It's time to make plans to attend 2019 RPM-East event! Save the dates!

March 22-23, 2019

RPM-East is a prototype modeler event to spark your modeling efforts as winter melts into spring. The 2019 RPM-East railroad prototype modeler seminar includes presentations, operating sessions, open layouts, a large model display room, vendors, and a Saturday evening buffet to prime your creativity. The busy Norfolk Southern main line is nearby for modern lineside action. Register now to attend one of the longest running railroad prototype modeling meets on the east coast. RPM-East is sponsored by Division Two of the NMRA.

 

 

 

Registration: Event full registration is only $40.

The traditional PDF registration form is ready to download. Bring the completed form with payment to the event as it is now too late to mail it in.

Single-day registration is $20. You can print out the registration form, complete it, and bring it to the event to register at the door.

Our PayPal option is now closed. Please use the PDF form noted above.

 

 

 

 

The Ramada Greensburg Hotel and Conference Center on Route 30 just east of Greensburg, Pennsylvania, is our host hotel. This is the same location as recent RPM-East events.

The nightly room rate is $95.00, plus sales and occupancy taxes. This room rate becomes effective on January 1, 2019.

Call the hotel directly for your room reservation, 724-836-6060, and mention “Railroad Prototype Modeler’s (RPM)” for the event room rate.

The hotel was formerly a Sheraton Four Points and may still be listed as such on some maps.

Keep up with RPM-East announcements on Facebook!

Check out the RPM event calendar for more events.

Jim Hunter had several models on display at the 2015 event, including this Conrail cabin.

Jack Consoli displayed several HO scale Union Railroad models at the 2015 RPM-East. Photo by John Frantz.

Presentations: Modelers and rail historians from around the region will be offering in-depth presentations at RPM-East 2019. Presentations kick off at 1:00 pm Friday and will run through to Saturday night. A full schedule will be posted here in early March. Here's a tentative list of speakers and presentation topics for the upcoming meet. 2019 presentation descriptions are posted on a separate page.

Click here for a tentative presentation schedule. This is a PDF file.

John Albert Southern Pacific rebuilt diesels of the late 1970s and early 1980s
Charlie Blenko

Paper Signals for Prototype Operation

David Bott A Friendly Ghost Story: adding white laser printer toner to my custom decal toolkit
Brian Carlson Rust Belt Boxcars
Jack Consoli CISX 500: The World’s Largest Freight Car
Ted Culotta Scratchbuilding Freight Cars
Larry DeYoung Approaching the Golden Spike: modeling a mile of the PRR and EL in Ravenna, Ohio
Jim Elster Advanced Scenery Techniques with Static Grass Material
Steve Funaro 1 New York, Ontario & Western Seley coal hoppers
Steve Funaro 2 Heavy duty flat car designs of the P&LE, PRR, and other railroads
Ken Hanawalt Modeling Railroad Prototype Operations
Bill Hanley Demystifying Resin Freight Car Kits
Eric Hansmann The B&O Allegheny Yard Branch
Michael Hohn Modeling an Anthracite Railroad in the Late 19 th Century
Ron Hoess Tools and Techniques for Prototype Modeling of the Urban Landscape
Nicholas Kalis

Enhance Your Layout's Story Telling - Practical Steps

Bernard Kempinski High Tech approach to 19th Century Railroading
Den Lippert Whittling Your Loco Roster
Rich Mahaney 1 Perishable Operations in the 1950’s
Rich Mahaney 2 Tank Car Industries
Rich Mahaney 3 Modelling Crude Oil and Ethanol Operations and Transportations For Model Railroaders
Bob Meier Yard Layout Design
Bill Neale Modeling the PRR Panhandle
David Owens DODX 38000 series heavy duty flat cars – prototype and modeling
Jim Panza The General American family of piggyback flatcars
Ramon Rhodes Nailing The Visual Details That Count On Your Layout

