Presenters

We are pulling together a diverse slate of model and prototype presentations for the 2026 RPM Naperville event. A tentative presentation schedule will be posted in the weeks before the RPM. We plan for each presentation to be offered twice on the schedule.

A few slots remain open. If you’re interested in presenting a clinic, contact Steve Hile at shile@mindspring.com for more information.

Please bring models to display. Here’s a PDF of model display cards to complete and print.

Here are the presenters and presentations so far. Changes may occur before the event begins. A tentative, up-to date schedule will be posted a few weeks before the event. Copies will also be available at the meet.

1 – Craig Wilson – A Tribute to Jack Ozanich’s Atlantic Great Eastern

2 – Mont Switzer – Little Things that define Location and Era

3 – Bob Ristow – Building a Steam Locomotive

4 – Rich Gortowski – Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Twin Cities Zephyr’s Equipment 1934-1970

5 – Rene LaVoise – Starting a New Layout

6 – John Wark – The Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis in Western Tennessee

7 – Mark Vaughan – Grain

8 – Jerry Hamsmith – Detailing 1920-30 Built Auto Cars

9 – Ed Rethwisch – Building New York Central and Chesapeake & Ohio Automobile Box Cars

10 – Chris Vanko – Weathering Update

11 – Tim Van Mersbergen – Using AI for Scenery Enhancements

12 – Ray Breyer – Automobile Box Car History

13 – Ted Culotta – Southern Pacific post war 40-foot box cars – prototype and models

14 – Steve Hile – Armour Meat Reefers

15 – Gerry Schaefer – Modeling Penn Central Alco C-636 and C-430

16 – Doug Harding – Railroad Cranes Wreckers and Derricks

17 – Tony Thompson – The role of the Agent and how to model it

18 – Jim Panza – Chronology of Trailer Train/TTX Equipment

19 – Roger Hinman – New York Central 10-foot, 6-inch interior height box cars

20 – Rich Remiarz – Great Northern Box Cars, Part III

21 – Clark Propst – Upgrading Roundhouse Double-Door, Single-Sheathed box cars

22 – Jim Singer – More Passenger Train Oddities

23 – Joe Binish – Creating a Soo Line PBM from Three Rivarossi cars

24 – Jason Klocke – The Joy of Scenery

25 – Earl Tuson – Milk Tank Cars, Part I

26 – Seth Lakin – New York Central 40-foot PS-1 Box Cars

27 – Al Kempf, Jr – Replicating Prototype Operation in a Model Setting

28 – Eric Hansmann – Using Maps for Layout Design

29 – Adrian Sherrill – Operations around L&N’s Canal St. Station in New Orleans

30 – Dick Harley – Pacific Fruit Express Wood Reefers

31 – Ken Akerboom – Boston & Maine post-war freight car roster

32 – Alex Hoffner – An Inside look at Design and Manufacture of 3D Printed Parts

33 – Bob Hanmer – Local Passenger Service on Minnesota’s Iron Range handles the needs of Workers and Businesses, in the Early to mid-Twentieth Century.

Alternate presentations

Bob Bender – Domestic Container Evolution

A tentative, up-to date schedule will be posted a few weeks before the event. Copies will also be available at the meet.