Crossing Gate Newsletter

This informative newsletter features the latest news and stories from the Twin Cities Division of the Thousand Lakes Region.  We have a busy Division so check out our Facebook page for updates and more news.  Our Facebook is called the “Twin Cities Division of the NMRA”.

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You can download PDF files of previous Crossing Gate Newsletters here. To stay up-to-date with club news, visit our Facebook Page.

Note: You will need a PDF reader like the free Acrobat Reader to view these files.

  • November 2023 — Announcements
  • October 2023 — Announcements
  • January – March 2023 — Spring Update
  • October-December 2022 — Operations Retreat 1 report
  • July-Sept 2022 — MMR  #703 and more
  • April-June 2022 — Modelers Meet 2022 report, TLR Convention 2022
  • Jan-Mar 2022  — Modeler’s Meet is Back
  • Oct-Dec 2021 — It is Fall.  It is Modeling Season.
  • July-Sept 2021 — Summer of change
  • April-June 2021 — Upcoming plans for May, TLR convention
  • Winter 2020 — Meeting online in the time of COVID, Plans for January and February.
  • Spring 2019 — Railroad Modeler’s Retreat, Lester Breuer’s Modeling, Spring Layout Tours, TCD Final Season Meeting Minutes
  • Winter 2018-2019 — Narrow Gauge Convention, MN&S Meet, Old Cabooze Kits
  • Summer/Fall 2018 — TCD at 2018 NMRA Convention; Peggy Lee, Depot Agent; Caboose Lighting; May 10 Minutes
  • Spring 2018 — Ed Petry’s Sierra Railroad, Lester Breuer Blogs on Improving Cars, Volunteer for Nat’l Narrow Gauge Convention, Instant Aging Juice, European Trains
  • Winter 2017 — TCD meets with MN&S fans, Small European Layouts, cont., Meet Richard Webb, Get Inside Modeling Contests
  • Fall 2017 — TCD Fall Tour, Small European Layouts, North Metro layout
  • Summer 2017 — TCD Spring Tour, Meet Kevin Foley, Mike Engler wins at TLR (again), Trains at German American Institute, TCD Schedule for 2017-18
  • Spring 2017 — Modelers’ Retreat, Tool Shed, Painting Figures, Threshing Machine, TCD Contest Winners
  • Winter 2016 — TCD Fall Tour, TCD Visits Newport, Using Sign Kit, Meet Ev Smith
  • Fall 2016 — Results of TCD Survey, Tie Replacement Scene on Layout, New TCD schedule for 2016-17
  • Summer 2016 — TCD Board Calls for New Thinking on Programming, TCD Spring Layout Tours, TCD Contest Winners
  • Spring 2016 — 2nd Annual Retreat, Lighted Snowplow, Readying New Cars, Rusting Cars, Meet Jane & Martin Carlson
  • Winter 2015 — TCD Fall Tour, Part 2 of Voltage Spikes on DCC Layouts, Meet John Ehresmann
  • Fall 2015 — TCD Layout Project for 2015-16, Intro. to Voltage, Spikes on DCC Layouts, and Meet Jules Loipersbeck
  • Summer 2015 — TCD Spring Home Layout Tour, Meet John Niemeyer, Randolph RR Days & Menomonie Meet, and TCD Contest Winners
  • Spring 2015 — TCD’s Winter RR Retreat, Les Breuer on Brakes, and Meet Bill Dredge
  • Winter 2014 — Three Layouts on Tour, North Metro Layout Grows, and Meet David Herbert
  • Fall 2014 — New RR Museum to Open to Public
  • Summer 2014 — TLR Convention, TCD Contest, and Meet Larry Vanden Plas
  • Spring 2014 — Island Paradise in Central America
  • Winter 2013 — Skyscraper Art, Tool Corner, and Meet John Thomas
  • Fall 2013 — Long Distance Switching Action
  • Summer 2013 — Convention Follow-up and Skyscraper Art
  • Spring 2013 — Programming a decoder, Trollies, and The Convention Comes to Town!
