The Chesapeake Division

NMRA National Convention Station No. VI
2025-07-14 - 2025-07-19 | Sheraton Detroit Novi, 21111 Haggerty Rd, Novi, MI, 48375, United States
2025 NMRA National Convention hosted by the North Central Region of the NMRA.
Open to ALL model railroaders. You do not have to be an NMRA member to attend.

MCR Convention
2025-05-15 - 2025-05-18 | Embassy Suites Dublin, OH, 5100 Upper Metro Place, Dublin, OH, 43017, United States

The Great Scale Model Train Show
2025-05-04 09:00 - 15:00, 2025-05-03 09:00 - 17:00, 2025-02-02 09:00 - 15:00, 2025-02-01 09:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | Maryland State Fairgrounds, 2200 York Road, Tomonium, MD, 21093, United States

South Mountain Division MiniCon
2025-04-05 09:00 - 14:30 | Blue Ridge Fire Hall, 13063 Monterey Ln, Blue Ridge Summit, PA, 17214, United States
The South Mountain Division is conducting our annual minicon Saturday April 5.
In addition, we are planning to have several layouts open on Sunday April 6. You will have to attend the mini-con to get the address info for the open houses.

Modeler's Day-In
2025-03-29 09:00 - 14:00 | Christ Episcopal Church, 6800 Oakland Mills Road, Columbia, MD, 21045, United States
The Chesapeake Division will host a Modeler’s Day-In (MDI) Saturday March 29 from 9am to 2pm. Members of other Divisions are welcome to join us, as well. You will have the opportunity to talk with and get to know other modelers, and make progress on your project. Doors will open ~8:30 AM, with an approximate start time of 9:00 AM. We will straighten up in time to be out by about 2:00 PM. Donuts and coffee will be available. If you want something more substantial, you may wish to bring a light lunch.
We will conduct this MDI in a different format than in the last few years: a hands-on clinic, described below, and, in parallel, should you prefer to work on something else, you may bring your own project (something easily transportable), and whatever tools you may need (no spray painting, please) to work on your project.
Hands-On Clinic: Jeff Burch will be conducting a hands-on weathering clinic in which he will demonstrate techniques he uses. We will have multiple stations at which participants may work. This activity is intended to be “hands-on,” not an “arm-chair” activity. Bring models to work on! And if you don’t have any of your own rolling stock that you want to work with, we will have some cars from the Division layout available for you to try your hand at weathering.
The following weathering techniques/styles will be accommodated:

Tube Oil paints — good for rust streaks, painting streaks, faded/running lettering, and “dot filters” to provide color modulation.
Tamiya panel line fluids. Jeff will have brown, black, and grey. These are a great way to provide some contrast and make details “pop”.
Bragdon weathering powders. Jeff likes to use these often because they have a polymer binder mixed in with them. You don’t need to overspray with a clear coat to get it to stay on the model.
Vallejo and AK interactive weathering enamels and powders. Similar to the Bragdon powders, but more broadly available at local hobby shops and often used in larger scale military model displays.
PanPastel powders. These do require a clear coat to act as a “fixative”, but they can also be used on structures without a clear coat, since buildings don’t do a great deal of “moving around” on our layouts.

What should you bring?

Models to work on, they should be sprayed 24 hours beforehand with a matte clear coat (i.e. dullcoat, or Vallejo matte medium)
Modeling materials that you already own are great to bring. Even if Jeff brings the same products, you can share with others, or perhaps you already know a different technique to share. Additionally, if you have never used the products, you can gain the bravery to do so by working together with the rest of us in a group.
Brushes (cheap synthetic brushes are fine). Please don’t use expensive Winsor & Newton Kolinsky sable brushes for weathering.
Cotton swabs
Makeup sponges (wedge shaped). Makeup sponges are VERY useful for streaking effects.
Makeup applicator swabs. These are similar to cotton swabs, but benefit from not leaving little cotton fibers on your model.
Paper towels

Drop cloths and a large roll of “craft paper” will be available to minimize mess and allow for easy clean-up.
And, as noted above, if weathering isn’t what you want to do, you are invited to bring a current project (something easily transportable), and whatever tools you may need (no spray painting, please) to work on your project.

RPM-East
2025-03-22 09:00 - 21:30, 2025-03-21 09:00 - 21:30 | Westmoreland County Community College, 145 Pavilion Lane, Youngwood, PA, 15697, United States
Make your plans to attend and re-energize your modeling efforts as winter melts into spring. RPM-East is sponsored by Division Two of the NMRA, Mid-Central Region.
In addition to the on-site events, we are planning operating sessions on the Thursday before the event and a Sunday self-guided home layout tour. Railfan opportunities are nearby. The Southwest Pennsylvania Railroad runs through Youngwood as it makes rail connections in Greensburg and Connellsville. The busy Norfolk Southern main line is just north of nearby Greensburg, while the CSX mainline is 20 miles south in Connellsville, PA.
Register now to attend one of the longest running railroad prototype modeling meets in the east.

