The title of Master Model Railroader is not an easy one to achieve. In case you are wondering how many modelers have attained the title, since the beginning of the program in the late 1960’s less than 700 modelers have earned a spot on the Master Model Railroader list.

To qualify as a Master Model Railroader you must earn a minimum of seven AP certificates (out of the eleven available below). Of these seven certificates, you must have at least one from each of the following four areas: 1) Railroad Equipment, 2) Railroad Setting, 3) Railroad Construction & Operation and 4) Service to the Hobby & NMRA Member. You can find more information about each of these areas and their respective certificates on the Master Model Railroader page on the National Model Railroad Association’s website.

Listed below are the members who currently reside in the Susquehanna Division that have accomplished this goal.  A full list of members who have achieved MMR status is available on the NMRA’s website.

• CL Siebert, Jr., MMR #62
• John Wissinger, MMR #99
• Robin Love, MMR #135 (deceased)
• Charles Potter, MMR #171
• Robert Charles, MMR #355
• Charlie Flichman, MMR #470
• Jerry Lauchle, MMR #618

The Golden Spike is the easiest, and for many people, the first AP award that they earn. It is designed to demonstrate familiarity with different areas of the hobby, rather than expertise in a particular area. So take a look at the requirements and you may find that you have met most, or all of them already.

One other thing to remember: Not all of those requirements need to be met on the same layout (or piece of layout). They don’t even need to be met in the same scale! If you want to build G scale rolling stock, an N scale Model Railroad setting, and an HO scale layout for trackage and wiring, go ahead.

Also, the Golden Spike, as well as the other parts of the AP have a certain amount of flexibility. For example, suppose you and your (friend / spouse / child) work together on all your projects, but do twice the required amount (12+ units of rolling stock, 16+ square feet of layout, 10+ structures, etc.). You can both be considered, as long as you can show that you have each demonstrated the required skills.

• Bruce Allison
• Jerry Britton
• Brian Brandt
• Robert Bucklew
• Jim Clay (deceased)
• David Ellis
• Charlie Flichman
• Bill Fraley
• Tim Himmelberger
• Brian Kampschroer
• Jerry Lauchle
• Cale Leiphart
• Bill Lesjak
• James L. Long

• Bob Lyter
• Bob Martin
• Pat Mulrooney
• Terry Nesbit
• Clarence Nissley
• Tom O’Connor
• Phillip Peters Jr.
• Charlie Potter
• Lee Rainey
• Bob Stetser
• Scott Unger
• Jeff Warner

First, let’s define what is meant by “Motive Power”: it is any type of steam, diesel, or electric locomotive, traction unit, maintenance vehicle, or other type of self propelled vehicle that runs on rails. This includes everything from speeders to streetcars to Big Boys. It does not include things that are powered models of unpowered vehicles (like hand cars) or unpowered models of powered prototypes (like dummy locomotives).

For more information on the Motive Power certificate please view the NMRA’s website.

• Jerry Lauchle
• Robin Love (deceased)
• Alan Mende
• CL Siebert, Jr.

A “Car” is just about anything that runs on rails and is NOT self-propelled (if it’s self-propelled, it’s Motive Power). This includes freight cars, passenger cars, maintenance of way cars (including equipment such as cranes), cabooses, cable cars, unpowered (dummy) locomotives, etc. Actually, if you have a model which is self propelled, but is a model of something that was designed to carry something (besides itself), such as a rail car, it can be used as one of the qualifying models for either Motive Power or Cars, BUT NOT BOTH.

For more information on the Cars certificate please view the NMRA’s website.

• Bob Charles
• Charlie Flichman
• Jerry Lauchle
• Robin Love (deceased)
• Alan Mende
• Terry Nesbit
• Charlie Potter
• CL Siebert, Jr.

Structures are just about anything on the layout that was man made and doesn’t fit into one of the other Master Builder categories. These are just some examples of the types of ‘structures’ that you could build to earn this certificate: buildings (all kinds), factories, bridges (all kinds), signal towers, oil derricks, docks, power line towers, cranes (stationary or mobile), ships, etc.

For more information on the Structures certificate please view the NMRA’s website.

• Charlie Flichman
• Jerry Lauchle
• Robin Love (deceased)
• Alan Mende
• Terry Nesbit
• Ron Parisi (deceased)
• Charlie Potter
• CL Siebert, Jr.

The intent of this category is for you to demonstrate “the prototypical rendering of scenic effects from the ground up.” The type of scenery that you choose to model is entirely up to you. An urban landscape involves just as much scenery (if not more) as a mountain or desert landscape.

For more information on the Scenery certificate please view the NMRA’s website.

