The contest room is a familiar part of every LSR convention, but the same contest rules and judging standards apply at other NMRA events and when working toward the Achievement Program.
Seeing what other modelers have created can be impressive, but the contest is also a chance to study different approaches, pick up new ideas, and continue developing your own skills. It’s as much about learning as it is about displaying finished work.
Whether or not you receive an award, the feedback provided through judging can be one of the most useful ways to improve your modeling and better understand the standards used in evaluation—and minimum scores are required for Achievement Program certificates.
There is a wide range of categories available, covering many different aspects of the hobby. If you’ve been considering entering something, this is a good opportunity to do so, whatever your area of interest or specialty.
At the LSR convention, a number of awards are presented, including category awards and special awards ranging from Best Tree to recognition for specific themes such as logging modules. Four awards are determined by popular vote: Most Popular Model, Most Popular Photo, Most Popular Arts & Crafts, and Favorite Complete Train.
If you have any questions or feedback about the contest rules or awards, please contact the LSR Contest Co-Chairs, Ray Byer and Jeff Palmer, MMR.
Good luck!
Categories
Rules, entry forms, and judging forms are at the bottom of this page.
Models
| Steam Locomotives | Types of locomotives that ran off of steam and are representative of steam power. Remember it has to be powered and able to run. |
| Diesel Locomotives | Types of locomotives that are representative of diesel power. The model must be powered (at least the lead unit) and able to run. |
| Traction or Other Motive Power | Electrically powered or other locomotives that don’t fit into the Steam or Diesel categories. The model must be powered and able to run. |
| Passenger Cars | All types of passenger revenue carrying equipment, including RDC, rail buses, observation, mail and baggage. Basically, if it was used to carry passengers, it counts. |
| Freight Cars | All freight revenue carrying equipment, including express reefers, box cars, gondolas, and so on. If the railroads used it to carry freight and generate revenue, it’s legal. Any loads or appropriate figures on or in the car will be judged with the car. |
| Cabooses | All types of caboose and cabin cars including bobbers, drovers, transfers, and so on. |
| Maintenance of Way | Non-revenue, right-of-way and track maintenance vehicles, rail and inspection cars, railroad cranes, snow removal and other cars not considered directly involved in railroad revenue service. Any loads or appropriate figures on or in the car will be judged with the car. |
| On-Line Structures | On-line structures are considered those to be normally owned by the railroad such as stations, yard buildings, bridges, and so on. This category also includes buildings featuring rail loading/unloading facilities on the right of way. If scenery extends past the building drip line, it must be entered in Displays and not this category. |
| Off-Line Structures | Off-line structures are those that do not need direct rail access. Again, if scenery extends past the building drip line, it must be entered in Displays and not this category. |
| Bridges & Trestles | Any type of on-line or off-line bridge or trestle used by the railroad to move trains or to move vehicles over railroad tracks. |
| Displays/Modules | Models or modules which include supplemental scenery. For a model to be in the display/module category, the scenery elements are not pertinent to the function of the model or primary structure. The display/module can be an “On-Line” or “Off-Line”. |
Models – Convention Special Awards
If there is no entry that qualifies for a given award, it will not be presented that year.
