model train for hobby

Winnipeg Model Railroad Club posts model contest rules on-line

NOTE: This document was created in 1999 in order to present a more comprehensive and detailed account of the Winnipeg Model Railroad Club's model contest rules. It is being published on-line for the first time to provide access to all of our members and to the general public.

Contest rules

Revised January, 1999

1. SCOPE
a. It is the intent of this publication to list, define and clarify the contests authorized by the Winnipeg
Model Railroad Club Inc. (WMRC).

b. Contest Events
(1) Model Construction Event
(2) Photo Contest Event (rules for this event have been posted previously and are not included in this document)

c. General Rules
(1) Any member of the WMRC in good standing is eligible to compete.
(2) The WMRC can assume no responsibility in the event of loss or damage to an entry and no
insurance will be carried by the WMRC. Reasonable precautions will be taken for the protection of
all entries and exhibits.
(3) Each entry must be accompanied by a properly-completed official entry form signed by the entrant or his authorized proxy.
(4) Judges for the contest events will be selected by the Contest Chairman. All decisions of the judges
will be final.
(5) The Contest Chairman shall establish the time limits for entering models and their removal after
judging.
(6) Entries will be grouped by categories.
(7) Entries which have won a Contest Award for a model in a previous WMRC contest or a First Place in a previous WMRC Photo Contest cannot be reentered. A Contest Award is considered for the
purposes of this rule to be any of the trophies listed in the Club Handbook.
(8) Any entrant winning a first in a specific category for three successive years will not be eligible to
enter that category for the following two years. This restriction shall not apply to special events.
(9) The Contest Chairman shall furnish The Lantern (the publication of the WMRC) with the list of
winners.

2. MODEL CONSTRUCTION EVENT
a. Entry Instructions
(1) There shall be no restrictions on the number of models entered by a single contestant.
(2) Complete the official entry form as accurately as possible including name, WMRC number, category and model identification.
(3) On this form, list briefly all pertinent information which will describe the model to the best
advantage.
(4) On this form, identify whether the model is scratch built or built from a kit.
b. Supplemental information to verify or identify a point may be submitted with the entry form. The
judges are, however, under no obligation to consult the supplemental information.
c. All scales will be combined within the various categories. There will be no divisions based on the scale of the models.

d. Categories
(1A) Locomotives � Steam: All types of road and yard steam locomotives.
(1B) Locomotives � Others: All types of road and yard locomotives, including diesel, electric and gas electric, excluding steam.
(2) Passenger: All passenger train and passenger carrying cars, including combines, baggage, express
(except reefers), RPO�s, streetcars, rail buses and dayliners.
(3) Freight: All revenue�earning freight cars, including express reefers.
(4) Non-Revenue: All non-revenue cars, including maintenance-of-way, cabooses, snowplows, cranes, wrecking cars, rail inspection cars and dormitory cars.
(5) Structures: All buildings, bridges, coal docks, water towers, interlocking towers, stations, tool sheds, ice platforms, freight sheds and roundhouses as long as they are not on a scenicked base.
(6) Displays: Anything with a scenicked base, usually including any of the following; buildings, track,land, trees, trucks, cars, people, weeds, junk and activity.

e. Judging
(1) The Contest Chairman shall act as Senior Judge, issue instructions to Technical Judges, clarify points of question, fill in for Technical Judges so they do not have to judge their own entries, break ties and tally up scores from the individual factors.
(2) The panel of five Technical Judges shall determine the score points, one judge for each of the five
factors, in conformance with the judging guide and point schedule patterned after National Model
Railroad Association (NMRA) rules.

