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National Contest Rules

NMRA National Contests Rules                                           

General Contest Information

  1. Contests
    1. Model Contest
    2. Switching Contest
    3. Photo Contest
    4. Pass Contest
    5. Arts & Crafts Contest
  2. General Contest Rules
    1. Any member of the NMRA, in good standing, is eligible to compete, except those persons engaged in the business of the contest entered (i.e. Commercial Model Builder is not eligible for the model contest, professional photographer is not eligible for the photo contest). Commercially built models and commercial photos are not eligible to be entered. Only models, or portions thereof, which are the product of the owner/builder, will be considered by the judges.
    2. Each entry must be accompanied by the official entry form, filled out and signed by the entrant. Each entry by proxy must be authenticated by the owner/builder with the owner's valid NMRA membership number.
    3. There will be no restrictions on the number of models entered by a single entrant, nor any entry fee.
    4. Entries that have won a first place in any prior National Contest cannot be entered in the same contest category.

Model Contest Guidelines

SECTION 1.

  1. Entry Instructions
    1. Complete the entry form (Form #901), including name and address, NMRA membership number, scale, category(s) entered and model identification.
    2. Complete judge's score sheet (Form #902 or #903) including detailed information in each factor describing the model and how it was built. Supplemental information to verify or identify factors should be submitted with the entry form. The judges are under no obligation to consult the supplemental information.
    3. The claim check must be presented to obtain the model after the contest.
  2. All scales will be combined in the various categories. There will be no divisions of category based on the scale of the model.
  3. Categories
    1. Steam Locomotives-Types of locomotives representative of steam power. 
    2. Diesel Locomotives & Others-All locomotives except steam types and passenger revenue carrying types.
    3. Passenger Cars-All types of passenger revenue carrying equipment, including RDC, rail buses, observation, mail and baggage.
    4. Freight Cars-All types of freight revenue carrying, including express reefers.
    5. Cabooses-All types, including bobbers, drovers, transfers, etc.
    6. Non-Revenue-Right of way and track maintenance vehicles, rail and inspection cars, railroad cranes and others not considered directly involved in revenue service. This includes track controlling devices including turnouts, crossings, etc.
    7. Structures On-Line and Off-Line-On Line structures are considered to be those normally owned by the railroad, or having rail loading/unloading facilities on the right of way. Off-Line structures are those not needing direct rail access.
    8. Displays On-Line and Off-Line-Model or models which include supplemental scenery not pertinent to the function of the model or primary structure. On Line and Off Line definitions are the same as for Structures.
    9. Traction-All equipment associated with urban, suburban and interurban railways, electrically powered.
    10. Module, Individual and Group-A group of models including supplemental scenery and track work which is designated to attach to and operate in conjunction with other similar units or layouts.
  4. Judging Procedures
    1. Judging will be done according to current Achievement Program Guidelines.
  5. Additional Regulations
    1. Models entered in Steam Locomotives and Diesel Locomotives & Other must be powered. In the case of multiple hookups such as A&B diesels, at least one of the models must be powered.
  6. Awards
    1. Plaques shall be awarded for first, second and third places. Honorable Mention certificates shall be awarded for those not receiving a plaque but attaining 87.5 points or greater.
    2. The Contest Department will sponsor the following additional awards for the Model Contest:
      1. Gold Award-The judges shall be a panel selected by the Contest General Manager. The judges shall make their selection from the first place winners of the individual categories. The Gold Award shall be considered the Best of Show in the Model Contest. After selection, that model will be removed from the individual category in which it was entered and the first, second and third places shall be awarded to the remaining models in that category.
      2. National Contest Chairman's Award-Chosen by the Contest General Manager for an entry depicting exceptional effort and craftsmanship.
      3. National Contest Judges Award-Chosen by the Judging Crew Chiefs for the outstanding model among the individual category non-winners.
  7. Forms
    1. Model Contest Entry Form, (Form #901)
    2. Model Contest Judges Score Sheet, (Form #902)
    3. Module Contest Judges Score Sheet, (Form #903)
    4. Arts & Crafts Judges Score Sheet, (Form #906)
  8. Popular Vote Model Contest
    • There are also Popular Vote categories in the model contest. Whether you enter a model in the contest or not, please come by and vote for your favorites in the following categories.
      1. Popular Vote Entry Requirements
        1. Complete the entry form (Form #901), including name and address, NMRA membership number, scale, category(s) entered and model identification.
        2. Any member of the NMRA, in good standing, is eligible to compete.
        3. Favorite Train-Assemble your favorite train and see what others think. Plaques are awarded for 1st, 2nd & 3rd.
        4. Thumbs-Those of you with active imaginations can go wild. There are definitely no prototypes here. 1st, 2nd and 3rd place certificates drawn by Thumbs creator Milt Moore are awarded.
        5. Photo Match-This is a contest where you provide a photo of the model or diorama you are entering and see how close you can get to the photo. 1st, 2nd and 3rd place plaques will be awarded.
        6. Creativity-This is for a structure that is not modeled after a prototype but is a product of the builder's imagination. One plaque will be presented to the structure receiving the most votes.
        7. Member's Choice-There will be an overall "Best of Show" as selected by the voters as well as a plaque awarded for the best locomotive, car, caboose, structure and diorama as chosen by the members.