• Jim Atkinson
• Jerry Britton
• Bob Charles
• Charlie Flichman
• Brian Kampschroer
• John Kennedy
• Jerry Lauchle
• James L. Long
• Robin Love (deceased)
• Bob Martin

• Sonya McKiney
• Pat Mulrooney
• Terry Nesbit
• Clarence Nissley
• Charlie Potter
• CL Siebert, Jr.
• Scott Unger
• Jeff Warner

This category is the newest in the Achievement Program, having only been added in 1987. It is also the category which many consider to be the most challenging. It goes beyond the Master Builder – Scenery which calls for creating scenery in a prototypical manner, and evaluates how well you create a specific prototype scene.

For more information on the Prototype Models certificate please view the NMRA’s website.

• Ron Parisi (deceased)
• Jerry Lauchle

The requirements for Model Railroad Engineer – Civil may look long and complicated, but they really are not. The reason that they are so long is to offer you more options for meeting the requirements.

Remember – don’t read more into the requirements than is there.

For more information on the Civil certificate please view the NMRA’s website.

• Jerry Britton
• Bob Charles
• Charlie Flichman
• Brian Kampschroer
• Robert Keyser
• Jerry Lauchle
• John Long

• Robin Love (deceased)
• Bob Martin
• Charlie Potter
• CL Siebert, Jr.
• Scott Unger
• Jeff Warner

The requirements for Model Railroad Engineer – Electrical may look long and complicated, but they are not really. The reason that they are so long is to offer you more options for meeting the requirements.

You don’t even have to do all of the work on a single layout – you can do some on a club layout, some in your basement, and some on your garden railroad, etc.

Remember – don’t make the requirements more difficult than they are, by reading more into them than is there.

For more information on the Electrical certificate please view the NMRA’s website.

• Mel Agne
• Jim Atkinson
• Robert Beecher
• Jerry Britton
• Charlie Flichman
• Alan Frame
• Brian Kampshroer
• Robert Keyser
• Jerry Lauchle
• James Long

• John Long
• Bob Martin
• Clarence Nissley
• William O’Sullivan
• George Pandelios
• Charlie Potter
• Scott Unger
• Jeff Warner

To qualify for the Chief Dispatcher certificate you must have participated in the operation of a model railroad, either home or club, for not less than fifty hours in various roles.

For more information on the requirements for the Dispatcher certificate please view the NMRA’s website.

• Robert Beecher
• Jerry Britton
• Robert Bucklew
• Bob Charles
• Brian Kampschroer
• Bob Martin

• Charlie Potter
• CL Siebert, Jr.
• Jeff Warner

To qualify for the Association Official certificate, you must serve in an office of President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Trustee, or Director on the Division, Region or National level.

For more information on the requirements for the Official certificate please view the NMRA’s website.

• Jim Atkinson
• Bob Charles
• Tim Himmelberger
• Brian Kampschroer

• Bob Martin
• Terry Nesbit
• Charlie Potter

Serve actively on one or more NMRA committees (National, Region, or Division) and/or as an Officer long enough to accumulate a minimum amount of time.

For more information on the requirements for the Volunteer certificate please view the NMRA’s website.

• Mel Agne
• Jim Atkinson
• Brian Brandt
• Jerry Britton
• Robert Bucklew
• Bob Charles
• David Ellis
• Charlie Flichman
• Alan Frame
• John Frantz
• Tim Himmelberger
• Brian Kampschroer
• John Kennedy
• Jerry Lauchle
• Walt Lorenz

• Robin Love (deceased)
• Bob Martin
• Alan Mende
• Pat Mulrooney
• Terry Nesbit
• Howard Oakes
• Charlie Potter
• Lee Rainey
• Barry Schmitt
• Scott Turner
• Scott Unger
• Jeff Warner
• Don Yingling

Although the category title is Model Railroad Author, it may just as well be Model Railroad Media Specialist. To qualify for this certificate, you must prepare and submit material on any of the following subjects:

• Model Railroading.
• Prototype Railroading, Applicable to Modeling.
• NMRA Administration (e.g. Officers or Committee Reports)

For more information on the requirements for the Author certificate please view the NMRA’s website.

• Jim Atkinson
• Robert Beecher
• Jerry Britton
• Robert Bucklew
• Bob Charles
• Charlie Flichman
• Bill Fraley
• Alan Frame
• Brian Kampschroer

• Jerry Lauchle
• John Long Jr.
• Robin Love (deceased)
• Alan Mende
• Terry Nesbit
• Ron Parisi (deceased)
• CL Siebert, Jr.
• Jeff Warner