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NJ Division unable to host MER 2025 Convention

14 March 2024 04:42 PM

The New Jersey Division’s directors spent the last 18 months searching for a venue for our 2025 Regional Convention. We have been unable to find a hotel with the needed facilities at a price affordable by either our Division or the Mid - Eastern Region. Therefore, regrettably, a letter has been sent to the Region advising that the New Jersey Division is not able to host the 2025 convention. Our division is located in the most expensive area of the region; the convention hotels are simply quoting prices far above what we or the Region can afford. There might be a 2025 regional convention, but it will have to be hosted by another division. We regret that this action is necessary. Unless something significant changes in the future, the New Jersey Division cannot afford the expenses of hosting a regional convention going forward. Therefore this will be the final Convention Updates entry. The Convention Committee thanks all who had volunteered to assist in this effort.

In Memoriam: John Dunn

15 December 2023 09:50 PM

It is with deep sadness that we report the passing of John Dunn. John passed peacefully December 15t.

John was the longest serving member of the the Patcong Valley Model RR Club, having joined in January 1970. In early November, John had a stroke and was hospitalized. During this hospitalization, it was discovered that John had advanced stages of cancer in several critical areas. He was recovered sufficiently from his stroke to enter rehab in mid-November with the goal of getting home in 2 weeks, and then to address his cancer, Unfortunately, it was decided to place John in hospice care on Dec 13. May his soul rest in peace.

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In Memoriam: John Johnson

04 September 2023 05:40 PM

September 2023 Train Orders for a remembrance from Bill Birchall.

Unfortunately, we have more sad news to report on the passing of a founding member of the New Jersey Division, John Johnson. See the

In Memoriam: PJ Mattson

03 May 2023 02:25 PM

Philip J Mattson

His life was about service to the community. PJ graduated from Augusta Military Academy in Fort Defiance, VA and then earned a Junior Business Degree from Goldey-Beacom College. He worked for a short time at DuPont before he was called to serve his nation: April 1968 he was drafted into the Army. His Basic training was at Fort Dix followed by advance training in Fort Leonard Wood where he would become a Combat Engineer. He then had Vietnam jungle training at Fort Sill Oklahoma before shipping off to Vietnam in April 1969. He served 1 year in Vietnam, came home a Sergeant E-5 and received an honorable discharge from the Army. He returned to work at the Chambers Works as an Emergency Response Technician where he worked until he retired in 2003. He had joined the Woolwich Fire Company in 1964 as a reserve and won the Outstanding Reserve award in 1965. In 1966 he became a regular member. In 1980 after serving as 2nd assistant Chief and 1″ Assistant Chief, he became Chief and served for 14 years in this position. He was also the Fire Marshal, State certified Fire Inspector, and the State certified Fire Official for the Borough of Swedesboro. He was never more comfortable than when he was out in nature, shotgun or rifle in hand: PJ was the Captain of the Swedesboro Antlers. He also was the Treasurer of the Woodbury Antlers. His other interest was model railroading. He would open his house for visitations to his railroad every November; it took 10 people to run the operation. PJ was always upgrading. He was awarded the National Model Railroad Association designation of Master Model Railroader. He served as an Officer in the Mid Eastern Region of the NMRA where he rose to be the President. When the VFW Post 10886 was formed he joined and became the Quartermaster for the post. But of all his endeavors he most loved being a grandfather; the only time the grandkids had to be quiet was if he was watching sports: PJ suffered with his beloved Phils, Flyers, and Eagles. He met a pretty girl named Jeanette. The love of his life, they shared a 43-year marriage. PJ is survived by his stepdaughter, Janet Bain; stepson, Martin Graham; 3 granddaughters, 3 grandsons, two great-granddaughters, one great-grandson, and one more on the way. Come celebrate 78 great years Friday, May 5th, 9-11 a.m. at Daley Life Celebration Studio, 1518 Kings Highway, Swedesboro, NJ 08085. Phone 856-467-0626. There will be an 11 a.m. story time service. Donations in lieu of flowers to Woolwich Fire Company, 1517 Kings Highway, Swedesboro, 08085 will be appreciated.

