Monthly Newsletter of O Scale Central
(O Scale Central)
June, 2022
Over the past year, O Scale Central has expanded from communicating with our members
through a single monthly President’s Newsletter posted on the website to having the Scale-wide
Product and Service Guide ® (oscaleinfo.com) and articles introducing O Scale and how to get
started, a quarterly online Journal (the Coupler) and a regular Online Program (O Scale Central
Online).
We are also changing our trade name from “O Scale Central” to “O Scale Central” to
better communicate our connective mission. That change should be complete within the next
couple of months.
With the exception of the O Scale 2 Rail Product Guide and introductory/getting started
articles, which are provided as a service to the Scale (including OSC members) and regularly
updated, all of our communications are Members-only benefits.
Our next O Scale Central Online will be held on Saturday, June
11th at 3:00 p.m. Eastern. We use Zoom. You should have received an
invitation. The Zoom meeting number is 899 7916 7816 and the Zoom
meeting passcode is 921119. This event is OSK members only, but if you
want to share with a buddy, we won’t tell. The program will be
rebroadcast on our YouTube channel for those who miss the live show
(https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjnvhPTSsJiU8NdBDiq1EYw).
The June 11th program includes an interview with Ross Dando of Twin Star Cars. Ross is
producing high quality resin and cutting-edge 3D printed kits and parts. He will tell us what he is
doing, how it works, and where this part of OS2R is going. We will also get an update from our
own John Wubbel on the revival of the All-Nation Line. Bob Kjelland will bring us up to date on
the 2023 O Scale National Convention (see below). We make time for audience questions.
The next issue of the Coupler – our third – is due out July 15th. Editor Al Askerberg is
pulling together interesting features and topical articles. Watch for it
in your email. The deadline for submission of articles is June 30th.
We are always looking for good stories and photos. Send yours to
secretary@oscalekings.org.
In order to better keep you connected, we are adding the
Drawbar, which will be a monthly newsletter-format publication to
connect the OS2R community. This is the first issue. You are
welcome. Shorter and punchier than the quarterly Coupler, The
Drawbar will be issued on months that The Coupler is not issued.
So July, no. But August, September, yes. The Drawbar will focus
more on current events. As with all of our projects, we are eager to include information, articles
and pictures from you. Something neat happen? Share it. Ideas? Share them. This organization
belongs to you. Email you contributions and comments to President@OScaleCentral.org. Thanks.
Part of the job for all of us in the OS2R community is to show off our
great scale at all scale shows, conventions, RPM Meets, and NMRA meetings.
Direct contact, clinics and open houses are part of the fun. The next great
OS2R opportunity will be the NMRA National Convention in St. Louis
August 8-14, 2022. Check it out at NMRA 2022 St. Louis Convention.
OSC – we are the NMRA’s designated OS2R group – will be at the NMRA National with
an information table, sectional layout (Tony Koester’s Wingate Model Railroader project
layout), John Russell’s great OS2R Rock Island layout, John Garavagha’s OS2R MoPac 1955
layout, the Big Bend Model Railroad Club – also OS2R – and Brain Huang’s OS2R tabletop
layout in the National Train Show. The Convention is a great opportunity to learn about many
all-scale topics, visit layouts, visit the National Train Show and see old and new friends.
Speaking of NMRA, the May NMRA Magazine featured a story titled O Positive: the
Case for O Scale Two Rail. All of NMRA’s 10,000 members got a direct hit of OS2R. Thanks to
NMRA for the plug! NMRA has graciously allowed us to reprint the article for noncommercial
use. Here is the link to read and reprint the article (https://oscalecentral.com/o-positive-thecase-
for-o-scale-2-rail/).
We are also revving up for the O Scale National
Convention in Denver to be held on June 8-11, 2023.
Colorado is railfan paradise. The 2021 O Scale National
Convention was a success, but COVID and time and
resource limitations put a crimp in what Bob Kjelland
and his crew could do. This time (2023!), the plan is to
pick up on what we couldn’t get done during the
pandemic and do it the ways we hoped for. By the way,
Michelle Kempema led there a fantastic post-
Convention (extra fare, sorry) Colorado Railroad tour, which she is going to replicate for 2023.
This will be a destination event, well worth the time and cost. Save the dates. Check out the
website (oscalenational.com). Lobby your spouse. It’s gonna be great!
And finally, this month’s Drawbar feature is to highlight the OS2R presence at the recent
Indy Junction Convention. Eric Peterson, whose fingerprints are all over the successful OS2R
presence at that event, passed on the following report:
Three NMRA Regions (Midwest, Mid Central, and North Central) along with the
Chicago area Railroad Prototype Modelers (RPM) combined for a Convention held from May 18
through May 22, 2022 at the Indianapolis Marriott East. Convention attendance was
approximately 500; another 300 came for the train show over the weekend. Most attendees were
in scales other than OS2R. Or, as we call them, “potential converts”.
O Scale Central supported the Convention and worked to expand the visibility of O Scale 2
Rail modeling. David Vaughn presented two clinics: “O Scale – A Fresh Look” and “John
Armstrong: His Model Railroad Life and Contributions.” Eric Peterson presented a clinic:
“Model Railroad Wiring Tips and Tricks – One Wire at a Time.” Each of the clinics was
presented twice. Each emphasized the OS2R roots of the presenters and the subjects. About 100
modelers attended the different clinics. The OS2R introduction included a free kit for non-O
Scalers attending to try their hands in the Scale. “We are so sure you’re going to love O Scale
that we are going to give you a free kit to start!” The kits – mostly InterMountain boxcars – were
donated for the cause; no OSK funds were involved. The kits were well-received by attendees.
Five 1/48 model railroads were open to visitors during the Convention: Jim Canter (P48
42’ x 72’ NKP/PRR/C&O); Warner Clark (P48 Maumee Basin Lines (NKP)); Jeff & Darcy
Lang (O Scale PRR multiple tracks long trains); Eric Peterson (O Scale, 19’ x 41’ CSX
predecessors back to steam); and Jon Silverberg (On30 D&RGW 22’ x 27’).
In addition, Jim Canter’s 8’ x 16’ sectional P48 layout (who
says you have to have a huge room to model in OS2R?) was set up
in the hotel atrium near registration for all attendees to see. Special
thanks to P48 coordinator Paul Hanson and to Jim Canter for their
hard work. We distributed OSK flyers and copies of the NMRA
Magazine article at the layout.
The Convention included train shows Friday afternoon, Saturday and Sunday. OS2R
vendors at the show included Bill McConnell from O Scale Turnouts along with his display
layout sections. Larry Stanley came from All Board Trains showing his working hand throw
switch stands and lighting kits. Ted Schnepf from Rails Unlimited had several tables with lots of
OS2R and Wit and Wisdom Models showed its John Armstrong Nighthawks kits in scales
including O.
This was a great experience. It was fun to show off our scale and fun for those involved
to work together. Between the clinics, open houses and on-site sectional layouts everyone at the
Convention got an OS2R orientation. Additional pictures and information are available on the
website: https://www.indyjunction2022.org/
Our contact information is available on the https://oscalecentral.com/ website. We
welcome your feedback. We welcome reports on other gatherings both informal and organized,
and we welcome additional volunteers to work with these and other activities of benefit to the
Two Rail O Scale community. Is there something you would like OSC to feature and are willing
to work on the development and implementation?
Thanks for reading. Happy OS2R Modeling!
David Vaughn, President O Scale Central
president@oscalekings.org