| New for 2026 Loren Neufeld Square Footer Award | Highest scoring entry in the Displays/Modules model category that fits within as 12″ by 12″ square, regardless of scale. The winner, if one qualifies, will be selected by a designated San Jacinto Model Railroad Club member and the LSR Contest Chair(s). |
| Gil Freitag Award for Best Scratch-Built Model | Highest scoring scratch-built entry in the model contest, based on the “Scratch Built” score on the judges’ entry sheet. If there is a tie in the score, then the “Construction” score will be used to break the tie. |
| Best Kit-Built Model | Highest scoring entry from the model contest created from a kit or a modified kit. |
| James P. Baugh Architecture Award | Model which represents the best example of architectural design in a prototype or freelanced off-line structure. This award is decided by the LSR Contest Chair(s), if a model is deemed to qualify. |
| James P. Baugh Memorial Tree Award | Best tree entry in the model contest. This award is decided by the LSR Contest Chair(s), if a model is deemed to qualify. |
| Bob Clarke Logging Award | Model entry that best depicts logging or backwoods modeling. Entry can be a prototype or freelanced model. This award is decided by the LSR Contest Chair(s), if a model is deemed to qualify. |
| Most Popular Complete Train | Due to the mixture of model types and motive power, this is a non-judged category and will be awarded based on popular vote. |
| Linda S. Little Award | Highest scoring entry from the model contest, in any judged category, submitted by a woman modeler who has not previously scored higher than 87.5 points. |
| Youth and Teen Awards | Best model entries from any category by youth (12 years of age or under) and teen (13-17 years of age) modelers. These awards are designed to include young people and promote the hobby and the LSR Model Contest, and they are decided by the LSR Contest Chair(s), if model(s) submitted are deemed to qualify. |
| Participation Award | The contestant in the model contest who receives the greatest number of combined points from the judges (from all of their entries that receive at least 87.5 points). |
| Most Popular | Awarded to the model receiving the most votes from convention attendees. Judges’ scores are not taken into consideration for this award. |
| Novice Best in Show | Highest scoring entry from the model contest, in any judged category, that receives at least 87.5 points from the judges, by a modeler that has never placed first or second in any Regional (LSR) or National (NMRA) Model Contest. |
| Best in Show | Highest scoring entry from the model contest, in any judged category, that receives at least 87.5 points from the judges. |
Photos
| Prototype Photographs | Categories: – Black and White Print – Color Print |
| Model Photographs | Categories: – Black and White Print – Color Print |
| Computer-Enhanced Photo | (Any subject/type) (Note: only adding smoke/steam to model photos is not considered computer-enhanced) |
Photos – Convention Special Awards
If there is no entry that qualifies for a given award, it will not be presented that year.
| Most Popular | Awarded to the photo receiving the most votes from convention attendees. Judges’ scores are not taken into consideration for this award. |
| Best in Show | Best photo in the contest, as selected by the judges from amongst the first place photos in all categories. |
Arts & Crafts
| Railroadiana | Arts or crafts (not a model or photo) that have a railroad motif. Can be from a kit (which includes plans, instructions and materials), pattern (where the material is acquired separately), or an original design. |
| Needlework | Arts or crafts where the entry is a type of stitching (knitting, embroidery, needlepoint, sewing, etc.) |
| Special Theme | Arts or crafts that exemplify the special theme set by the convention. This could be anything from a painting to woodcarving to needlepoint. Be creative! |
| General | Arts or crafts that do not fit into the other arts and crafts categories. |
Arts & Crafts – Special Awards
If there is no entry that qualifies for a given award, it will not be presented this year.
| Youth and Teen Awards | Best arts & crafts entries from any category by youth (12 years of age or under) and teens (13-17 years of age). These awards are designed to include young people and promote the hobby and the LSR Arts & Crafts Contest, and they are decided by the LSR Contest Chair(s), if model(s) submitted are deemed to qualify. |
| Most Popular | Awarded to the arts & crafts entry receiving the most votes from convention attendees. Judges’ scores are not taken into consideration for this award. |
| Novice Best in Show | Highest scoring entry from the arts & crafts contest, in any judged category, that receives at least 87.5 points from the judges, by someone that has never placed first or second in any Regional (LSR) or National (NMRA) Arts & Crafts Contest. |
| Best in Show | Best photo in the contest, as selected by the judges from amongst the first place photos in all categories. |
Rules and Forms
Here are the detailed contest rules and entry/judging forms for the various categories (in PDF format). PLEASE READ THEM before submitting an entry:
Also check out the guide for the writeup that should accompany model entries – it’s important to have this completed before you arrive at the convention. The NMRA judging guidelines for models might give you some insight as well.
Good luck! We can’t wait to see your entries!