Unfortunately, we have some sad news to report on the passing of another beloved New Jersey Division member and friend, PJ Mattson, MMR. His obituary is below. PJ was a predominant figure in the NMRA, especially the Mid Eastern Region, but most importantly in the New Jersey Division. He served in many roles supporting and contributing to the NJD and will never be forgotten. We will dearly miss him.
There will be a memorable service for PJ on the morning of Friday May 5th. Please read his obituary for details concerning the time and location of the service.

In Memoriam: Pete Mosiondz

20 April 2023 05:07 PM

Some sad news about the passing of our fellow New Jersey Division member and beloved friend Pete Mosiondz. Pete will always be remembered as the guy sitting in the front row at all our division meets offering his quick wit and pearls of wisdom to all of us. He will be greatly missed. Please read his obituary below.

Peter Mosiondz Jr. June 6, 1946 - April 14, 2023 NMRA Life Member since February 8, 1989 Peter Mosiondz, Jr., on April 14, 2023, of Gloucester Township, NJ. Age 76. He was born in Philadelphia, PA to the late Peter and Julia Mosiondz and was a 1964 graduate of Bishop Neumann High School in South Philadelphia. Beloved husband of Constance E. Mosiondz (née Kaminski) and devoted father to Peter (Kristin), Andrew (Stephanie), Michael (Courtney), and Jennifer, and grandfather to Marissa, Gina, Bryce, Katie, and David. He leaves behind his precious feline friend Boots. Peter served in the United States Army as a medic with the 1st Infantry Division during the Vietnam War in the rank of Specialist 5th Class and was awarded 12 medals and citations, including a Purple Heart for wounds received in battle and a bronze star with "V" device for valor. He was a prolific writer for over 35 years with over 1,200 articles published in numerous stamp, coin, and model railroad publications. He also wrote two widely acclaimed philatelic books. In 2021 he was inducted into the American Philatelic Society's Writers Unit Hall of Fame. He was a Fourth-Degree member of the Knights of Columbus as well as a member of many other fraternal organizations. Pete regularly attended New Jersey Division meets and Mid-Eastern Region conventions. He willingly offered his assistance to the division and at regional conventions manning the welcome/registration table and other duties. He was an avid reader of railroad and model railroad literature and periodicals. The family asks that any donations on Pete's behalf be made in Peter's name to Our Lady of Hope Parish, 601 Little Gloucester Road, Blackwood, NJ 08012 or the Vietnam Veterans of America, 8710 Colesville Road, Suite 100, Silver Springs, MD 20190 (www.vva.org).

Chris Conaway becomes MMR #724

19 January 2023 02:55 PM

Chris Conaway recently achieved his AP Award for Civil Engineer. With this Chris has become a Master Model Railroader in the NMRA Achievement Program. Congratulations to Chris on this award and acknowledgement of his model railroading skills and his contributions to the Division, the MER and the NMRA!

Bob Price becomes MMR #717

21 November 2022 10:41 AM

Bob Price recently achieved his AP Award for Master Builder - Motive Power. With this Bob has become a Master Model Railroader in the NMRA Achievement Program. Congratulations to Bob on this award and acknowledgement of his model railroading skills and his contributions to the Division, the MER and the NMRA!

In Memoriam: Robert D. Hubbard

13 October 2022 05:51 PM

The New Jersey Division is saddened to note the passing of long time member Bob Hubbard of Haddonfield NJ. Bob was always a very active participant in the Division as well as the MER and NMRA, which he joined in 1954. Bob's Bangor & Navasink RR was a mainstay of January layout tours and showcased many innovative approaches to model railroading.. Bob also built many structures for others and these can be seen today on layouts throughout the Division area. Bob was 94.