f. Factors
(1) Construction: This factor deals with the apparent workmanship of the builder. Proper handling of
materials, applied labour, skill and craftsmanship as demonstrated by the construction of the model
is considered, including cutting, shaping, fitting, gluing, soldering and casting.
(2) Detail: This factor deals with the refinement of the model. The number of subordinate parts added
and the complexity of the model is considered.
(3) Conformity: This factor deals with what is commonly called prototype practice. Logical construction and application of parts is considered to be conforming to prototype practice, even though there may not actually be a prototype, Proper dimensions are considered in this factor.
(4) Finish: This factor deals with the general appearance of the model as reflected by surface treatment to achieve a specific effect, through the proper use of finishing materials, and proper application of lettering, either decals, dry transfer or hand lettered. Painting, aging, weathering and special effects are considered to be part of the finish.
(5) Scratchbuilding: This factor deals with all parts of the model which have been fabricated by the
builder. Preformed wood and metal are considered basic material for scratchbuilding. Being
scratchbuilt is no automatic assurance of extra points, but the builder is rewarded for scratchbuilt
work that is well done.

g. Point Schedule
(1) Construction 0 to 40 points
(2) Detail 0 to 20 points
(3) Conformity* 0 to 25 points
(4) Finish 0 to 25 points
(5) Scratchbuilding 0 to 15 points
Maximum possible total 125 points
    *Without documentation, maximum conformity score is 15.

h. Scratchbuilding Point Sub-schedule

(1) Motive Power:
i. Completely scratchbuilt except motor, gears, drivers, wheels, couplers, trucks and light bulbs 10 to
15 points
ii. Mostly scratchbuilt except as above plus locomotive and tender frames, pilot, smoke box front,
main and side rods, and cylinder block.
5 to 9 points
iii. Partly scratchbuilt except as above under (i) and (ii) plus valve gear, domes, stack, marker lights,
pumps, brake rigging and other commercial parts
0 to 5 points

(2) Cars:
i. Completely scratchbuilt except trucks and couplers
0 to 15 points
ii. Partly scratchbuilt except as above plus seats, cylinder, reservoir, triple valve, ventilators, latches,
turnbuckles, hinges, ladders, diaphragms, platforms, steps, grabirons, plastic and metal window sash
and other commercial parts. All metal and plastic shapes exempted
0 to 9 points

(3) Structures:
i. Completely scratchbuilt except light bulbs and wiring
0 to 15 points
ii. Partly scratchbuilt as above plus metal and plastic doors and windows, figures and animals, interior
fittings, grass, gravel, etc. All wood and plastic sheet and shapes are exempted
0 to 9 points

i. Awards
Best-in-Show, First Place in each category, Kit Award, Initial Modelling Achievement Award and Junior Achievement Award winners will be presented with a Club Contest Certificate, a small engraved plaque to keep permanently and the appropriate Club trophy to keep until the April meeting of the following year. In addition, all Second Place and Honorable Mention Winners in the various
categories will be presented with a Club Certificate. All winners will be announced at the Contest Open House and all certificates, plaques and trophies will be awarded at the Annual General Meeting and Banquet.

(1) Best-in-Show: The model scoring the highest total points shall be declared the winner of the Best-in-Show Award, and shall be removed from further competition in its category.

(2) Category Awards: Except where there is only one entry, the entry scoring the highest points in each category shall be declared First Place winner. The entry scoring the second highest total points shall be declared the Second Place winner. At the option of the Contest Chairman, further Honorable
Mention awards may be made for the entries scoring within a few points of the second place. Ties
will be avoided if at all possible. Where there is only one entry, a First Place or Honorable Mention
may be made at the discretion of the Judges dependent upon the quality of the model.

(3) Kit Award: This shall be made to the entry scoring the highest points in the Model Construction
Event which:
(a) was built from a kit.
(b) did not score more than 5 points in the scratchbuilt factor.
(c) did not win Best-in-Show or First Place in any Category.

(4) Initial Modelling Achievement Award: This shall be made to the modeller achieving the highest
points in any category in the Model Construction Event who:
(a) has never won Best-in-Show, First Place in any category, the Kit Award or this Award in any
previous WMRC Model Construction Event.
(d) does not win Best-in-Show, First Place in any category or the Kit Award in the current WMRC
Model Construction Event.

(5) Junior Modelling Achievement Award: This shall be made to the junior modeller achieving the highest points in any category in the Model Construction Event who does not win Best-in-Show, First
Place in any category, the Kit Award or the Initial Achievement Award in the current WMRC
Model Construction Event.