Monday, March 30, 2009
10th Annual C & O Modelers Weekend
"Hawks Nest 09"
This year marked the 10th Anniversary of the Chesapeake & Ohio Modelers Weekend.
Late in the summer of 1999 Matt Crouch, Jim Butler and Paul Tabit were sitting in Pauls living room talking about their favorite hobby, modeling railroading, particularly, modeling the C & O.
As the talk took its usual meandering path through various topics, Matt suggested that perhaps there were more dedicated C & O modelers out there who would enjoy getting together for an informal, relaxed day or two, to discuss and share C & O modeling information. Matt wondered if perhaps eight to twelve folks would be interested in spending a weekend somewhere quiet, not too expensive and with an abundance of C & O atmosphere? And, he had just the place in mind, Hawks Nest State Park.
What Matt didnt realize was, there wasnt eight or twelve dedicated C & O modelers out there, there were hundreds, and, they all liked his idea. So in March 2000, with very little fanfare, Matt, Paul and Jim, with the help of some friends and understanding wives, hosted the 1st Chesapeake and Ohio Modelers Weekend.
The Hawks Nest State Park Lodge, with it excellent dining room, splendid view of the New River Gorge and 31 rooms was booked solid, and has been every year since. That Matt and friends underestimated the demand for an event like this is a dramatic understatement.
By 2002 the registration count was over 100 and the Hawks Nest Lodge was overwhelmed, causing attendees to find rooms in Ansted and other surrounding communities. The popularity of Matts brainchild has actually caused it to become a welcome influx of visitors noted by local county and municipal cambers of commerce.
There are several reasons the annual weekend event is so popular. By design there are no contests, no pressure to show off only the best models, but also the work in progress and, "my next one will be better" models. Models of all scales and eras from the oldest C & O through Chessie and even current CSX models are welcome and admired. The main emphasis is sharing information, "this is how you can do this" is a recurring theme in talks.
The "talks;" we have rarely called them seminars or clinics because they are much more informal. Interruptions to ask questions or to go outside and watch a train cross the Hawks Nest Bridge are the norm. Speakers are not criticized for running short, that just allows more time between speakers for questions and discussing techniques, or for running long, because the room is usually filled with folks wanting to hear the subject matter.
The speakers; over the last ten years a wealth of wonderful and gracious people have taken the podium of the C & O Modelers Weekend. Noted C & O modelers and historians including Phil Shuster, Jim EuDaly, Gary Burdette, Jesse Smith, Everett Young, Edgar Billups and Russ Hass to name a few.
Of course, there have been some truly superb models displayed over the years. Scratch built structures that inspire modelers to try their hand at researching and building something different and locos and rolling stock that often defy description because they are so well detailed. The commonality of all of these models is their builder’s willingness to share "how they did it."
As the Chesapeake and Ohio Modelers Weekend enters a second decade, the members of the St. Albans Chesapeake and Ohio Modelers promise to keep the event a relaxed weekend of information, fun and fellowship that Matt Crouch envisioned it ten years ago. Thanks to everyone who has helped make the C & O Modelers Weekend the success it is. And, for the imagination and vision that created a much anticipated annual event, thanks Matt!
Hawks Nest 09
Late March 2009 found attendees of the 10th C & O Modelers Weekend at Hawks Nest enjoying damp, but relatively warm weather. Even though the trees are just beginning to bud, the New River Gorge area is a spectacular area to railfan or just hike and explore. Mill Creek which parallels the old Anstead Branch, now a hiking trail, is beautiful any time of the year.
There are several scenic locations, like this water fall, along Mill Creek and the old Ansted Branch within walking distance of the Hawks Nest Lodge.
This years weekend was started off with a talk by Scott Greathouse and Mike Telisko on railroading on Kellys Creek. Other speakers included Edgar Billups, Karen Parker, Russ Hass, Jesse Smith, Gary Burdette, Jim Moseley, John Glabb and the keynote speaker Frank Bongiavonni.
Topics included kit bashing O scale C & O passenger cars and how those cars were operated, detailing HO C & O 2-8-4 locos, C & O prototype info, modeling forest products along the C & O, a layout tour slide show, a master modeler retrospective, CSX in VA and WV and motive power of the three Pocohontas railroads.
Edgar Billups talks about his C & O layout.
Rick Tab gives an update on activities and progress at the Chesapeake & Ohio Historical Societys Heritage Center in Clifton Forge.
There is usually a wide selection of models displayed at Hawks Nest, this year Karen Parker conducted a model contest with prizes of gift certificates from the C & O HS and WV Hobbies awarded to the winners. Hawks Nest always brings out interesting and wonderful models. 2009 was no different with C&O models in N scale all the way up to 1/32 scale.
Dave Gilliland displayed an impressive collection of N Scale equipment.
Mike Oates displayed this 1/32 scale live steam model of an Ex Pere Marquette 2-8-4. Mike built the beautiful model from a kit.
John Glaab displayed some HO models built by John Gascoyne.
In addition to the display models, both the Greater Kanawha Valley N Scalers and the Norther Virginia NTrak group had operating layouts in the main lobby of the Hawks Nest Lodge.
A Chessie System train rounds a curve on the N scale layout of the Greater Kanawha Valley N Scalers.
One of the fun and anticipated features of the weekend is the raffle rapping up activities Saturday evening. Like most groups that operate a raffle as a fund raiser, SACOM offers a discount for buying more than one ticket. Usually the tickets are 1 for a dollar or 6 for five dollars. This year anew discount was added, your height in tickets for twenty dollars!
Scott Greathouse presents John Daily with the top raffle prize this year, a Proto 2000 DCC and sound equipped C & O 2-8-4 provided by Wm. K. Walthers.
Each year SACOM depends on the generosity of the model railroad manufacturing community to help provide items for the raffle, a primary fund raising activity of SACOM. This year SACOM received outstanding consideration from,
Wm. K. Walthers, Inc.
InterMountain Railway Company
Broadway Limited Imports
Athearn Trains
Woodland Scenics
Atlas Model Railroad Co.
WV Hobbies & Nitro Hobbies
WV Division of Tourism
and
The Generosity of SACOM Members
Each year since 2002 the C & O Modelers Weekend is chaired by a volunteer member of the St. Albans C & O Modelers (SACOM). This year SACOM Vice President, Scott Greathouse was the man in charge. Scott spent many, many hours rounding up speakers and making sure all the details were seen to. Since this was the 10th C & O Modelers Weekend, Scott went the extra distance to make the event a stand out. Custom lanyards for the name tags, an extra day of speakers and a special buffet dinner just for attendees were additions for the 10th anniversary event. The fact that the weekend ran smoothly and problem free is due to the long hours and hard work of Scott.
SACOM secretary, Jim Butler, is the Chairman for Hawks Nest 2010, March 26-27. Jim is already working on the 11th C & O Modelers Weekend. Watch this site for information.
Labels: Hawks Nest 09