Locomotive Performance Contest Guidelines

SECTION 2.

  1. General
    1. This contest is intended to promote the development of locomotive models, which will pull substantial loads smoothly, without overheating and will run at realistic scale speeds.
    2. An inclined track test fixture will be used so that performance measurements can be made with the locomotive at operating speed.
    3. Points are awarded for overall efficiency (adjusted for model scale), for adherence to prototype slow and maximum safe speeds and for general fidelity to prototype locomotive performance configuration and features.
    4. Classes are used to accommodate three general levels of model performance capability.
  2. Testing & Judging Guidelines
    1. Locomotives in all scales will be placed in three classes.
      1. Diesel and Other locomotives.
      2. Steam Locomotives
      3. Special Motor-model locomotives, of all types, which use instrument, servo or other special motors with a normal efficiency above 65%.
    2. Locomotives will be run at an inclined track slope, or load representative of the model type capability.
      1. Diesel and Other- 14% slope
      2. Steam used in freight service- 10% slope
      3. Steam used in passenger service-8% slope. Steam locomotives commonly used for both freight and passenger service may be run at 8% or 10% slope.
      4. Traction- 7.5%
    3. Driver tires may be made of metallic, elastomeric or plastic materials.
    4. Headlights or other lights are not required to be operating in this contest.
    5. All locomotives are awarded points for an Efficiency Index consisting of the computed overall efficiency, at 12 volts, multiplied by a Scale Factor.
    6. All locomotives are graded against a prototype slow speed of 3 MPH. A maximum of 10 points will be awarded, with a penalty only for a speed over 3 SMPH.
    7. All diesel and other locomotives are graded for fast speed, at 12 volts, against the published maximum safe speed for the prototype or locomotive type. Models of diesel and other locomotives, which have been re-geared, may be graded against the new high-speed value. A maximum of 10 points will be awarded.
    8. All rod type steam locomotives are graded for fast speed, at 12 volts and no load, against a prototype fast speed derived by multiplying the prototype driver diameter, in inches, by 1.1. All geared type steam locomotives may be graded against a prototype fast speed derived by multiplying the prototype driver diameter, in inches, by 1.1 or .55 at the option of the contestant. A maximum of 10 points will be awarded.
    9. Appearance grading is used to penalize those locomotives, which have been obviously altered or constructed so as to gain unfair advantage during the efficiency test. Finishing details and other aesthetics are not to be used for this contest. A maximum of 5 points will be subtracted for an undersized tender, missing side rods or valve gear, missing leading or trailing trucks, unrealistic bulges in the superstructure, no superstructure, no tender or tender body, unrealistic chassis or superstructure, outsized drivers, exposed weights, or other distortions of good prototypical appearance features.
    10. Free lance locomotives may compete in this contest if all rules are complied with and the entrant and Locomotive Performance Contest Manager agree on a reasonable figure for the high speed criteria and other factors necessary to the classification and scoring of the locomotive.
  3. Awards
    • Plaques shall be awarded for first, second and third place in each class and the Locomotive Biathlon as determined by the values of the total scores.
  4. Locomotive Biathlon
    • This contest is designed to award the best of both the Model Contest category and the Locomotive Performance Contest. Scoring will be determined by adding 28% of the points scored in the Model Contest and the actual score of the Locomotive Performance Contest.