In Memoriam: J. Vanderbeek, B. Judge

06 September 2022 12:05 PM

The NJ Division notes the passing of longtime NMRA and NJ Division members:

James (Jay or Jim) Vanderbeek, 66, on March 26, 2022 - Joined NMRA in 1976, Life Member

Robert (Bob) Judge, 87, on July 16, 2022 - Joined NMRA in 1963

2022 - 2023 Elections Underway!

24 August 2022 03:46 PM

The elections for the board of directors to the NJ Division is starting August 24th and runs through August 31st. You will receive either an email with a link to ElectionBuddy (the online voting platform we have used for the past few years), or a paper ballot via USPS mail if this has been requested.

Results will be announced at the September 10th Division Meet during the Annual Business Meeting portion of the meet.

MER Convention coming in 2025

09 March 2022 12:20 PM

The NJ Division will be hosting the MER Convention in 2025, Help wanted to make this a successful event!

Committee Chairpersons and volunteers are needed to assist in planning and running he convention.

Three years away, but planning starts now - please contact JohnGallagher for more information and to get on board - njdiv.super@gmail.com

Mar. 12 Meet In Person and Zoom

09 March 2022 12:12 PM

MESSAGE FROM JOHN V. GALLAGHER,
SUPERINTENDENT; NEW JERSEY DIVISION

We all look forward to our next meet at Switlik Park. My hope is that the COVID infections will be in decline and the State’s recommendations include voluntary wearing of masks. Only members fully inoculated should attend as the virus still can be transmitted. If masking is voluntary, you can choose your own masking. I expect that some members will still mask for their own safety or that of family members. However, ALL should bring a mask in case the township requires indoor masking.

For layout visits, please bring your mask should the layout host requires masking.

Please monitor the news on the pandemic the week of the meet for any State changes in attendance policies. We may post any changes as late as Friday evening, March 11. The safety of all our members is paramount in our decision making. Thanks for your continuing cooperation.

We will broadcast the meet via Zoom for those unvaccinated, unable to travel or for those with other reasons. We will post the Zoom access numbers during the week preceding the meet. I look forward to seeing many of you in person for a great program and excellent layouts.

Jan. 8th 2022 Meet changed to Online Zoom Only

02 January 2022 10:22 AM

However, the situation with the new Omicron variant of COVID and its rapid transmission challenged us in deciding whether the in-person meet is safe and prudent. The alarming increase in the number of cases and the recommendations of the medical scientists caused us to decide that the risks to our members did not merit our meeting in person. I consulted with a physician, who is a model railroader, and he concurs with the decision to cancel the in-person meet.

The meet will occur using the Zoom program, beginning at 9AM Saturday. Two clinics will constitute the program plus time for visiting and informal discussions. A brief division business meeting will cover relevant items for members.

Of course, the scheduled layout open houses are also cancelled. Thanks to the layout owners who volunteered to host members during the meet afternoon. In safer times, we will return to your area to visit your home layouts and celebrate your accomplishments.

Please monitor your email between now and January 7th, 2022, for any further developments.

Thanks for your membership, cooperation, and patience.

John
John V. Gallagher, Superintendent

Join Zoom Meeting
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Meeting ID: 862 4249 7962
Passcode: 487885
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Passcode: 487885

We planned to gather on January 8, 2022, at the Grace Episcopal Church in Merchantville for our January meet.

Sam Natal Estate Sale Oct. 2, 2021

16 September 2021 02:06 PM

The estate of the late Sam Natal will be conducting a sale of train, railroad, and model railroad items on Saturday October 2, 2021, from12 noon to 4pm.

The address is 1913 Owl Court, Cherry Hill, NJ 08003.

Cash and credit accepted, but no checks.

Questions can be sent to Bob Koury, rkoury103 at comcast.net, 856.630.1163

Sam, a charter member of the NJ Division, was an HO scale modeler focused on the Santa Fe. The sale includes many items including built and unbuilt laser cut craftsman kits, locomotives, freight cars, tools, Tortoise switch machines and more.

