The Division Prepares for Model Railroading Season by Building Stuff!

DSED members gathered at a member’s home this weekend for a model railroad work session.

Members built 16 N scale T-Trak modules in preparation for the upcoming Comm-Ed Build a Model Railroad class which is to take place in Sioux Falls Tuesday evenings in November. Class participants complete an N Scale T-Trak module. Registration is necessary. Visit DSED’s CommEd page for details and how you can register for the event. See the division’s Community Education Facebook post also.

Members also built a pair of oversized HO Scale modules for an upcoming surprise upgrade to the division’s traveling HO scale layout. See our event calendar for upcoming appearances!

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Twin Cities Division: New Crossing Gate Podcast Episode: “Networking with Others in Model Railroading” 100th Episode!

DSED tips its hat and says congratulations to the Twin Cities Division on their 100th episode of the popular “Crossing Gate Podcast”. Well done, gentlemen!

“This episode we discuss the ways networking has helped us and could potentially help you. Many different places online and in your own clubs and divisions can be of assistance.

Joe Binish, Mike Jordan, Greg Terhaar, and Thomas Gasior MMR are your hosts.

Our Sponsor lady, Diana Gassior, brings up the highlights, or lowlights, of our 100 episodes. “

Access the Crossing Gate Podcast here.

The Twin Cities Division of the NMRA (TCD) is a neighboring division in the Thousand Lakes Region (TLR) to the east of us. Our friends in the TCD are quite an active group and are always entertaining with their operations focused podcast antics!

DSED Model Railroad Events Calendar

Model Railroad Season 2026-2027 is Coming!

Dakota Southeastern Division of the NMRA is having model train fun all over the greater Sioux Falls, SD metro area this fall and early winter of 2026. Check our Event Calendar to keep up with our model railroaders if you can!

Greater Sioux Falls Model Railroad Open House Tour: This Weekend! September 26th, 2026 10am – 5pm

REMINDER:

The Dakota Southeastern Division (DSED) of the NMRA invites you to the GREATER SIOUX FALLS MODEL RAILROAD OPEN HOUSE TOUR

PLEASE NOTE that many of the layouts on this tour are situated in the basements of private homes. This will necessitate that participants descend and climb stairs to view most of the layouts.

Saturday, September 26th, 2026 10am – 5pm

SUGGESTED DONATION OF $10 PER FAMILY – GOOD FOR ALL LOCATIONS

Here are the details of our open house tour: locations, layout descriptions and photos!

Twin Cities Division: New Crossing Gate Podcast Episode: “TCD goes to the NMRA National Convention”

Many members of the TCD took the trip to Chattanooga, TN for the Annual NMRA National Convention. A discussion about what we all experienced during this fun filled week is the subject of our podcast. Jay Bickford, Diana Gasior, Ken Zieska, and Thomas Gasior talk about te highlights of the weeks adventure. From layout tours to the National Train Show.

The sponsor this episode is the Crossing Gate Curmudgeon Troll Thesaurus.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with RPMs, these meets were born of modelers getting together and showing their modeling work, completed or in progress and discussing ways it could be improved. I’m told the experience is very communal, all skill levels are welcome and there’s no competition involved.

Access the Crossing Gate Podcast here.

The Twin Cities Division of the NMRA (TCD) is a neighboring division in the Thousand Lakes Region (TLR) to the east of us. Our friends in the TCD are quite an active group and are always entertaining with their operations focused podcast antics!

News from Chattanooga NMRA Convention

In today’s current economic climate, few people would expect the price of anything to go down. As of the announcement from NMRA National, the unthinkable has happened. According to Gordy Robinson in the last NMRA e-Bulletin, effective immediately, the cost of an annual NMRA membership has been reduced to $50.00. So whether you live in the confines of the Dakota Southeastern Division, Prairie Lakes, Twin Cites or any other NMRA division, your annual membership has been reduced!

If you’re not already an NMRA member, this applies to new members as well. Please consider joining us!

Details about NMRA and DSED membership can be found here.

Calling Potential TLR Convention 2027 Clinicians…

As many of you know, the NMRA Thousand Lakes Region Convention will be held in Sioux Falls in May of 2027. Richard D, our convention clinics chairperson is working on assembling a list of clinicians and topics that may be presented during the convention.

Most of the clinics will take place on Friday May 21st in the morning and some evening, and will be 45 minutes each. There will, perhaps with some exceptions, be two clinics going on at the same time in different rooms in a very typical hotel conference room type setting. Our location will be at the Ramkota Hotel in Sioux Falls, that some of you may have been to if you attended past Sioux Falls conventions. We still need a broad variety of clinics. 

First and foremost, we hope you will consider attending the TLR convention in Sioux Falls. And if you are planning on it and have some special talent and/or passion that you would like to share in a clinic format where others can learn from your experiences, we’d love to hear about your idea.

Please reach out to us by emailing the division email dakotasoutheastern@gmail.com and please add “Attn: TLR 2027 Clinic Coordinator/ Richard” in the subject line.

With thanks to those that have already have provided great offerings and suggestions, and for any assistance you can provide.

Rich D / eric c

Twin Cities Division: New Crossing Gate Podcast Episode: “The TCD goes to the StL RPM”

Admittedly, I am way behind on my model railroad podcast listening… I’ve added this one to my queue… TCD members Joe Binish and Greg Dahl visit the RPM meet at Saint Loius.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with RPMs, these meets were born of modelers getting together and showing their modeling work, completed or in progress and discussing ways it could be improved. I’m told the experience is very communal, all skill levels are welcome and there’s no competition involved.

This episode TCD Crossing Gate discusses the events and fun at the annual St. Louis RPM. Joe Binish and Greg Dahl attended this event and bring us their experience.

The Twin Cities Division of the NMRA (TCD) is a neighboring division in the Thousand Lakes Region (TLR) to the east of us. Our friends in the TCD are quite an active group and are always entertaining with their operations focused podcast antics!