Contest Rules
Scott Kitts is the "Contest Room, Dictator", all questions need to be directed to him at his email address.
28th National Narrow Gauge Convention - Portland, Oregon
Contest Guidelines
The 28th National Narrow Gauge Convention will have the usual contest categories that the fellowship have come to expect. Each convention registrant is encouraged to participate and enter their models and/or photographs in a contest. We have modified the contest rules slightly from previous years contests to ensure a level playing field for all and to streamline the entire process. So, please be sure to read through all of the rules.
Good luck and have fun!
General Rules
• A Contest Entry Form must accompany each item entered. Contest Entry Forms will be made available at the convention should you not have one when you arrive. A photo ID is required for both entry and pick up. If your entry will be picked up by someone else, that person's name must be on the entry form.
• All contestants will be photographed with their entry as part of the entry process (this photo will become part of the award plaque and will be used in the awards ceremony).
• All model entries will normally only be handled by the contestant. In the rare instance that a model will have to moved, it will only be touched by the Convention Staff with the greatest of care. Be sure to alert the Convention Staff of any special handling instructions. While the Convention Staff will do everything in it's power to protect your model, due to the open nature of the model display area, we can make no guarantees against damage.
• All entries must be the work of the person entering the item.
• All entries, model or photo, shall portray narrow gauge subjects. This may be in combination with standard gauge/dual gauge or multiple narrow gauges.
• Please restrict your entries to new work. If your entry has already placed in a contest prior to this year, please give other modelers and photographers the opportunity to shine!
• Soliciting votes by the entrant in the contest room is strictly forbidden.
• The Convention Contest Committee will have final approval on the contest category in which each entry will be judged, its' placement, and the manner of its' display.
• Contest entries cannot be entered late or picked up early.
• All entries MUST be picked up the end of the alloted pick up time. Remaining entries will be shipped back to its' owner at their expense with no guarantees against damage what so ever.
Model Contests
Categories:
- 100 Rod Locomotive - Steam powered locomotives with side rods.
- 200 Geared Locomotive - Shay, Climax, Hoister and other gear driven locomotives.
- 300 Diesel and Other Internal Combustion Motive Power - Any motorized locomotive or vehicle that runs on railroad track.
- 400 Passenger Cars - Self Explanatory.
- 500 Freight Cars - Self Explanatory.
- 600 Caboose - Self Explanatory.
- 700 Non-Revenue/Maintenance of Way - Maintenance of Way equipment that runs on railroad track.
- 800 Special Equipment This includes equipment not necessarily found on the track, but used by narrow gauge railroads. Donkeys, loaders, portable spars, hoists and winches, arches and tractors and right of way equipment, etc. fall into this category.
- 900 Structure - A structure shall be defined as a freestanding unit in which all parts shown are an integral part of the structure.
- 1000 Diorama - A diorama shall be defined as a model, with the appropriate added details which are not integral to a single structure that depicts a scene.
- 1100 Favorite Train - A train of undetermined length, including at least one motive power unit and something the motive power is pushing or pulling. The train may be displayed on a length of track without scenery.
- 1200 - Vote is for the completed modular layout and not individual sections. All modular layout on display are entered in the Contest.
• Entries must be the work of the person entering the item. If the item is a group effort, the person entering the item must have been an active, hands-on, participant in a significant portion of its' construction; not just its' financing.
• All entries must be completed models. Unpainted models and/or works in progress will not be allowed.
• No additional material is allowed (with the possible exception of bases, see below). No notes, signs, photos, parts, molds, jigs, or lights are allowed. Only the entry itself.
• Electricity will not be provided. Any battery operated accessory must be able to operate for the length of the show without replacement.
• Any sound unit must be turned down low.
• Model bases are optional, should be as small as is practicable, and are subject to Convention Committee approval. Be sure your entry can be displayed without it, as the Committee cannot guarantee their use.
• Please contact the contest chairman for special requirements when entering large or heavy entries.
Photo Contest
Categories:
- 2100 Model, Color Print - Whatever can be achieved in the darkroom.
- 2200 Model, Black and White Print - Whatever can be achieved in the darkroom.
- 2300 Prototype, Color Print - Whatever can be achieved in the darkroom.
- 2400 Prototype, Black and White Print - Whatever can be achieved in the darkroom.
- 2500 Computer Generated/Enhanced Print - For this entry, you can be as creative as you like and your computer will allow.
• Photos can only be entered by the person who took the photograph or created the computer artwork, not from the entrants "collection."
• It is recognized that most people now take digital pictures and print them from a computer. For the purposes of this contest, computer manipulation of an image that has an equivalent process in the darkroom setting does not alone cause the image to fall into the Computer Generated/Enhanced category. For instance, adjusting color balance or contrast, or cropping the image on your computer has direct darkroom equivalents.
• Adding or removing scenic details such as smoke, water, trees, people, etc. or other elements to or from the image, on your computer, will place your entry in the Computer Generated/Enhanced category.
• Photographs shall range in standard paper sizes between 5"x7" and 11"x14". The gross photo area shall not exceed 160 square inches.
• All photographs shall be mounted on matt board. Un-matted photographs shall be mounted on heavy card-stock or foam board. Frames and/or glass of any kind will not be allowed. No additional material may accompany the photo in the contest area.
Awards
The awarding of awards will be slightly different this year in order to streamline the ever lengthening awards ceremony and so everyone can see which entry won which award.
• Contest winners will be shown on a projection screen WITH their winning entry. The photo will also become part of the award plaque (which will collected by all winners at the end of the ceremony).
• The winners in each category will be determined by popular vote. The entry with the most votes wins. The Convention Committee will cast any necessary tie braking vote.
• Categories will NOT be sub-divided by scale.
• Their will only one Best of Show award for the entire Model Contest and one for the entire Photo Contest. The winner will be the model and photo entries that received the most votes out of all the votes cast in either the model or photo contests.
• To encourage greater participation in each of the various contest categories, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place awards will not be awarded if only 3 or fewer entries are entered in a category. In that case, only a Best in Category award will be awarded.