| Volume 39 Issue 8 | April 2000 |
| Volume 39 Issue 8 | April 2000 |
Forty-eight Boy Scouts earned the Railroading Merit Badge at the March 4 Train Show. This brings the total number of Scouts to earn the Railroading Merit Badge to 235 since the first class held at the first George Muller Train Show in 1998. The boys came from as far away as Chillicothe, Waynesville and Fairfield, Ohio. This class focuses not only on the aspects of model railroading but also the prototype. Bill Ford discussed aspects of safety through Operation Lifesaver. John Edminson demonstrated to the boys how to read an Amtrak timetable. Don Kreigbaum helped Bruce Bryan how to care for model engines and track. We also discussed signals, whistle signals, how a railroad is run, departmental organization and scale and gauge in model railroading. When this was done the group had fun building an N scale boxcar and an HO hopper followed by a tour of the Dalmatian Switching District. All had a great time through all our efforts. Thanks to Brian Petroziello and J Hedge for providing the necessary audio visual equipment. (Congratulations to James Hedge, J's son, on earning his first merit badge, which is railroading!) A special thanks to John Reck who always helps out all around, Barb at Family Hobby Shop for going the extra mile to get our kits together, and Luke and Mary Perkins who helped to administer the class.
Congratulations to Josh Cochran of Germantown, John Findley of Dayton and Scott Richter of Eaton, who were the top Scouts in the class. This class was asked to bring food items for the Scouting for Food Campaign and we were able to turn over 139 canned food items and nine boxed food items to the Northwest Fish Pantry. Great job Scouts!!!!! We had a great time, but it made for an exhausting day for those of us involved with the class. Many Thanks to the Division for their support of the Railroading Merit Badge Class.
Your Railroading Merit Badge Counselor
Kirk Perkins
© 1999, 2000 Division 3, MCR, NMRA