Switching Contest Guidelines

SECTION 3.

  1. General
    1. The Convention Host Committee will provide a switching layout of their own design. Points should be based on the number of moves taken to complete the required tasks in an established time limit.
    2. Any member of the NMRA, in good standing, is eligible to compete.
  2. Scoring and Awards
    1. Plaques shall be presented for first, second and third places.

Photo Contest Guidelines

SECTION 4.

  1. Categories
    1. Model-Black & White Print
    2. Model-Color Print
    3. Model-Slides
    4. Prototype-Black & White Print
    5. Prototype-Color Print
    6. Prototype-Slides
    7. Display Only - Not to be judged
  2. Rules for Entry
    1. Entrant must be an NMRA member in good standing.
    2. Entries must be entered by the member or authorized proxy.
    3. The entrant must complete an entry form (Form #901). The form must be completed as accurately as possible including name, NMRA number, category, and photo identification. 
    4. Each member may submit up to ten (10) entries with a maximum of five (5) entries in one category.
    5. Prints must be mounted on flat, rigid board or matted with similar material - no folders or glass frames allowed. Photo and mount may not exceed 12" x 16" (30cm x 40cm) in size. Minimum mount size is 8" x 10" (20cm x 25cm) and minimum print size is 5" x 7" (13cm x 18cm).
    6. Slides must be in standard 2" by 2" (5cm x 5cm) mounts, and should be marked on the lower left-hand edge as the slide is viewed. (See figure 1). This puts the mark on the top outside edge when the slide is correctly oriented and loaded in a carousel for projection.
      slide
    7. Prints must have the entrant's name on the back; slides on the mount. Prints may be titled on the front. Prints with the entrant's name on the front will not be accepted.
    8. Exposure of the original slide or negative must have been made by the entrant. The exposure shall not have won a First Place Award in any previous NMRA National Convention Photo Contest.
    9. 9.  Any person who derives more than 50% of income from photography is excluded from entering the contest.
  3. Judging Procedures
    1. The following judging system has been used in competitive camera club settings for many years.
    2. View all the entries in a category one at a time to get an overview of the field. There should be no commentary at this point. The entries are viewed again, and each judge indicates whether the entry should stay or be eliminated. During this run-through, a positive vote from any one of the judges will keep the entry in the running. Any entry receiving no votes is set aside. During the third run-through, it requires two positive responses to keep an entry; those failing are removed and set aside. If the field is still large, perform another run-through. Three judges are now required to give assent, although by this time there are usually no more than a dozen entries left. The purpose of this process is to narrow the field rather than to pick winners, thus it is advisable that little or no commentary should be made until the next step.
    3. With only ten or twelve entries left, the judges now have a reasonably small field to select from. At this point considerable discussion is needed and encouraged as the judges compare the entries. Prints may be arranged on the table in order of finish, and moved about as the judges seek a consensus. Entries removed earlier may always be brought back for further consideration, but it should be noted that this method will generally produce the same final ten entries or so from more than a hundred choices, no matter which team of judges is used. Different teams of judges may likely produce different winners from these finalists, however. This is not surprising, as we are dealing with a subjective medium.
    4. As was stated, it is easiest to have a fourth person, the Photo Contest Manager for example, handle the entries, freeing the judges from dealing with loading and unloading a carousel or handling a stack of prints.
    5. After all the categories have been judged, the judges must select a Best of Show from among the First Place winners. The Best of Show will be removed from that category for consideration of first, second and third.
  4. Judging Factors

    As stated above, and as is evident to the experienced observer, photo contests are much more subjective than the model contest. A prize-winning photograph is often more a matter of art and luck than execution of technique. Certainly, the photographer is faced with more things that are beyond his control than the model builder, at least where the prototype categories are concerned. Notwithstanding this subjectivity, there are some judging factors that are brought to bear by the experienced judge. These will be given appropriate, albeit intuitive, weighting as the judges come to their consensus.

