Scott
You done good and yes electrical isn't that complicated as you see with DCC. One suggestion on it and this is easy to is to cut the Dixie Central into power districts. These will act as blocks and really will
give you better distribution and trouble shooting ease.
Ok lets change your priorities. Move Civil and Electrical to the top two positions, Structures is an on going project and I would put it third. Scenery you are nibbling at, so put it fourth with cars dead
last as nothing other then gathering the material for them has begun. This will allow you time to gather the materials for them and then gang build them as they all have the same underframe.
Larry
Saturday, March 6, 2010
AP Program Mentoring 005 Scott Perry - The Master Plan
Larry, here is the Master Plan. I've built five documents that outline what I will do to accomplish the five AP Certificates. These are shared on a website so anyone can see them.
Here are the links...
Completed Certificates:
Certificates to Earn:
Again, thanks for the support!
Here are the links...
Completed Certificates:
Certificates to Earn:
- #3 Cars (Railroad Equipment)
- #4 Structures (Railroad Setting)
- #5 Scenery (Railroad Setting)
- #6 Civil (Railroad Construction & Operation)
- #7 Electrical (Railroad Construction & Operation)
Again, thanks for the support!
AP Program Mentoring 003 Scott Perry - The Master Plan
Hey I like that! We'll call it the Master Plan! See if this makes sense, Larry...
The Master Plan
Completed Certificates:
Certificates to Earn:
Certificates Not to Work On:
Scenery, Civil and Electrical will all be accomplished while building the Dixie Central layout. Cars and Structures will be accomplished while building the Okefenokee Railroad layout.
Using Marty McGuirk's idea for a red/yellow/green tracker, I'll list the projects and put them on a shared spreadsheet that my Mentor and I can review and prioritize.
Cool! Thanks Larry!!! I'm all over it!
The Master Plan
Completed Certificates:
- #1 AP Author (Service to the Hobby)
- #2 AP Volunteer (Service to the Hobby)
Certificates to Earn:
- #3 Cars (Railroad Equipment)
- #4 Structures (Railroad Setting)
- #5 Scenery (Railroad Setting)
- #6 Civil (Railroad Construction & Operation)
- #7 Electrical (Railroad Construction & Operation)
Certificates Not to Work On:
- #8 Motive Power
- #9 Official
- #10 Prototype Modeler
Scenery, Civil and Electrical will all be accomplished while building the Dixie Central layout. Cars and Structures will be accomplished while building the Okefenokee Railroad layout.
Using Marty McGuirk's idea for a red/yellow/green tracker, I'll list the projects and put them on a shared spreadsheet that my Mentor and I can review and prioritize.
Cool! Thanks Larry!!! I'm all over it!
AP Program Mentoring 002 Scott Perry
Scott
I have read over over this report and find that you are doing what a lot of others have a tendency to do, shotgun the whole thing. So lets go look at what you should be concentrating on rather then what can I do in all of the certificates.
As you know, maybe you and others don't, there are four areas within the program for you to get certificates. Model Railroad equipment, Settings, Engineering and Operation, and Service to the hobby. You must have one in each category to receive your MMR. Some modelers have a tendency to get top heavy in one category and then end up having to get eight certificates to meet that requirement.
You have already completed the service to the hobby section of the requirements and therefore you should drop the officer certificate from your list.
Equipment: Drop the motive power and concentrate on your cars. The cars are for you railroad and you will gain something out of this that you can use. I didn't know that streetcars ran in the swamps.
Settings: You are well underway for structures so concentrate on that remember only 6 have to be scratch built. Sorry about the Dr's office, you and I need to talk about an easier way of building the walls instead of making a casting.
You should go after scenery if you are working on the Dixie Central. You only have 32 sq ft to complete whereas on yours you will have 64 sq ft.
Engineering:
Do both civil and electrical at the same time and do them on the Dixie Central. With your skills and background you should have these knocked out quickly. With the new daughter coming you should be able to build you turnouts etc when you are up with her until she gets into her routine and starts sleeping all night, lol.
