NWI CHAPTER
PRESIDENT’S REPORT
December 2025 from
Jerry Pyfer

NWI Annual Meeting Cancellation

Tuesday the 25th, Gilbert Sebenste sent me a note about a snowstorm heading our way. I shrugged off the initial report as another weatherman going crazy because a flake or two is headed our way. If you didn’t know, Gilbert is a weather specialist with connections we don’t normally enjoy.

Later that morning I was waiting for the wife shopping in a local thrift store. I noted a city of Loves Park end-loader passing without any bucket on the front end. Before we left the stone, the end-loader passed the other way with a snow pusher attached. Did the Loves Park street department know something I didn’t?

To make a long story short, many discussions occurred between Board members about the pending storm. As minutes went by the snow reports kept getting worse.

Just like Amtrak, we made the decision to cancel the November 29th meeting as a safety precaution.

So what do we do now? Any other meeting cancellation will not be rescheduled. The following Saturday December 6 was not available. We already have the Holiday Party scheduled for Sunday, December 14th.

It was decided to combine the two events at Davis Junction. Why not, this was our holiday home for dinners many years ago.

The times remain the same: 1pm doors open - 2pm the meeting begins - 3pm dinner is ready.

You will need to buy a reservation at the $28 per person. If you didn’t purchase one already, contact me if you are serious about attending as we had to send in the head count by the 4th.

We will feature the presenters from the November meeting for entertainment, no bring-your-own slides.

NWI Meeting Cancellations

The NWI Chapter has dealt with cancelled meetings due to inclement weather in the past. Cancelling is not a problem, we just do it.

However, notifying the membership is the challenge when it gets too close to the meeting date.

We have two websites for you to check for last minute updates. There is our NWI-NRHS.org. Lance also has the Facebook site with updates as well.

You can always contact me if you still need information.

We would hope with a call for a significant weather problem, you would do the safe thing and stay home.

Now there is one more option for a cancelled meeting, we could Zoom the meeting to all. However, the Annual Meeting is a more personable event with the desire to visit with old friends and enjoy the fellowship.

NWI-NRHS Dues renewal Season

The NWI Chapter dues renewal season has kicked off. Our renewal form is enclosed within this issue. Dues will remain the same for both the NWI and the NRHS National dues.

Send your dues renewal to: NWI-NRHS Dues, P.O. Box 5632, Rockford, Illinois 61125-5632

Rock River Valley Division
Train Show 2026 Staffing

We have received our form to sign-up for the annual Train Show hosted by the RRVD of the National Model Railroad Association.

If you would like to join us on Saturday March 20 or Sunday March 21 or both, we would like to know in that we can acquire a proper name badge for you. I will need to know by our February 28, 2026, sooner is always better.

The train show will once again be held at the Harlem High School.

We will feature another Rockford railroad on the video monitor, the Milwaukee Road and its successors.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas

For more information about the Chapter, see Meetings and Join.