The Dakota Southeastern Division completed a busy fall schedule after a successful summer, highlighted by the second annual SiouxRail operating weekend in June. In August, superintendent Alan Saatkamp provided opportunity for two dozen young engineers to bang cars around on his portable switching layout during Harrisburg’s annual family fun night. In September, division member Gary Johnson and Alan entertained nearly 80 train enthusiasts at the Sioux Falls Ronning Library. Gary operated his 3’ x 12’ portable N gauge layout and gave a couple clinics on landscape techniques. Alan’s switching layout again drew the interest of over 20 young engineers. The division also voted 10-2 to retain NMRA and TLR affiliation, understanding that DSED membership for 2009 requires compliance with NMRA regulations. That meant that NMRA dues be paid by that date to remain a member in good standing of DSED or to join. NMRA dues are $36 a year, or $55, if one wishes to receive Scale Rails monthly.
In October DSED sponsored its third annual model train home layout tour, offering five members’ layouts plus the Sioux Valley Model Engineers Society club layout at the Lyons Fairgrounds. Three Harrisburg layouts were featured in both local newspapers in advance of the event. Also, the Sioux Falls Argus Leader carried the story as part of its weekend activities calendar and ran a photo of Alan’s layout with a guest on page two of the Sunday paper the day following. The event drew about 50 guests among six sites.
DSED members provided six of the 10 operating layouts during Trains at Christmas, a regular event sponsored by the Sioux Valley Model Engineers Society club at the Sioux Empire Fairgrounds. The event drew over 700 paid admissions plus hundreds of children (free) during the two days. Vendors, layouts, and giveaways to the interested public highlighted the annual fun.
December included our annual potluck dinner for members and spouses, hosted by Terry and Darla Anderson, the seventh straight year of this now traditional holiday event.
DSED elected Terry Anderson as superintendent during that meeting, and he also received the NMRA Achievement Program certificate for Volunteer. Mike Kaufman offered to continue as chief clerk and paymaster for 2009.
The DSED has a full slate of event possibilities for 2009, including revisits to the local quarry, Midwest Railcar Repair in Corson, DM & E operations center in Sioux Falls, and possible jaunts to Prairie Village in Madison to tour and ride the train. Meetings to see home layouts, operating session invites in Sioux Falls and Iowa, and sharing modeling wisdom through clinics (including a return visit to the library next fall) and taking advantage of members’, TLR’s, and Kalmbach Library offerings are among educational venues under consideration.