Division Meeting
2025-02-21 19:00 - 21:00 | Virtual
Ben Sullivan will give a Zoom clinic on the B&O’s Georgetown Branch.
The link to this virtual meeting will be sent to the Division email list one week prior to the meeting. If you are not on the Division email list (i.e., you are not receiving the monthly email Blast provided by our Division Clerk) and are interested in attending, please contact the Superintendent at the email address listed on our Officers & Staff page.

Annual General Meeting
2024-11-02 09:00 - 12:40 | B&O Railroad Historical Society, 5745 Bartholow Road, Eldersburg, MD, 21784, United States
The Division will conduct our annual meeting November 2.
9:00 a.m. Doors open
9:30 a.m. Superintendent’s Remarks
9:45 a.m. Paymaster’s Report
9:55 a.m. Clinic #1 Mike Shylanski: Coil Steel Rides the B&O
11:00 a.m. Clinic #2 Fritz Dahlin: Weathering with Craft Paints
11:40 a.m. Tom Casey: CSX Howard Street Tunnel Expansion
12:00 p.m. Around the Room Show-n-Tell

Model Railroad Open Houses (DE, MD, NJ, PA)
2024-11-01 08:00 - 2024-12-01 17:00
The Model Railroad Open Houses are an annual November event which showcases local model railroads in our region. Visit their website at the link below for further information.

Mid-Eastern Region (MER) Convention
2024-10-17 - 2024-10-20 | Marriott at Research Triangle Park, Marriott at Research Triangle Park 4700 Guardian Drive, Durham, NC, 27703, United States
The CAROLINA PIEDMONT DIVISION invites you to come to the Heart of Carolina for the 2024 MER Convention to be held the weekend of October 17-20. We have scheduled four days of model railroading activities: clinics, contests, modular layouts, a silent auction, layout tours, prototype tours, a banquet with featured speaker, awards presentation and non rail activities. There will be much to see, learn, do and enjoy.
Visit the convention website for further information.

Great Scale Model Train Show
2024-10-12 09:00 - 2024-10-13 16:00 | Maryland State Fairgrounds, 2200 York Road, Tomonium, MD, 21093, United States

Mainline Hobby Sale and Open House / Layout Tours
2024-09-22 12:00 - 17:00, 2024-09-21 09:00 - 17:00 | Mainline Hobby, 15066 Buchanan Trl E, Blue Ridge Summit, PA, 17214, United States
OPEN HOUSE/LAYOUT TOURS
SEPTEMBER 21 & 22, 2024
Doors open Saturday at 9:00AM, Sunday at 12:00PM
Come out and visit with us, take part in the Model Railroad Layout Tour! Layout tours include N scale to G scale home and club model railroads.
There is NO charge! Tours are self guided, all within an hour of the store. Also we are having a SALE that weekend, on EVERYTHING in the store! (Excludes consignment items)

Mid-Atlantic Railroad Prototype Modelers (RPM)
2024-09-05 - 2024-09-08 | Doubletree by Hilton Baltimore -BWI Airport, 890 Elkridge Landing Road, Linthicum, MD, 21090, United States
The Mid-Atlantic Railroad Prototype Modelers will meet at the DoubleTree by Hilton Baltimore-BWI Airport in Linthicum, Maryland, close by the Baltimore-Washington Parkway, I-95, and the BWI Airport Amtrak Station.

SurfLiner 2024 NMRA National Convention
2024-08-04 - 2024-08-11 | The Westin Long Beach, 333 East Ocean Boulevard, Long Beach, CA, 90802, United States
The NMRA National Convention and National Train Show will be held in the PSR this year in Long Beach, CA from August 4-11, 2024. Please visit https://surfliner2024.org/ for more information.

Mid-Central Region (MCR) Convention
2024-05-16 - 2024-05-19 | Crowne Plaza Hotel -Middleburg Heights, OH, 7230 Engle Road, Middleburg Heights, OH, 44130, United States
The NMRA’s Mid-Central Region (MCR) will be holding their 2024 convention in Cleveland, OH.

Modeler's Day In --THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED
2024-03-16 09:00 - 14:00 | Christ Episcopal Church, 6800 Oakland Mills Road, Columbia, MD, 21045, United States
UPDATE Mar 15 11:55 am: THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED. The Division Board of Directors apologizes for the short notice, but we have had to cancel the Modeler’s Day In scheduled for March 16.