So there you have it. Your plan for MMR Concentrate on these 5 certificates only.
Larry Smith MMR
I have read over over this report and find that you are doing what a lot of others have a tendency to do, shotgun the whole thing. So lets go look at what you should be concentrating on rather then what can I do in all of the certificates.
As you know, maybe you and others don't, there are four areas within the program for you to get certificates. Model Railroad equipment, Settings, Engineering and Operation, and Service to the hobby. You must have one in each category to receive your MMR. Some modelers have a tendency to get top heavy in one category and then end up having to get eight certificates to meet that requirement.
You have already completed the service to the hobby section of the requirements and therefore you should drop the officer certificate from your list.
Equipment: Drop the motive power and concentrate on your cars. The cars are for you railroad and you will gain something out of this that you can use. I didn't know that streetcars ran in the swamps.
Settings: You are well underway for structures so concentrate on that remember only 6 have to be scratch built. Sorry about the Dr's office, you and I need to talk about an easier way of building the walls instead of making a casting.
You should go after scenery if you are working on the Dixie Central. You only have 32 sq ft to complete whereas on yours you will have 64 sq ft.
Engineering:
Do both civil and electrical at the same time and do them on the Dixie Central. With your skills and background you should have these knocked out quickly. With the new daughter coming you should be able to build you turnouts etc when you are up with her until she gets into her routine and starts sleeping all night, lol.
So there you have it. Your plan for MMR Concentrate on these 5 certificates only.
Larry Smith MMR
Friday, March 5, 2010
AP Program Mentoring 001 Scott Perry
Dear Larry Smith, MMR...
Thank you so much for agreeing to mentor/coach/train/kick my butt as I work through the Achievement Program. I think it is a GREAT idea that we copy the NMRA AP GROUP on our correspondence as this mentoring process takes place. Hopefully other AP hopefuls like myself will engage other MMR's for help.
You asked me where are we starting from. Currently I have two of the necessary seven certificates. My first one was AP Author, and the second is AP Volunteer. Both of them I've had for a while.
As to progress toward other certificates I have:
* Project to build three Cincinnati Curved Side Trolleys in O scale. Research done, some drawings, but no work.
* Extensive study, plans and prototype photos for these eight cars. None have started construction.
Build the following in On30 Freelanced Hebard Cypress based on actual O & W cars:
1. Logging Flat Car – loaded with large log
2. Gondola Slab Car – loaded
3. Gondola Slab Car – loaded
4. Box Car – standard with interior
5. Box Car – standard with interior
6. Tank Car – old style
7. Combine Passenger Car – regular (Argent)
8. Combine Passenger Car – Jim Crowe (Argent)
1. Abbott's Sawmill: DONE. Won 88 points for a complex kit built in O scale. It is already documented and in the book. I gave it to a friend that needed a mill, but I kept the write up and photographs this time!
2. Tybee Pier: Almost Done. Should earn 87.5 points and is scratchbuilt. Take to SER convention or Piedmont train show
3. Dr. Bank's Office: Planned. Scratchbuilt. Small wood structure with detailed interior. O scale for the Swamp. Should earn 87.5 points.
4. Engine Shed. Under Construction. Detailed Kit. Small brick and stone structure with detailed interior. Narrow gauge On30. Stand alone model.
5. Cotton Gin. Planned. Scratchbuilt for contest. Board or metal construction with detailed interior. HO scale. For Dixie Central.
6. Sand Barge & Loader. Not planned. Scratchbuilt for Dixie Central. Will not be judged, but will be highly detailed.
7, Trestle Bridge. Planned. Model of the Turnip Town Trestle on the GNRR in HO scale. For judging. Board by board construction.
8. Logger's Home #1. Planned. Built in same format as Dr. Bank's Office but without dress front. Using pre-cast interior framing and board by board construction. In O scale for Swamp.
9. Logger's Home #2. Planned. Built in same format as Dr. Bank's Office but without dress front. Jim Crow structure, different from #1. Using pre-cast interior framing and board by board construction. In O scale for Swamp.
