| Volume 39 Issue 4 | December 1999 |
| Volume 39 Issue 4 | December 1999 |
Thirty Scouts on Saturday and another twenty-nine Scouts on Sunday completed the six-hour class, to bring the total number of scouts earning the Railroading merit badge sponsored by Division 3 to 186. I had collected many different types of rolling stock and motive power in G, O O27, S Ho, N and Z scales to assist in teaching the class. I showed the Scouts the video used at the National Jamboree to introduce the railroading merit badge. This is an excellent video produced through the cooperation of BNSF, Operation Lifesaver, and the Boy Scouts. Through the course of the day the Scouts worked through seven requirements to complete the merit badge. All but a handful of the scouts knew little about the workings of the railroad when the day began. Parts of the class dealt with the signals and communication used today, whistle and horn signals, car types, unit trains, how the diesel engine works, departmental organization, scale vs. gauge, reading a timetable, railroad safety, and track arrangement. The highlight of the class was the construction of an HO scale gondola and N scale boxcar followed by a tour of the Dalmatian Switching District. All of this would not have been possible without the help of the following individuals and businesses:
Brian Petroziello for loaning me a TV for the Operation Lifesaver and RR Merit Badge Videos.
Bruce Bryan and Don Kriegbaum for instructing the scouts on the cleaning and lubrication of a model locomotive and track cleaning. You should have seen the Scouts eyes when they learned how to pop the top off of a locomotive!
John Edminson for donning his Amtrak uniform on his day off and teaching the Scouts how to read a timetable which he provided.
J. Hedge for conducting the tour of the Dalmatian Switching District and providing me with a karaoke machine, overhead projector, TV and VCR to show the videos. J. also adds the Scouts who successfully complete the class to the Call Board mailing list.
Bill Reese for donating his back issues of Railroad Model Craftsman so each Scout could take one home. (Bill has donated nearly 300 issues.) By the way, if you would like to donate back issues of your railroading magazine, i.e. Model Railroader, Trains, Bulletin's etc., just give me a call to arrange for drop off or pick up. I have given each Scout two back issues of these magazines to inspire them. I've also given some of the more recent issues out as door prizes.
Wally Kurtz for donating back issues of model railroading magazines and sending me information on a RR merit badge class he teaches in Downers Grove, Illinois. Wally was instrumental in providing some of the initial groundwork on which the class was based.
Mike Carter for helping me move a console TV from United Christian Church to Hara late Friday night after working to set up the N trak layout.
Bill Ford taught the Scouts about the different types of railroad cars, unit trains, Operation Lifesaver and assisted whenever I needed help. Dill worked both days and provided transparencies that really enhanced the presentation. He was tied up with the implosion of the Rike's building on Sunday (no, he didn't light the fuse, but kept Dayton from burning down) but still helped me when I packed up on Sunday afternoon.
Jill Ford: This is the great woman behind Bill. She was one of my top recruiters of Scouts to fill the classes. I'm sorry Jill. I couldn't keep Bill from spending your basket money on trains.
John Reck is a fellow Scouter who helped with paperwork, kit construction, set up and tear down, and all the little odd jobs. John actually volunteered to help both days before I started calling to solicit for help. He has helped with each of the six classes and frankly, I would not have been able to run the class so smoothly without his help and previous experience.
Bobbie Fluck who offered me a Polish sausage (no bun & no mustard) after a long day on Saturday with a brief lunch.
Thanks to the Flucks and all the other layout owners who had open houses the week following the show.
Larry Zeller who helped the Scouts with the kit construction and learning how to read an Amtrak timetable.
William Niebes for the photographs and the advertising he placed in the Scouting Papers to promote the Railroading Merit Badge.
Family Hobby Shop for rustling up extra kits and selling them to us at a discount. Barb went the extra mile to try to get a single roadname of the N scale kits.
Operation Lifesaver which not only educated the scouts on railroad safety, but also provided special awards for the Scouts earning the Merit Badge and educating the adults that attended the show. I'm happy that they were there as they were the highlight of the class.
Luke Perkins, my son, who helped me with passing out materials and running the class on Sunday when I was short on help. Luke, who is now a Cub Scout, is anxious to earn this merit badge as a Boy Scout so he can build a kit.
Mary, My wife, for acting as my personal secretary and taking all those messages from Scouts and their Leaders and trying to answer their questions. She also helped me gather, load and unload the materials needed for the class. I also appreciate the effort she put forth getting ready for the open house.
I'm sure I missed someone, but that is the chance you take when you try to acknowledge a bunch of great people. As you can see, we had a good crew and a good time, but the best thing was to see fifty-nine young men learning about railroading and seeing the pride in their faces as they completed their kits and earned the Railroading Merit Badge. Congratulations goes out to Matthew Lasley, John Roberts, Joe Haubert, Chris Hendrickson, and Kevin Sheehan who had top scores on the tests in the class. They each received an additional Walthers stock car kit for their efforts. Thanks to all of you for your help as this event would not have come off without you.
Happy Holidays,
Kirk Perkins
© 1999 Division 3, MCR, NMRA