See below for a ticket giveaway!
The Nashua Valley Model Railroad Association (NVRRA) announces its 54th annual “Railfair 2018” model train show on Saturday October 13 and Sunday October 14, 2018 (10 AM to 4 PM each day). Attractions include model railroad displays, layouts, exhibits, and dealers. It will be held at the Boxboro Regency Hotel, 242 Adams Place, Boxborough, MA 01719. Two-day admission is $7, and children under 12 are free.
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The event is geared towards model railroaders (new and experienced), families with children, and anyone who enjoys model railroading. “We will have many exhibitors such as the Amherst Belt Lines Club who will operate their huge modular train layout with a variety of running trains, and many others showing various railroad exhibits (both operating and stationary). Model railroad dealers will be on hand to sell, buy, or trade all sorts of model railroad items. It will be a fun day for all attendees!” says Peter D’Olimpio, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the NVRRA.
The hobby of model railroading is alive and well in central Massachusetts due to the efforts of The Nashua Valley Model Railroad Association (better known as the NVRRA) of Shirley, MA. The NVRRA is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the hobby since 1952. The NVRRA currently operates a state of the art model train layout which has over 1,000 linear feet of mainline track and over 2,000 feet of track, including the yards and sidings. The layout is modelled after the Boston and Maine Railroad during the early 1980s, which ran from Portland ME to Mechanicville NY. “It contains most major cities and towns between Portland and Mechanicville and the buildings and scenery around each location is fairly representative of the actual locations back in the day” says D’Olimpio. “Once you enter the NVRRA’s quarters, the enormity of the layout immediately strikes you. You will see 4 levels of track in some places, enormous freight yards, scenery, and a helix measuring 8 feet in diameter which connects lower and upper tracks."
Members and guests, including Boy Scouts, other railroading associations and senior centers, regularly attend operating sessions of the layout, and private tours may be scheduled by calling call 978-225-0650 or submitting a request at www.nvrra.com. Members enjoy building as well as operating the many different sections of the layout. “Given the size of the layout, we can simultaneously run as many trains as we want and some of the trains can each be hauling over 65 cars” D’Olimpio explains. “When we run 15 or so different trains doing different things at the same time, it can get confusing! We use a dispatcher to dispatch trains between locations and keep trains from having problems. We haven’t had any major collisions but we sure have had some traffic jams and foul ups just like the real railroads!!”
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The NVRRA has been featured in Model Railroader magazine, Model Railroad News and other hobby publications. Members have a passion for model railroading and share their passion at local train shows and open houses. One of their most memorable efforts was providing a train layout to a 7-year-old boy through the Make a Wish Foundation. The NVRRA has a mix of beginners and veterans with many years of experience. “The camaraderie we have is special and amazing. We work together so well with each of us having complementary skills. Some of us have been friends 20 or more years.” Membership information is available on their website, www.nvrra.com.
Model railroading can teach young people useful skills such as planning, designing, basic carpentry and electronics, building scenery, team work, and train operations. D’Olimpio explains, “It’s pretty easy to get into this hobby and it doesn’t take much money to start up. Find a good hobby store. There are so many in our area. Attend model train shows where you will be exposed to many different areas of the hobby. And of course, you can contact us any time for advice on anything in the hobby. We’ve been doing this since 1952; we can show you how to avoid just about any mistake, as we have made most of them!”
Enter our giveaway for four tickets to RailFair 2018!
Enter to win four tickets to RailFair 2018 at the Boxboro Regency Hotel on October 13-14, 2018! TWO winners will be randomly chosen from all entries. This giveaway is open until Tuesday, October 9, at 6 PM. TWO winners will be chosen randomly out of all entries and notified on Wednesday, October 10, 2018.
For two bonus entries:
- Submit the entry form
AND - Like and comment on our Facebook post about the giveaway!
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE OF ANY KIND WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. ODDS OF WINNING WILL DEPEND ON THE TOTAL NUMBER OF ENTRIES RECEIVED. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. DO NOT ENTER THIS SWEEPSTAKES IF YOU ARE NOT EIGHTEEN (18) YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER AS OF October 3, 2018 AND A LEGAL RESIDENT OF AND CURRENTLY RESIDING IN ONE OF THE FIFTY (50) UNITED STATES OR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. MUST BE A MACARONI KID SUBSCRIBER TO WIN. CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE RULES.
The Nashua Valley Rail Road Association, Inc.
2 Shaker Rd, Suite E205
Shirley MA 01464
978.225.0650
Website: www.nvrra.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NVRRA/
