Model Railroad Author

My first articles appeared in Railroad Model Craftsman.  The first was a story on my operating HO rotary dumper and the article appeared in the RMC December 1979 issue.

The second quickly followed describing a radio throttle I constructed to work with a walk around SWAT throttle.  That appeared i the September 1980 issue of RMC.  Over the years, I did a number of clinics for MER regional, South Jersey and Susquehanna Divisions of the NMRA and once at the 2006 NMRA National convention in Philadelphia.  Topics have included prototype aggregates, but most centered around my use of the JMRI software and my NCE and RR-Cirkits DCC hardware to bring my Quaker Valley Railroad to life in operating sessions.  All of this work on articles and clinics completed the requirements for my first NMRA Achievment Program award as Model Railroad Author.  I was awarded this in July 2009.

Chief Dispatcher

I obtained the Chief Dispatcher AP in July 2009 after working as Dispatcher on my Quaker Valley and Ken McCorry's PRR layout.  I also served as yardmaster and engineer and documented my efforts in each of these positions.  I also completed the time table and layout maps required for this award. 

Association Volunteer

I obtained the Association Volunteer AP in November 2017.  After working with the MER Susquehanna Convention team and delivering some clinics in Harrisburg in the fall that year, I realized I had earned enough volunteer points.  It all started with organizing the Reading area layout tours for the 1993 National Convention in Valley Forge.  Clinics delivered at the 2006 National in Philadelphia and several MER regional conventions completed the requirements.  I contacted Bob Charles who gladly certified my efforts.

I am working toward additional AP certificates in the following:

Model Railroad Engineer - Electrical

I am hoping work in detection and signalling with JMRI will permit me to qualify in this area.

Model Railroad Engineer - Civil

I constructed a turnout and had it judged at the 2014 Cleveland national.  A bit more work needed here.

Master Builder - Scenery

The work I did for the layout tours in 1993 are showing their age.  I need to freshen them up and complete some of the new layout areas to be judged.

I will need to complete this requirement to earn the MMR as at least one AP certificate needs to be earned in each of 4 areas and I don't believe I will tackle Motive Power.

Page updated May 4, 2019

Bob Bucklew
Quaker Valley Software
bob@quaker-valley.com

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