    1. IMPACT: This is best explained by the "I wish I'd taken that picture" reaction. Given a choice, action is preferable to static scene; rare or unusual equipment is more interesting than the ordinary. In model photography, the choice of the model will contribute to the impact of the picture. Other questions arise in model photography: Does the photograph reveal obvious, distracting modeling flaws, or has the photographer apparently taken pains to be sure that all of the elements shown work together to produce a pleasing result? When the environment is exceptional, or the viewpoint makes the ordinary extraordinary, full credit should be given for the contribution the photographer's sensitivity brought to the subject.
    2. COMPOSITION: The arrangement of the forms within the photo should be pleasing to the eye. How well did the photographer use the available space within his format? Did he or she follow the guidelines taught in art and photography classes? If the rules are broken, did the result justify that decision?
    3. ARTISTIC APPROACH: This subjective area is where a strongly graphic or symbolic composition may move one judge and a "typical calendar shot" may be more moving to another. One tends to evaluate artistic and aesthetic qualities on the basis of one's own experience. What moves us and the degree we are impressed will change as we are exposed to more and better images. A judge should not start out looking for a special kind of artistry -to do so would be imposing personal values, sensibilities, or preconceptions without giving the entries a chance to speak for themselves.
    4. LIGHTING: In photography, "Light is law." It is the only thing that makes it possible to expose film. Skillfully handled, the result can be a work of art; badly handled, the result is a total failure or a snapshot at best. A picture made with on-camera flash and no other light would be a snapshot. The photographer should be given full credit for use of multiple flash, supplemental reflectors, or a well developed room lighting system, depending on the quality of the execution. Natural sunlight is superior to flash systems, but even it can be badly handled. The best execution of any limiting system in model photography is one that produces a realistic, natural appearance, without multiple shadows (there can be only one sun!), with accurate color, and without excessively harsh contrast and black holes devoid of details.
    5. EXPOSURE: If a print appears washed out, or shadow details are obliterated, it is obvious the negative was improperly exposed. If a slide is too dark, it is underexposed; if bleached out, overexposed. However, the judges may decide that an unusual exposure was skillfully handled to achieve a desired mood or dramatic effect.
    6. FOCUS: Model photographers should strive to maximize the appearance of sharpness throughout the photo to achieve realistic results. Generally, "selective focus" is not desirable in model or prototype photos, since it produces fuzzy areas that are distracting; but there are always exceptions, and the judges must determine whether the photographer achieved his or her goal or not.
    7. DIFFICULTY: In prototype shots, this relates to motion, lighting conditions (including weather), selection of an appropriate viewpoint, inherent danger and the knowledge of special techniques and equipment. Night photography, for instance, is considerably more difficult than shooting an idle locomotive with the sun over your left shoulder. Model photography involves a different set of technical skills for close-up work while maintaining adequate depth-of-field. Lighting models adequately can be difficult and complex as well. Since a model may be photographed many times with different settings, there is little reason to see poorly lit photos of model scenes. A prototype may be available only once.
    8. SPECIAL EFFECTS: This would apply to deliberate blurring or panning to accentuate motion, long exposures at night to create light streaks, multiple exposures, shooting through smoke or fog, using filters, print toning, or any other special effects limited only by the photographer's imagination. In model photos, special effects include smoke and steam simulation, fog, panning and wheel spinning, harsh weather conditions, and more.  The final evaluation should be, as always, a response to how well the effect achieved the desired result: did it work, and is the result pleasing or evocative enough to have made the effort worthwhile?
    9. TECHNIQUE: Is the color pleasing, correct, or believable? Color saturation should also be evaluated. To some extent this is influenced by the quality of processing; however, whether the result is acceptable or not is a judgment for which the photographer is responsible. An unsatisfactory processing job may be redone. Black and white is more often controlled by the photographer, because more of them process their own black and white than do their own color. Good blacks and mid-tones, clean whites, and careful contrast control are essential to all contest-quality black and white prints.
    10. FINISH: Consider the impact of the presentation of the entry. Prints should not be streaked or blemished and should be bonded correctly to the mount, with carefully measured borders. Mounts and mats should be clean and neatly cut, lie flat, and not show excess mounting tissue or adhesive around the edges. Slides should be clean, free of fingerprints and scratches, and fixed firmly in their mounts that protect them from damage and hold the film flat. If a slide or print is not suitable for publication reproduction, it should not be considered for an award.
  5. Awards
    1. Plaques shall be given for First, Second and Third Place in each category, together with as many Honorable Mention Certificates as are deemed necessary by the judges. The decision may be influenced by the size and quality of the field.