Bill Schaumburg

Discovering Hope Springs: using Google Earth, Bing Maps and PowerPoint to plan a small, one-town layout
Neal Schorr Engineering the Right of Way
Greg Smith B&O Passenger Steam Power on Sand Patch: 1900- 1956
Robert Sprague If I Could Turn Back Time:  Modeling the Ma & Pa in 1924
Darrall Swift Building a freight car roster appropriate for 1979
Mont Switzer Painting and lettering Monon's signature plaintive boxcar scheme
Chip Syme Non Revenue Equipment of the Penn Central and Conrail
John Teichmoeller Let’s Talk About the PRR H21
E. Roy Ward The West Virginia Central and Pittsburg Railway Story
Dave Wilson Modeling the Union Railroad in the late 1940s and early 1950s
Kaylee Zheng

Hot Rod Chicken: A Story about the Chicken Car and Live Poultry Transportation

Mike Zollitsch

Using Excel for Waybill-less prototype operations

2019 presentation descriptions are posted on a separate page.

Review past RPM-East presenters and topics.

Bryce Workman displayed several HO scale vintage vehicles at the 2015 event.

Ben Keltz displayed a number of HO scale freight cars in 2015, including this upgraded NKP composite hopper.

Op Sessions: Eight layouts in our region will be hosting Thursday evening operating sessions.

Turtle Creek owner Ken Hanawalt encourages you to join a Thursday night operating session. These sessions are a great way to discover new friends, learn how a layout owner models history, management, and purpose of a prototype, and have some fun. Sessions are easy going with regular operators assisting visitors. There is still time for you to sign up.

Bill Alko - Chessie System
Dave Baker - Cumberland & Lake Erie
John Bennett - B&O and Western Maryland
Andy and Charlie Blenko - Conrail Pittsburgh Mainline
Don Coulter, Jr. - Norfolk Southern Pittsburgh Southern
Ken Hanawalt - Turtle Creek Railroad
James Pinkney - Western Maryland Railway
Roy Ward - West Virginia Central & Pittsburg

Layout Visits: Doors will be open on Sunday at several area layouts for self-guided visits.

Bill Alko - Chessie System
Dave Baker - Cumberland & Lake Erie
John Bennett - B&O and Western Maryland
Andy and Charlie Blenko - Conrail Pittsburgh Mainline
Frank Coat - PRR Middle Conemaugh Division
Don Coulter, Jr. - Norfolk Southern Pittsburgh Southern
Dave Demillio - Pennsylvania Railroad
Ken Hanawalt - Turtle Creek Railroad
McKeesport Model Railroad Club
Mid Mon Valley Model Railroad Club
James Pinkney - Western Maryland Railway
Bill Powers - Santa Fe
Kevin Sapanara - CP&D Chessie System Railroad
Roy Ward - West Virginia Central & Pittsburg

Our model display room has plenty of tables. Over 500 models were displayed at the 2017 RPM-East. Bring your latest efforts and works-in-progress to share with others.

 

Click here for a model display cards PDF file so you can jot down the details about the models you display. There are four cards to a sheet.

 

Vendors: The vendor room will be full of many favorites! This list will grow as vendors confirm their attendance.

Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Historical Society
 Bob's Photo
Mike Bradley
Chessie System Historical Society
CMP Shops
Funaro & Camerlengo
Bill Hanley- Wildwood Station
Industrial Model Shop
Mark's Multiples
P&WV Technical & Historical interest group
Pro Custom Hobbies
Rails Unlimited
Speedwitch Media
Mont Switzer

Niedzalkoski's Train Shop will be open from 9 am to 12:30 pm Friday and Saturday.
Scenic Express will be open on Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm.

 

 

An HO scale Northern Pacific double sheathed box car was among several models Jim Kubanick disolayed in 2015.

 

In 2015, Bill Hanley traveled from several states away to display a number if fine HO scale B&O models.

George Smozski displayed a few well detailed O scale models in 2013.

 

Our model display room has plenty of tables. Over 500 models were displayed at the 2017 RPM-East. Bring your latest efforts and works-in-progress to share with others.

Bob Hubbard displayed this HO scale special load and depressed-center flat car in 2015. Photo by John Frantz.

Spencer Duncan and David Bott collaborated on this southern short line caboose that was displayed in 2015.

Here's an HO scale locomotive Fred Lass displayed in 2015. This was one of a couple dozen models Fred brought to RPM-East.

Another HO scale cabin displayed by Jim Hunter from the 2015 RPM-East.
Site updated 03/18/2019