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News

Updated:  03/11/2009

April 1st, 2009: Official Business Meeting, 7:00PM, Hendersonville Depot on Maple St. near downtown Hendersonville, NC. No fooling!

March 11th, 2009: Work continues on our new clubhouse. Check out the progress on the Pictures page.

March 10th, 2008: More new photos for you to enjoy on the Pictures page!

SPRING RAILS 2009

April 25th, Whitmire Auditorium

Hendersonville NC

&

AUTUMN RAILS 2009

October 10th, Whitmire Auditorium

Hendersonville NC

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO

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About the FBE

The French Broad eNpire N-Trak Club is a model railroad organization consisting of members who model in N scale, the majority of whom live in Hendersonville. We also have members in Asheville, Brevard, Lake Lure and Waynesville. Our club gets it’s name from the Greenville and French Broad River Railroad, an actual railroad chartered in 1855 to operate between Greenville and Asheville. The real railroad was never constructed, but lives in history and as interpreted on our model railroad layout as the French Broad River Railroad.

Our club has been in existence since 1993. An official business meeting is held on the first Wednesday of each month at the Hendersonville Depot on Maple St. Work/run sessions are held on the remaining Wednesdays at the club building at 229B S. Washington St. in Hendersonville where we have our modules set up on a semi-permanent basis. Time and location of any meeting will be posted in the News section. Our dues are $60 per year ($5/mo.) We organize & host a model railroad show and swap meet called “Autumn Rails” each year in October and include our N-Trak layout as an operational display. We also participate several other N-Trak & model railroad shows each year.

About N Scale

N scale model railroading means the creation of miniature railroad models built to a proportion of 1:160. Put another way, 160 N scale models of a 40' boxcar set end to end would equal the length of one full size boxcar. It means not only railroad locomotives and railcars, but buildings, vehicles, people and even trees and other scenic features are scaled down to that proportion. The term “N” stands for nine which is the track gauge in millimeters. It is slightly more than half the size of HO scale and just over one fourth the size of O scale (like Lionel Trains).

About N-TRAK

N-Trak is an international standard for a system of individual sections (called modules) of an N scale model railroad layout designed to match all others built to those standards. The standards for height, length, width, track connections and electrical connections were created in California in the early 70's and have spread all over the world. From a handful of modules in one club in San Diego, N-Trak has expanded to over 4000 modules from Australia to Europe, all constructed so that any of them can be connected to any others to form a complete model railroad layout.

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Extra Board

Our Members

Officers

Members Associate Members
Chuck Place Jim Gibson Gil Brauch
Paul Aabye Todd Jacubus Michael Duckett
Ralph Hall Andries Jansma Tom Hullet
Eric Lemerise Michael Mayers
Honorary Life Jeff Marley Joel McCurry
Tom Simmons Clifford Meek Bruce Moessen
Bill Raymond Bill Patterson
David Schoggins Bob Roof
Al Trungale Scott Teague

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Interchange

Clubs


NTRAK Modular Railroading Society

North Raleigh Model Railroad Club

 

Proto-type


Railroad Radio

BNSF

CSX

Norfolk Southern

Union Pacific

 

NC GOV Logo Purple    Model Railroads.Net

Link to the French Broad e'N'pire

Plain Text Link:

French Broad e'N'pire

Small Banner Link:

French Broad e'N'pire

 

Contact the Webmaster

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Bylaws

* * * This policy was last amended and approved on the 4th day of March, 2009 * * *

  1. Purpose

  2. Eligibility

  3. Classes of membership

  4. Dues

  5. New Members

  6. Obligations of Members

  7. Amendments

  8. Quorum

  9. Fiscal Year and Budget

FRENCH BROAD e‘N’pire NTRAK CLUB, Inc.

1396 Spicer Cove Rd

Hendersonville, NC 28792

I. Purpose

The purpose of the French Broad e‘N’pire NTRAK Club is to foster an appreciation of the history and operations of railroading in the southeastern region of the United States through the creation of a modular miniature rail transportation system set in the Southern Appalachian mountains.  The miniature railroad is intended to be displayed to the general public at open houses and public shows and selected segments of the population such as scouts and other youth groups, senior citizens, adult education participants, civic groups and the like through organized presentations.

II. Eligibility

Membership in the French Broad e‘N’pire NTRAK Club is open to anyone with an interest in the history of railroading and the hobby of model railroading in general and N scale model railroading in particular.  There are no age, race or gender restrictions, however children under the age of 16 may only join as family members and may participate in club meetings and activities only when accompanied by an adult member of the family unless specifically authorized by the club.

III. Classes of Membership

There are three classes of membership: Regular, Family and Associate.  Family membership shall be available to spouses and minor children of any regular member.  Associate membership shall only be available to people who wish to participate from time to time in club activities, particularly train shows, who live more than 50 miles from the club.

IV. Dues

Dues shall be $120 per year for regular members and $60 per year for each family member, payable semi-annually in January and June of each year. Associate members are not required to pay dues.

V. New Members

1.      New members must pay one full years dues upon joining.  After one calendar year, they will pay the remainder of the second year of membership, prorated at $10 per month until the following January at which time the full yearly dues will be paid thereafter.

2.      There will be a trial period of two months after a member joins during which the prospective member can determine if membership is desirable and the club will determine the  prospective member meets the approval of the club.  At the third business meeting after joining, the club will vote to accept or reject the prospective member.  If the member is rejected or decides not to continue membership during the trial period, the remainder of the initial years dues will be refunded.  After the trial period, no reimbursement will be made except by vote of the club.

3.      New members will not vest in the assets of the club until the completion of the third year of membership, after which the member will receive an equal share of the clubs assets upon the dissolution of the club.

VI. Obligations of Members

1.    Regular members are obligated to participate in club meetings and activities to the best of their ability and personal schedules.  If it is determined by vote of a majority of the club that a member is not doing so, the membership shall be terminated. All regular members are required to purchase an approved club shirt for wear at train shows and other public club activities.  Associate members are not obligated to participate in club meetings and activities, but are required to purchase an approved club shirt.

2.    If it is determined by vote of a majority of the club that a member is not suitable for continued membership for any lawful reason, the membership shall be terminated.

3.    Failure to pay dues for a period of three months after the due date will be cause for termination of membership.

4.    Any individual who’s membership is terminated or who resigns for any reason shall forfeit all rights of membership, including any share of the assets of the club.

VII. Amendments

These by laws may be amended from time to time as the membership deems necessary. Members shall be notified of any proposed amendments not less than seven calendar days before any regular meeting and a majority of the quorum at that meeting must vote in the affirmative before the amendment shall take effect.

VIII. Quorum

A quorum of members for the purpose of conducting the business of the club shall consist of not less than 50% of the active regular members of the club.  The officers of the club shall determine whether a regular member is “active” or not to establish the existence of a quorum.  Active members not in attendance may be polled by telephone or email to participate in any vote. Only regular members whose dues are current shall be eligible to present or second motions and vote on club matters.

IX.  Fiscal Year and Budget

The fiscal year of the club shall be from January 1 through December 31. There shall be adopted by the regular members an annual budget at the first meeting in January. .  Said budget shall include an estimation of revenues and expenses projected for the coming fiscal year and shall list available funds and any capital reserve as of the beginning of said fiscal year.

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