2017 RPM events

After adding updates to the RPM Event Calendar page, I realized the first half of 2017 is pretty busy! First up is the Prototype Rails event in Cocoa Beach, Florida. This early January meet comes at a great time for those with Polar Vortex experience to trek to warmer weather. The presentation schedule has been posted, so check out the details. It’s never too late to make plans to attend.

March is busy with four events, two of which are along the northern shores of Lake Ontario. Copetown, Ontario hosts a meet the first weekend while Toronto hosts a meet on the third weekend. There should be plenty of Canadian prototype models and presentations to see at both of these events. Links for all of these events can be found on the RPM Event Calendar page.

RPM-East will be held the last weekend in March, just after the Vernal Equinox. This Greensburg, Pennsylvania event has been going strong since 1999. It’s a great time to shake off the winter doldrums and find inspiration for the next projects. RPM-East is held in odd numbered years in partnership with the RPM-Valley Forge event held in even numbered years.

The 28th annual Western Prototype Modeler Meet will be held March 25th in Bellflower, California. This event is one of the longest running RPM meets.

The Vancouver Railway Modellers Meet is held in early May and attracted nearly 100 Pacific Northwest modelers in their 2016 debut.

June is busy with three events across the US. the New England/Northeast RPM is now in a larger facility in Enfield, Connecticut, with easier access. The event has grown quite a bit in just a few years and attracts many modelers from the region.

The 14th annual Bay Area Prototype Modelers’ Meet is set for Richmond, California, on the third weekend. This event has an extensive model display and several notable manufacturers attend.

The last weekend in June is the new date for the St. Louis RPM in Collinsville, Illinois. This has become one of the largest prototype modeler meets in the US with nearly 500 attending in 2016.

That covers the first half of 2017. I’ll remind you of the Mid-Atlantic Prototype meet, RPM Chicagoland, Garden State RPM, and Mid-Continent Prototype meet in a few months. A few of these events don’t have a firm 2017 date yet, but the RPM Event Calendar page will be updated as those details arise.

After you survive the holiday season and return to the hobby haven, check out the upcoming RPM meets. These are great opportunities to meet prototype modelers and discuss common interests. Hundreds of models are displayed at each event and the presentations are often inspiring.

The model display room is one of the main attractions of an RPM event. If you plan to attend, pack a few models to display. Write up descriptions of your work and, if possible, include a prototype photo you used as inspiration. Here are a few tips on packing models if you are flying to an RPM. even if you are driving a few hours to an event, pack your models carefully for the journey. I hope to see you and your models at a 2017 RPM event!

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