NMRA members and their guests are invited to bring a current project or two (projects that are easily transportable) and any tools you may need (no spray painting, please – the room has new carpet!) to work on your project. You will have the opportunity to talk with and get to know other modelers, and make progress on your project. The event will be held at: Christ Episcopal Church, 6800 Oakland Mills Road, Columbia, MD 21045 (at the intersection of Dobbin Road and Oakland Mills Road) (after entering the Church property, take the drive to the left, and proceed to the lower level of the newer and larger Church building).
Doors will open ~8:30 AM with an anticipated start time of 9:00 AM. We will straighten up in time to be out by about 2:00 PM. Donuts and coffee will be available. If you want something more substantial, you may want to bring a light lunch.
Be prepared to describe what you are working on, and perhaps ask for assistance from others in attendance. The Division layout may be there as well, so even if you don’t bring a project you may be able to clean track or run trains.

Great Scale Model Train Show
2024-02-04 10:00 - 16:00, 2024-02-03 09:00 - 17:00 | Maryland State Fairgrounds, 2200 York Road, Tomonium, MD, 21093, United States
The Chesapeake Division will be present at the February Great Scale Model Train Show.

Division Meet & Greet
2024-01-19 19:00 - 21:00 | Virtual
We will meet via Zoom. The link to the Zoom meeting was included in the latest eBlast, sent Wednesday evening (January 17).
If you cannot locate that email and therefore need the meeting link, please contact the Division Superintendent via email at super@chesdiv-nmra.org

2023 Christmas Model Railroad Train Display
2023-11-24 - 2024-01-06 | TownMall of Westminster, 400 N Center St, Westminster, MD, 21157, United States
The Four County Society of Model Engineers (FCSME) will be hosting their annual model railroad display at various dates from November 24, 2023 to January 6, 2024. See the calendar on their website for the schedule.

Annual Meeting
2023-11-18 09:00 - 11:30 | B&O Railroad Historical Society, 5745 Bartholow Road, Eldersburg, MD, 21784, United States
Doors will open at 9:00 AM. We’ll sign-in and socialize (there will be donuts) until 9:45 AM, at which time our business meeting will commence. Following the business meeting, Mike Shylanski will present a clinic titled “B&O, C&O, and Western Maryland Airslide Covered Hoppers and How to Model them in HO.”

Mid-Eastern NMRA Regional Convention - Round the Curve to Altoona
2023-10-19 - 2023-10-22 | Altoona Grand Hotel & Conference Center, 1 Sheraton Drive, Altoona, PA, 16601, United States
The Convention is being hosted by Susquehanna Division 11. As you know, Altoona was the heart of the Pennsylvania Railroad during the heyday of American railroading. The Convention will provide visits to historic railroad facilities, sites, and attractions, and provide educational experiences for all attendees.
Barry Schmitt, the Convention Clinic Chair, is seeking NMRA members who would like to present a clinic at the convention. For those who have never presented at a regional convention, you can earn four (4) points toward the Author Achievement Program. This could be your first step on the path to achieving MMR status. They welcome any topic associated with model railroading or prototype railroading that is related to our model railroading hobby.
The plan is to offer 50+ clinic slots over the four-day convention. A clinic slot is based on a 45-50-minute clinic, 10-15 minutes for Q&A, and 30-minutes for setup, tear down, and break time between clinics. Each of the three (3) clinic rooms will have a full audio/visual setup, tables for model displays or other support material, and a convention clinic team member who will introduce the clinician and provide any assistance needed during the presentation.
For those interested in presenting a clinic or who have questions, kindly contact Barry Schmitt by either phone (717.877.1810) or email (sbschmitt@comcast.net).
Registration will open in mid-April.

Mid-Atlantic Railroad Prototype Modelers
2023-09-14 - 2023-09-17 | Delta Hotels Baltimore Hunt Valley, 245 Shawan Road, Hunt Valley, MD, 21030, United States

NMRA National Convention - Texas Express
2023-08-20 - 2023-08-26 | Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center, 1501 Gaylord Trail, Grapevine, TX, 76051, United States

Using TinkerCAD
2023-07-15 10:00 - 12:30 | Anne Arundel County Library – Odenton Branch, 1325 Annapolis Road, Odenton, MD, 21113, United States
Kurt Thompson, MMR will present a hands-on (computer) session titled “Using TinkerCAD,” a prelude to 3D printing. The clinic will be held in the Computer Room of the Anne Arundel County Library, Odenton Branch, which has limited seating for 19 attendees. Please preregister with Tim Beaty, our Division Clerk (or contact the Division Superintendent at the address listed on our Chesapeake Division Officers & Staff webpage at the Division website).
There should be computers for everyone but if you like, you may bring your own laptop.
There is a simple prerequisite for the clinic: Register as a user at the TinkerCAD website (https://www.tinkercad.com/). User accounts are free.