  • Winter 2012 — Staging yards, DCC, and the Hennepin Overland
  • Fall 2012 — Ironhorse, Hobo signs, and the End-o’-Line
  • Summer 2012 — Spring layout tour, skyscrapers, AP certificates, and even MORE contest winners!
  • Spring 2012 — Gapless expansion joints, tarpaper roofs, and more contest winners
  • Winter 2011 — Layout tour recap, contest winners, Scratchbuilt warehouse completion
  • Fall 2011 — Fall layout tours, Lighting Al’s Diner, Scratchbuild a warehouse: Part 3
  • Summer 2011 — TCD Layout tours, scratchbuild a warehouse: part 2, Al’s Diner, lighting your caboose
  • Spring 2011 — TCD Programs, HO Genesis engine revamp, scratchbuild a warehouse, “Dead Man’s Throttle” on Digitraxx
  • Winter 2010 — Fall layout tour recap, TLR 2011 Convention, Living above the depot, Golden Spike information
  • Fall 2010 — NMRA 75, TLR 2011 Convention, TCD 2011 Season and Tours
  • Summer 2010 — NMRA 75, TLR 2010 Convention
  • Spring 2010 — NMRA 75, ATCS, Part 2
  • Winter 2009 — Galloping Goose, ATCS Monitor-Introduction
  • Fall 2009 — Fall layout tours, Trainfest 2009
  • Summer 2009 — TLR Convention recap, Tell-tales for your railroad
  • Spring 2009 — Winter layout tours, Convention
  • Winter 2008 — TLR Conventon, hilltop structures
  • Fall 2008 — Anaheim awards to TCD members, layout storage, recap of layout tours
  • Summer 2008 — TLR Convention recap, publication of new Bylaws and membership changes
  • Spring 2008 — Perske remembrance, layout tools, call for discussion of membership
  • Winter 2007 — Membership & Bylaw changes proposed
  • Fall 2007 — 2007 NMRA Convention report, layout tour pictures
  • Summer 2007 — Changes for the TCD, trip to the National Railway Museum, Business Meeting Minutes, layout tour pictures
  • Spring 2007 — 25 years of the TCD, part 2 of engine performance, peeling paint, spring layout tours, TLR ’07 Convention recap
  • Winter 2006 — Moving to Mill City Museum, TLR ’07 primer, more modeling tips & tricks, engine performance
  • Fall 2006 — Modeling tips, Wayzata depo, new Superintendent
  • Summer 2006 — Division at the Crossroads, Proposed By-Law changes
  • Spring 2006 — Railroading for young people, Kalmbach Memorial Library, Pike Registry
  • Winter 2005 — Auction results, TLR Convention primer, new members
  • Fall 2005 — Layout tours, vacationing by rail, December auction
  • Summer 2005 — Upcoming changes for TCD/ Mounting Switch Control Boxes/ Almeda & Indian Beach Operation
  • Spring 2005 — The Life and Death of Glouster Depot/ Light Rail’s Final Leg Opens/ Spring layout tours
  • Winter 2004 — A steamy summer for the Grand Excursion 2004 / Light Rail’s Opening Day / Errors in kit design & workmanship
  • Fall 2004 — A Ride on the Minnesota Prairie Lines / Looking for Non-Rails / Seen on the Internet
  • Summer 2004 — Special Business Meeting / Proposed By-Law Amendments / TCD Rideshare Program / 3 Division Members win at TLR convention
  • Spring 2004 — A founder looks back at the early TCDivision years / A young modeler’s view of the future / A brief history of the TCDivision
  • Winter 2003 — A tour of MTC’s Light Rail Maintenance Base / Great American Train Show Model Contest winners / A look at the Achievement Program
  • Fall 2003 — Maple Leaf 2003 Convention Report / Railroad Club at the U of M / A quilt shop in an old depot
  • Summer 2003 — New monthly meeting location / TCD visits the 261 / NMRA model contest at GATS