Bill Grosse Retiring

28 April 2021 09:30 PM

After our May 2021 Division Meet, Superintendent Bill Grosse will be retiring from the Board of Directors. Bill has served 4 terms as our Superintendent and President of the NJ Division.

Bill will be relocating to West Virginia, and therefore, can no longer serve on our Board.

Thanks Bill for your leadership and influx of great ideas over the past 8 years, and continuing to keep the Division on the right track forward, especially as we have navigated unusual circumstances this past year.

2021 NMRA National Convention Cancelled

25 January 2021 10:52 AM

The NMRA has decided to cancel the 2021 NMRA National Convention, to be held in Santa Clara CA.Here us an email provided by Bob Ampler of the NMRA:

The NMRA has cancelled the NMRA 2021 Santa Clara "Rails By the Bay" Convention, scheduled for the Santa Clara Marriott Hotel & Conference Center on July 4-11, 2021:

"We did not reach this decision lightly but felt it was the best for anyone who would want to attend given the current status of the pandemic, the disbursement of the vaccine, and the fact that people were waiting to see what would happen before they registered. Moreover, local prototype facilities were not open and, understandably, home owners were reluctant to allow people in their homes."

The NMRA has decided to turn the 2021 convention into a virtual event, July 6-10, 20201. Please see the "Rails by the Bay" convention website at https://www.nmra2021.com/ for further details.

At this time, St. Louis will host the 2022 convention and it is expected that all contracts for that convention will be signed shortly, if not by the time you read this. See you all in St. Louis August 4-15, 2022.

Zoom will be used for Virtual Meets

29 December 2020 09:37 AM

After receiving suggestions from some members, the NJ Division Board had a discussion at our December meeting concerning which virtual meet service we should use.

A lot of positive comments were received for the Zoom service.

The Board has voted to purchase a 1 year subscription to Zoom for $149.90, with use for up to 99 attendees, and looks like up to 30 hours a month.

So, for January 9th, (and March 13th), we will be using the Zoom service, with check in beginning at 8:30am and the meets beginning at 9am.

NJ Division Board meetings will also be using the Zoom Service to complete our business.

Once we do get back to live meets, we may try having Hybrid Meets as an option. These hybrid meets would will be live meets with live video streaming on the Zoom service of the meet as it happens.

This would allow our members, living in the far corners of our division, the ability to attend live meets without having extended travel times getting to the opposite end of the division. Members not feeling up to being out in public due to sickness or injury can also benefit by us having hybrid meets.

Keep an eye out for this once we get back out again.

New Jersey Division On Facebook In 2021

28 December 2020 09:41 AM

We have received confirmation from NJ Division Member Bob Mosley, that he is interested in setting up and maintaining a Facebook page for the NJ Division.

This is planned to be an informational page only, not set up for people to post random information.

If anyone has suggestions of information or photos to use on the page, please send to njdiv.super@gmail.com.

More information will be coming in future updates as the page progresses to the point of being online.

New Jersey Division 50th Anniversary Car

15 November 2020 01:50 PM

Our New Jersey Division 50th Anniversary Gondola Cars are available. Contact us to pick your order up if you will not be at the September meet.
We do have cars are available to buy, one car is $35, a second car is $30.
If you would like to buy a car or two, but need to have them shipped, we can handle that, by USPS Priority Mail, shipping for one car is $9.00, two cars for $10.75. Click on the image below to order.

Garden Railroad Group Wants To Grow

20 October 2020 01:27 PM

New Jersey Division Director Tom Neukirchen, and Member Jim Shepard have started a Garden Railroad Group. They would like to find more garden railroad enthusiasts to help increase the size of the group, to help each other as needed, have group visits [outside], and expand interest in this part of the hobby.
They are looking for garden railroaders in the central and southern areas of NJ, and possibly southeastern PA.
Contact Tom at t.neukirchen at aol com if your are interested in being a part of the group.