Bowling Green in December.

1997

Officers elected in April:

President: Paul Jones
Vice-President: Mike Dowell
Secretary: John Waren Oakes
Treasaurer: Rumsie Butler
Events Coordinator: Neal Toms

Revised module standards approved.

Welther and Oakes write articles for Model Railroad News. Both join Editorial Board.

Permanent interactive layout planned for the Barren River Imaginative Museum of Science in Bowling Green.

Spillman makes his new shop available for construction of modules.

Begins his new home layout.

Module kits made available for the first time.

Willard Thomas ( "Mr. Model Railroader") joins.

Matthew Muckler of Glasgow joins.

Hogan deposits club's historical report with Welther.

BRIMS layout designed and contract let.

Members attend the Great American Train Show at Louisville.

EXPO presented in May at the Western Kentucky University Institute for Economic Development in Bowling Green. 1700 attend. Club featured in Daily News article.

HOBBYTOWN USA opens local franchise at NEXUS in Bowling Green.

Rumsie Butler dies in August.

BRIMS layout approved and constructed by December.

Work sessions every Thursday night at Spillman's shop.

Vernon Hadden of Auburn joins.

EXPO presented at the Kentucky Museum on the campus of Western Kentucky University in July. Kentucky Governor Paul Patton attends.The EXPO was part of the Warren County Bicentennial.

Oakes buils a 1:12 scale model caboose which brings donations to the club for the event.

Club promotional video shown on TKR cable.

Operation Lifesaver presents program at the May EXPO.

Group purchasing plan places orders for discounts and shipping reductions twice a year.

Baggett prints revised standards.

Outside restoration of the L & N Depot completed. Interior work begun.

Kenneth Crowe of Allen County joins.

Welther moves to St. Louis area.

EXPO presented at the Auburn, Kentucky Library and Museum in September.

Baggett and Spillman begin construction of a 4 module club yard.

TOP

1998



Officers elected:
President: Paul Jones
Vice-President: Michael Dowell
Secretary: Bruce Baggett
Treasurer: Willard Thomas

Vernon Hadden dies in January.

Baggett becomes new publisher of the club Newsletter.

BRIMS museum layout opens officially during Warren County Bicentennial event in March. A list of all who worked on the display along with photographs and our club brochure were included in the time capsule buried March 7th, 1998.

EXPO presented at the Kentucky Museum in April.

EXPO presented at the Cumberland Open House in October.

TOP

1999

Club creates new corners.

Officers elected:

President: Paul Jones
Vice-President:
Secretary: Bruce Baggett
Treasurer: Willard Thomas

EXPO presented at the Auburn, Kentucky in September.

EXPO presented at the Tennessee Central Train Museum's Trains of Christmas Show in December.

TOP

2000

EXPO presented at the Auburn, Kentucky in September.

TOP

2001

Officers elected:

President: Paul Jones
Vice-President:
Secretary: Bruce Baggett
Treasurer: Willard Thomas

New club corners built.

Code 100 nickel siver track becomes new standard.

EXPO at Barnes & Noble Booksellers in Bowling Green Memorial Day Weekend.

EXPO at the Great American Train Show in Nashville wins Best of Show.

Hans Schell dies in May.

EXPO at Auburn.

EXPO at the L & N Depot in Bowling Green during the holidays.

TOP

2002

Officers elected:

President: Paul Jones
Vice-President:
Secretary: Bruce Baggett
Treasurer: Willard Thomas

First Annual Train Show & Sale at K of C Hall.

EXPO at the Great American Train Show in Nashville wins 2nd Prize.

EXPO at Barnes & Noble Booksellers in Bowling Green Memorial Day Weekend.

EXPO at Auburn.

EXPO at the L & N Depot in Bowling Green at Festival of Trains during the holidays.

 

2003

Officers Elected:

President: David Boyd
Vice-President: Joe Crain
Secretary: Richard Knapp
Treasurer: Paul Schnoes

Events Coordinator: Rex Easterly / John Warren Oakes

2nd Annual Train Show & Sale at K of C Hall.

Purchased club trailer.

EXPO at the Great American Train Show in Nashville wins Best of Show.

EXPO at L & N Depot Rail Fest in May.

EXPO at Barnes & Noble Booksellers in Bowling Green Memorial Day Weekend.

EXPO at Auburn.

EXPO at the L & N Depot in Bowling Green during the holidays.

TOP

2004

Officers Elected:

President: David Boyd
Vice-President: Joe Crain
Secretary: Richard Knapp
Treasurer: Paul Schnoes

Events Coordinator: Bruce Baggett / John Warren Oakes

3nd Annual Train Show & Sale at Bowling Green Sloan Convention Center. 1000 persons attend.

EXPO at the Great American Train Show in Nashville wins Best of Show. Dowell and Spillman conduct workshops.


2005

2006

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2007

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2008

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2009

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2010