10. Logger's Home #3. Planned. Built in same format as Dr. Bank's Office but with a different dress front. Designed for Wood's Forman and his wife. Using pre-cast interior framing and board by board construction. In O scale for Swamp.
11. Slaughterhouse #5. Under Construction. Detailed kit with scratchbuilt cattle yard and interior details. HO scale. Model for Paul's layout.
12. Hebard Engine House. Not Planned. On30 engine house for the swamp. Highly detailed. Not prototype located yet. Build for contest/magazine.
* Working on the Dixie Central layout in HO. Should be finished in a year or less.
* Blog for circular layout: http://dixiecentralrailroad.blogspot.com/
* Track plan: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEWrrG9z4VrIU7ymiTB9Uu4j-LX7j3ZTiiiI368jpUVwQtoLz9bc4EjaePkFURGLmX06T9zTxDc69FjPr9BA7Lz5D4JVhd0Q0v1xYNgjKemOHR3WeRBBMdC-4kR3S1BiUTV52ft9L2rsCT/s1600-h/Dixie+Central+Railway+1.33.jpg
* Nothing planned or in production
Civil
* Working on the Dixie Central layout in HO. Should be finished in a year or less.
* Blog for circular layout: http://dixiecentralrailroad.blogspot.com/
* Track plan: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEWrrG9z4VrIU7ymiTB9Uu4j-LX7j3ZTiiiI368jpUVwQtoLz9bc4EjaePkFURGLmX06T9zTxDc69FjPr9BA7Lz5D4JVhd0Q0v1xYNgjKemOHR3WeRBBMdC-4kR3S1BiUTV52ft9L2rsCT/s1600-h/Dixie+Central+Railway+1.33.jpg
* Working on the Dixie Central layout in HO. Should be finished in a year or less.
* Blog for circular layout: http://dixiecentralrailroad.blogspot.com/
* Track plan: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEWrrG9z4VrIU7ymiTB9Uu4j-LX7j3ZTiiiI368jpUVwQtoLz9bc4EjaePkFURGLmX06T9zTxDc69FjPr9BA7Lz5D4JVhd0Q0v1xYNgjKemOHR3WeRBBMdC-4kR3S1BiUTV52ft9L2rsCT/s1600-h/Dixie+Central+Railway+1.33.jpg
* I have experience operating but don't enjoy it.
* I have one year as a Region officer
So Larry - what do you think I should do from here?
Thank you so much for agreeing to mentor/coach/train/kick my butt as I work through the Achievement Program. I think it is a GREAT idea that we copy the NMRA AP GROUP on our correspondence as this mentoring process takes place. Hopefully other AP hopefuls like myself will engage other MMR's for help.
You asked me where are we starting from. Currently I have two of the necessary seven certificates. My first one was AP Author, and the second is AP Volunteer. Both of them I've had for a while.
As to progress toward other certificates I have:
Motive Power
* Project to build three Cincinnati Curved Side Trolleys in O scale. Research done, some drawings, but no work.
Cars
* Extensive study, plans and prototype photos for these eight cars. None have started construction.
Build the following in On30 Freelanced Hebard Cypress based on actual O & W cars:
1. Logging Flat Car – loaded with large log
2. Gondola Slab Car – loaded
3. Gondola Slab Car – loaded
4. Box Car – standard with interior
5. Box Car – standard with interior
6. Tank Car – old style
7. Combine Passenger Car – regular (Argent)
8. Combine Passenger Car – Jim Crowe (Argent)
Structures
1. Abbott's Sawmill: DONE. Won 88 points for a complex kit built in O scale. It is already documented and in the book. I gave it to a friend that needed a mill, but I kept the write up and photographs this time!
2. Tybee Pier: Almost Done. Should earn 87.5 points and is scratchbuilt. Take to SER convention or Piedmont train show
3. Dr. Bank's Office: Planned. Scratchbuilt. Small wood structure with detailed interior. O scale for the Swamp. Should earn 87.5 points.
