Master Builder - Cars (Requirements)

Master Builder - Cars

A "Car" is just about anything that runs on rails and is NOT self-propelled (if it's self-propelled, it's Motive Power). This includes freight cars, passenger cars, maintenance of way cars (including equipment such as cranes), cabooses, cable cars, unpowered (dummy) locomotives, etc. Actually, if you have a model which is self propelled, but is a model of something that was designed to carry something (besides itself), such as a rail car, it can be used as one of the qualifying models for either Motive Power or Cars, BUT NOT BOTH.
Contact your Regional AP Manager if you have a question about which category a particular model would fall into.

To qualify for the Master Builder - Cars certificate:

1. You must build eight operable scale models of railroad cars:

"Operable" means that they must be able to roll on the track, negotiate a curve, be pulled by something, etc. It doesn 't mean that every door, valve, or other moving feature of the car must work as the prototype does. (However, any operating features that you can include in your car are likely to increase your score.)

1.      There must be at least four different types of cars represented in the total of eight. One of these must be a passenger car.

"Passenger cars" include anything that would normally be found in a regular scheduled passenger train including baggage cars, express reefers, business cars, or other passenger carrying cars like drover's cabooses.

2.      Each of the eight models must be super detailed with either commercial parts or scratch built parts (for extra points).

3.      In addition to being super detailed, at least four of the eight models must be scratch built. The term "scratch built" implies that the modeler has done all of the necessary layout and fabrication that produce the final dimensions, appearance, and operating qualities of the model.

The following parts are specifically excluded from the scratch built requirement:

• Wheels
• Couplers
• Light bulbs & electronics.
• Trucks.
• Brake fittings.
• Marker lights & drumheads.
• Paint, decals, etc.
• Basic shapes of wood, plastic, metal, etc.

("Basic shapes" are things that the builders of the prototype would have used as raw materials. For example, an "I" beam would be a basic shape; a commercial door or window casting would not.)

2.      You must earn a score of at least 87-1/2 points on four of the eight models in either an NMRA sponsored contest or in AP Merit Award judging.

Note that only four of the eight must earn 87-1/2 points. The others don't even have to be judged! They do all have to be described on the Statement of Qualification (see below).

3.      You must submit a Statement of Qualification.