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Welcome to the 2026-2027 Black Swamp Division season!

The Board met on September 3rd to get things organized for the coming year, and we have several things to talk about when we get together on September 18th.

Our meeting dates are established for most of the season: September 18, October 9, December 11, January 8, February 12, March 12 and April 9. November is still up in the air because Proclaim is not available, so we're looking for another location or perhaps we can do an outing instead? Please bring ideas to the meeting or send an email if you can't make it.

We also spent quite a bit of time talking about clinics. Finding a new clinic every month that appeals to a group with as much collective experience as ours isn't always easy. Rather than have the Board simply decide what everyone wants to see, we're going to ask you. At the September meeting we'll get your input on the kinds of clinics and activities you'd like to have this season.

We also need to choose the subject for this year's Build Challenge. We had great turnout last year so let's keep it going. At the September meeting we'll poll the membership to choose from among four project categories: a bridge, something involving water, a gas station, or an eating establishment. Once we have a winner, we'll work out the specific materials and format.

There is also unfinished business concerning the proposed Division One Swap Meet. We deliberately postponed further action last spring so that we could spend some time looking at the questions surrounding the event. That discussion will return to the membership in September.

One other important item is a little farther down the track. Division elections will be held in April 2027. Several current officers have indicated that they do not plan to run again, which means we need members willing to become involved in running the Division. All positions will be open. If you've ever thought about getting more involved - or just want to know what one of the jobs entails - we will run all positions in the October newsletter. Please think about volunteering, most positions do not require a lot of time just someone who cares and is willing to spend a few minutes each month.

Finally, we're looking into replacing our aging video camera. Steve Glass is researching what would best meet the Division's needs and what it will cost. During the next meeting or two we will be testing some different equipment to see what works best for us. The technology in this area has changed to the point we need to re-evaluate how we have conducted our meetings.

We've got plenty to talk about, but September isn't supposed to be all business. It's our traditional What I Did Over the Summer meeting, and this is one meeting where the membership runs the show! Bring a model. Bring some pictures. Tell us about a railroad you visited, something you built, something you bought, or even something you tried that didn't quite work.

See you September 18th!

Marshall Stull,
mstull@marshallstull.com
Superintendent

March is when participants of our Flat Car Build Challenge showed off their final models. We had 14 models presented which is a lot!