Fellow Model Railroad Enthusiasts Invited to Free, RAIL FUN Event

DEDHAM, MA - The National Model Railroad Association’s HUB Division has trundled its way back to Dedham’s Mother Brook Community Arts Center at 123 High Street for its monthly Rail Fun meeting on Friday January 21st at 8pm. Established over 60 years ago, Boston’s HUB Division was launched “to promote and support the model railroading hobby.” The group encourages anyone interested in model trains to attend this free event, where they can meet fellow train hobbyists and learn invaluable tips and skills from seasoned experts.

The event will feature acclaimed model railroad engineering expert James van Bokkelen who will be giving a slide show lecture on how to design and wire up track signaling hardware and electronics on model railroad layouts. Van Bokkelen’s colleague, avid model railroader, Pete Watson is also expected to share his real-word train signaling experiences while working on the Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad as a locomotive engineer.

Prior to the official meeting, the group will gather at 6pm to enjoy drinks and dinner at Horse Thieves Tavern at 585 High Street, Dedham, MA. Horse Thieves Tavern co-owner Chris Lutes is thrilled to welcome the group, “Events like the HUB Division bring people from all across New England to Dedham, which is critical for supporting our local economy - especially as pandemic conditions continue to place significant pressures on all restaurateurs.”

The HUB Division formally established Rail Fun nights in 1996. Rail Fun is an informal get-together that offers presentations and hands-on clinics teaching a variety of modeling techniques or prototype railroad topics. The evening is open to both members and the public. Organizers say that “Rail Fun is a time to socialize, meet new members and potential new members, discuss hot model railroading topics, help each other with our favorite tips, and is, as the name implies, just a lot of fun!”

Some hands-on Rail Fun clinics held over the past few seasons included making trees, weathering freight cars, making rock formations using rock molds and geodesic foam, and an entire multi-part series on construction and scenery building. The HUB Division has had presentations on the construction of the Hoosic Tunnel, as well as the latest in Digital Command Control (DCC) sound technology and products. Rail Fun clinics and presentations are usually given by HUB members and sometimes by invited clinicians, but anyone can give a clinic.

In the past, the 400-member HUB Division group hosted its meetings at the Cambridge School in Weston, but due to the pandemic concerns, the school is no longer accommodating outside school facility rentals. Andy Reynolds, part of the HUB Division leadership team notes, “We’ve really appreciated how Mother Brook Arts and Community Center has worked with us to accommodate our needs during these difficult times. It’s now looking like we’ve found a permanent home for group, which will bring back some consistency back into our meetings,:

For more information about the HUB Division and how to join: www.hubdiv.org. For those interested in joining the NMRA and the HUB Division for the first time, the charge is only $50 for the first year of full NMRA membership, which includes a subscription to the NMRA Magazine.

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