Achievement Program
Definitions
For your convenience, you may click on any of the following term's to be taken to
the definition for that term.
Basic Shapes, Bonus Points,
Car, Contest Awards,
Merit Awards, Merit Judging,
Motive Power, Passenger Car,
Operable, Scratchbuilt, SOQ,
Super Detailed, Witnesses.
- Basic Shapes
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Basic shapes are things that the builders of the prototype would have used as raw materials. For example "I-Beams," scribed siding, embossed brick sheets, and scale lumber are considered basic shapes. Assemblies such as ladders, or detail castings such as door or window castings, (Including cast wall sections with windows doors or other features.) are not considered to be basic shapes.
- Bonus Points
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Additional scratchbuilding points can be earned in some instances if the modeler scratch builds some or all of the parts from the exempted list in each category. These additional points are added to the scratchbuilding score; but in no case, may the scratchbuilding score exceed the maximum of 15 points. For each category, the bonus points that can be earned are as follows:
- Motive Power - 0-15 points
- Cars - 0-11 points
- Structures - 0-7 points
These additional points are only available to those modelers who scratch build some or all of the specifically exempted parts.
- Car
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A "car" is just about anything that runs on rails, and is not self propelled.
- Contest awards
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Contest Awards: each contest model at any level of NMRA Sponsored competition that recieves 87 1/2 points and has been evaluated using NMRA contest rules may be used to satisfy the Merit Award requirements for the following categories: Master Builder Motive Power, Master Builder Cars, Master Builder Structures, Master Builder Scenery, and Model Railroad Engineer - Civil.
- Merit Awards
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Merit Awards are special awards which are sponsored by the AP. They may be granted by either the official judges at National, Region, or Division model contests, or by two or more special judges appointed by the Regional or Divisional AP Manager to view and judge the models of the member requesting certification at an agreed upon location.
Note: Merit Judging of models on layouts is valid only on the official AP Merit Award-Certificate Judging forms obtainable from the Region AP Manager.
Merit Awards shall be granted to models recieving a total point score of 70% of the total points ( 87 1/2 out of 125 points in other words.) according to the following schedule:
Category Factor Point Range Master Builder Motive Power Construction 0-40 Master BuilderCars Detail 0-20 Master Builder Structures Conformity 0-25 Finish & Lettering 0-25 Scratchbuilt 0-15 Category Factor Point Range Master Builder Scenery Terrain 0-35 Structures 0-20 Background 0-25 Lighting 0-20 Realism/Conformity 0-25 Category Factor Point Range Master Builder Prototype Models Terrain 0-35 Structures 0-35 Background 0-15 Lighting 0-5 Realism/Conformity 0-35 Category Factor Point Range Model Railroad Enginer Civil Construction 0-40 Detail 0-20 Conformity 0-30 Finish & Lettering 0-10 Scratchbuilt 0-25 - Merit Judging
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In many AP categories, you will see requirements that your work must have earned a score of at least 87-1/2 points in Merit Judging.
This can be done in one of two ways:
- The first is through judging at an NMRA sponsored contest.
- The other, and often overlooked, way is to arrange for judging at another time.
You can set up a time to have your work judged that is completely separate from an NMRA event. You can bring your work to where the judges are, or they will even come to you! In the case of scenery, they almost have to...
Note: Merit judging of models on layouts is valid only on the official AP Merit Award-Certificate Judging forms obtainable from the Region AP Manager
- Motive Power
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Motive power 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 Big Boys. It does not include hand cars, or unpowered models of powered prototypes ( Dummy Locomotives ).
- Passenger Car
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Passenger Cars include anything that would normally be found in a regular scheduled passenger train including baggage cars, RPO cars, express reefers, business cars, or other passenger carrying cars like Drover's cabooses.
- Operable
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Operable as related to motive power or cars means that they must be able to roll on the track, negotiate a curve, pull, be pulled, etc. In the specific case of motive power, the model must be capable of self-propulsion. Trains must be able to negotiate track work without derailing.
- Scratchbuilt
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To be considered scratchbuilt, a model must have been constructed by the applicant without the use of any commercial parts except
- Motor
- Gears
- Drivers and wheels
- Couplers
- Light bulbs
- Trucks
- Bell
- Marker and classification lights
- Valve gear
- Car brake fittings
- Basic wood, metal and plastic shapes
A model is considered "scratchbuilt" if at least 90% of the model's pieces/parts (other than those specifically exempted in the list above) are fabricated by the modeler. This is a quantitative assessment based on the number of pieces with no weight given to complexity. This is a separate determination from the scratch building score.
If some points of the exempted parts are also scratchbuilt, the modeler may qualify for Bonus Points (see definition above)
The term "scratchbuilt" carries the implication that the builder alone has accomplished all of the necessary layout and fabrication which establish the final dimensions, appearance, and operating qualities of the scale model.
- SOQ
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Statement of Qualification: a form available from your Regional AP Manager or the NMRA website, which is necessary for completion of any AP category.
- Super Detailed
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To be considered "Super Detailed" it is necessary that a model have considerably more detail of excellent quality than is usually expected. The quality of the detail is of more importance than is the quantity. The applicant may qualify with Superior Craftsman Kits providing that, in the opinion of the Regional AP Manager, real individual craftsmanship is demonstrated.
Models falling within the following categories may also be considered as "Super Detailed".
- Cross-kit models
- Modified kit models
- Parts built models
- Extensively altered assembled models: e.g., to a different prototype. In addition such models are to have more detail.
- Witnesses
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For those categories which require that someone act as a witness or a judge to the accomplishments of the member requiring certification, a qualified witness shall be:
- Past or present National or Region Officers;
- Past or present National, Regional Contest or Achievement Program Manager or AP committee members;
- Past or present AP National, Region or Division Manager or members holding the certificate;
- NMRA members appointed by the Region or Division AP Manager as committee members, judges or witnesses.
All witnesses must be current NMRA members and put their NMRA number on the witness form.
Further Information
Contact National Achievement Program General Manager, Paul Richardson, MMR achiev@hq.nmra.org, or your Region or Division Achievement Program Manager for more information.