One of the highlights for everyone attending the 2010 Amherst Railroad Society Show in Springfield was the "Best Use of 1/87 Vehicles on an HO Layout Competition" sponsored by the 1/87 Vehicle Club. Competition was keen between the registered HO scale model railroad layouts and each of our winners shown above are to be commended for their excellent integration of scale model vehicles into their model railroads.

The prize pool (shown at the top of this page) totaled more than $3,000 when the final tally was in. We want to thank Athearn, Classic Metal Works, Norscot, River Point Station, Don Mills Models, Sheepscot Models, Zycon Models, JCTrucking, Model Railroad News, Muggie Models, Truck Stop Models, Sylvan Scale Models, Plano Model Products, and Burbank House of Hobbies for each of their contributions in making this endeavor a rousing success! The winners:

1st Place - Quaboag Valley Railroaders
Comments from the judges: The first thing you see when you walk up to this display is the train with 240 automobiles on open auto rack rail cars. That is impressive. Then you start to look at the details; the Cadillac front end sticking out of a diner, the display of NASCAR race cars in a downtown setting, the correctly stripped down International TD25 dozer and 560 Payloader loaded on railroad flat cars ready for a railroad trip. Lots of imagination with vehicle use on this layout. The list goes on.

2nd Place - CNY Modelers of Distinction
Comments from the judges: This layout primarily represents the '20s thru the '90s, with the biggest focus being somewhere between the two. There is a wonderful old '50s American sedan as a beater race car, a correctly weathered, kitbashed shovel and a rust eaten Autocar tanker truck. Many of the Jordan Models that were featured were well assembled and were certainly appropriate for their setting in the layout.

3rd Place - Torrington Area Model Railroaders
Comments from the judges: Their layout had an impressive construction equipment yard, complete with a work garage. These guys certainly had the greatest span as eras go - starting in the early 1900s through to modern day pieces.

We want to thank everyone and all the clubs who participated to make this contest such a success! We look forward to an even bigger contest next year! Watch for photos in upcoming Photo Galleries.