 

Pass Contest Guidelines

SECTION 5.

  1. Rules for Entry
    1. The entrant must complete an entry form (Form #901).
    2. Two copies of the subject pass must be provided upon entry, if necessary, so that both sides of the pass can be displayed. 
    3. Entries may be by proxy. Mail entries may be accepted subject to the direction of the Contest General Manager. 
    4. Entries may be printed, hand lettered, typed, stamped or reproduced by other suitable means.
    5. The entry may not have won a first place at a previous National Contest. 
    6. Entrant must be a member in good standing.
  2. Judging and Awards
    1. There shall be a first, second and third place plaque awarded. An Honorable Mention certificate can be awarded by the judges.
  3. Scoring
    1. Design and Appearance-Each factor shall considered in the judging.
    2. Judging factors are:
      1. Esthetic Appeal 
      2. Balance and Readability
      3. Color Match and Attractiveness
      4. Uniqueness of Design

 

Arts & Crafts Contest Guidelines

SECTION 6.

  1. Eligibility-The Arts & Crafts 
    • The contest is open to anyone who is registered at an NMRA National Convention. Any kind of article may be entered provided it is the sole work of the entrant. Entry by proxy is not allowed. If an item has previously won a first place or Best of Show at a previous National Contest it may not be entered again. The entrant must complete an entry form (Form #901) and a judges score sheet (Form #906). 
  2. Categories
    1. General Kit Built-Commercially available kit. Includes plans/instructions and materials.
    2. General Pattern-Existing plans/instructions. Entrant acquires materials separately.
    3. General Original-Entrants own design.
    4. Railroadiana Kit Built-Same as General Kit Built except entry must have a railroad motif.
    5. Railroadiana Pattern-Same as General Pattern except entry must have a railroad motif.
    6. Railroadiana Original-Same as General Original except entry must have a railroad motif.
    7. Needlework Kit Built-Same as General Kit Built except entry is type of needlework (I.E. Knitting, embroidery, needlepoint, etc.)
    8. Needlework Pattern-Same as General Pattern except entry is type of needlework (I.E. Knitting, embroidery, needlepoint, etc.)
    9. Needlework Original-Same as General Original except entry is type of needlework (I.E. Knitting, embroidery, needlepoint, etc.)
  3. Judging
    1. Points are awarded in the following categories and listed on the Arts & Crafts Judges Score Sheet (Form #906):
      • Construction & Materials
      • Complexity
      • Finishing & Display
      • Neatness
  4. Awards
    1. Plaques shall be awarded for first, second and third in each category.
    2. The Contest Department will sponsor 3 additional awards.
      1. Youth Award-Awarded to an entrant 18 and under.
      2. Best of Show-Awarded to entry considered Best of Show by the Contest Judges.
      3. Theme Award-Awarded to best entry depicting that year's theme. The theme is designated by the Arts & Crafts Contest Manager.

Model Contest Special Awards

Module Contest Special Awards

Arts & Crafts Special Awards

New Awards for 2004 and Future Conventions

We wish to express our heartfelt thanks and appreciation to Mt. Albert Scale Lumber Company, Hunterline Productions and Fantasonics Engineering for sponsoring three new contests at the National Convention Contests. These awards will be presented beginning at the 2004 National Convention in Seattle.

End of Guidelines