4. Engine Shed. Under Construction. Detailed Kit. Small brick and stone structure with detailed interior. Narrow gauge On30. Stand alone model.
5. Cotton Gin. Planned. Scratchbuilt for contest. Board or metal construction with detailed interior. HO scale. For Dixie Central.
6. Sand Barge & Loader. Not planned. Scratchbuilt for Dixie Central. Will not be judged, but will be highly detailed.
7, Trestle Bridge. Planned. Model of the Turnip Town Trestle on the GNRR in HO scale. For judging. Board by board construction.
8. Logger's Home #1. Planned. Built in same format as Dr. Bank's Office but without dress front. Using pre-cast interior framing and board by board construction. In O scale for Swamp.
9. Logger's Home #2. Planned. Built in same format as Dr. Bank's Office but without dress front. Jim Crow structure, different from #1. Using pre-cast interior framing and board by board construction. In O scale for Swamp.
10. Logger's Home #3. Planned. Built in same format as Dr. Bank's Office but with a different dress front. Designed for Wood's Forman and his wife. Using pre-cast interior framing and board by board construction. In O scale for Swamp.
11. Slaughterhouse #5. Under Construction. Detailed kit with scratchbuilt cattle yard and interior details. HO scale. Model for Paul's layout.
12. Hebard Engine House. Not Planned. On30 engine house for the swamp. Highly detailed. Not prototype located yet. Build for contest/magazine.
Scenery
* Working on the Dixie Central layout in HO. Should be finished in a year or less.
* Blog for circular layout: http://dixiecentralrailroad.blogspot.com/
* Track plan: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEWrrG9z4VrIU7ymiTB9Uu4j-LX7j3ZTiiiI368jpUVwQtoLz9bc4EjaePkFURGLmX06T9zTxDc69FjPr9BA7Lz5D4JVhd0Q0v1xYNgjKemOHR3WeRBBMdC-4kR3S1BiUTV52ft9L2rsCT/s1600-h/Dixie+Central+Railway+1.33.jpg
Prototype Models
* Nothing planned or in production
Civil
* Working on the Dixie Central layout in HO. Should be finished in a year or less.
* Blog for circular layout: http://dixiecentralrailroad.blogspot.com/
* Track plan: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEWrrG9z4VrIU7ymiTB9Uu4j-LX7j3ZTiiiI368jpUVwQtoLz9bc4EjaePkFURGLmX06T9zTxDc69FjPr9BA7Lz5D4JVhd0Q0v1xYNgjKemOHR3WeRBBMdC-4kR3S1BiUTV52ft9L2rsCT/s1600-h/Dixie+Central+Railway+1.33.jpg
Electrical
* Working on the Dixie Central layout in HO. Should be finished in a year or less.
* Blog for circular layout: http://dixiecentralrailroad.blogspot.com/
* Track plan: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEWrrG9z4VrIU7ymiTB9Uu4j-LX7j3ZTiiiI368jpUVwQtoLz9bc4EjaePkFURGLmX06T9zTxDc69FjPr9BA7Lz5D4JVhd0Q0v1xYNgjKemOHR3WeRBBMdC-4kR3S1BiUTV52ft9L2rsCT/s1600-h/Dixie+Central+Railway+1.33.jpg
Dispatcher
* I have experience operating but don't enjoy it.
Official
* I have one year as a Region officer
So Larry - what do you think I should do from here?
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
NMRA Achievement Program Yahoo Group
NMRA Achievement Program Yahoo Group is a new way to find information, guidance and the sometime necessary kick-in-the-pants to help you earn your Achievement Program Certificates and become a MASTER MODEL RAILROADER.
If you are an NMRA member and would like to join, just go here…
I’m Scott Perry, long time Yahoo Group host and found of several groups such as…
Traintools
Trainbooks
HOGRR
And others!
So come join the fun, make new friends and make a plan to Achieve!
Scott Perry
http://modelrailroadersnotebook.blogspot.com/
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