What I've been working on...

[Dave V]

Traditionally, the Air Force Weather Agency's Top III (that's the three senior-most enlisted grades) Organization teams with Offutt Air Force Base's First Sergeant's Association to sponsor a program each year called "Sub for Santa."  The idea is to raise money to offset the utility bills for a needy Airman's family for December so that they may purchase gifts for their children at Christmas (or whatever holiday the family observes).  Many years the fundraiser is a raffle for a model railroad built by volunteers from AFWA.

Several of AFWA's model railroaders knew me from various model railroad forums, and so when they found out I was assigned to Second Weather Group, they asked me to lead the layout construction project.  In fact, as it turns out I'm the only active duty guy working on the layout; the rest are retired senior NCOs and FGOs.  It will fall on the active duty NCOs from the Top III to actually babysit the thing in the BX during the raffle.

I figured if I were going to be in charge, it would be N scale.  I'm writing an article about this thing, so I'll keep the commentary short.  We had a lot of donations from Atlas, Walthers, Exactrail, Athearn, and a few others.  Here's the "Missouri Valley Railroad" built on a hollow-core door as it looked tonight, probably 90% away from being ready to raffle.









We have only about a week and a half left to finish this bad boy so many of the "nice-to-haves" won't make it in time.  Nonetheless, we thing we'll make some decent cash for the charity this year.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

That industry is hot. Also, very cool project.

[Dave V]

That industry is hot. Also, very cool project.

The industry is an ethanol plant, very common around here...  Constructed by CMSgt (retired) Ricky Keil, known as RedGray62 on trains.com.

[Chulvis]

Very nice, Dave. You'll give someone a great intro to the hobby and make a lot of kids happy all at the same time. Kudos to you and your partners.

[asarge]

Nice job Dave!!

[asciibaron]

how do i buy a raffle ticket?  seems like a worthy (santa) cause.

[up1950s]

Pretty snazzy and giving of you .

[Dave V]

how do i buy a raffle ticket?  seems like a worthy (santa) cause.

I'll ask...  Typically the ticket sales are in person on-base, but I'm sure I could mail you some.  Now, if you win it, it's a bit of a drive out here (we don't deliver!).

I was thinking of buying a few tickets myself, and if I win, I'd like to donate the layout itself to one of the children's hospitals or veteran's homes around here.

[Ian MacMillan]

Looks good! And  good cause!

[RDG_Rich]

Nice Job, and thanks for doing something great for a worthy cause!

[John]

If you guys can swing it .. Dave has a paypal account .. I sent a donation .. and if I win, he is going to donate the layout to a charity .. if Dave don't mind .. send him your $$$ for a worthy cause ..

[Dave V]

Got it, thanks John!

Installing a highway bridge tomorrow.

[asciibaron]

what is the paypal?

[Dave V]

what is the paypal?

Guys, please hold off on the ticket purchases, just for a little bit...  They don't go on sale for at least a week.  I'm guessing they're going to be $1 apiece but I don't know for sure.  That's up to the Top III; my job was to build the thing.  As soon as I have the info, I'll let everyone know and then interested parties can PM me for my PayPal account.

Thank you all for your interest in this project!

[Dave V]

I went in for a few hours to work on the layout.  We still have to clean up the wiring and build a mount for the control panel and throttles.  We also need some highway signs and grade crossing signals.  I'm told the AFWA Commander is stopping by this week to see the project.