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One of the 4th Division’s best friends and most active members, Wain Miller is facing at least triple by-pass surgery Monday morning at Swedish. Many of us have friends and family who’ve gone through this and know the road ahead. Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family at this time. I will update you on his progress.
Rumors have swirled recently that the long-time publisher of Railroad Model Craftsman was in financial difficulties and would cease operations. Good news! Carsten Publications announced that they have been purchased by White River Productions, which will honor all current subscriptions.
Complete details are on their website.
Eugene (Gene) R. Methven, 92, passed away early in the morning of August 10, 2014. He lived in Maple Valley and attended the Tacoma Clinic often and occasionally the Eastside Get-Together. He rode with Henry Holowedel and, after Henry’s passing, stopped attending because of not driving at night.
There will be a celebration of Gene’s life on Sunday, September 7 from 1:00–3:30 p.m. at the Wilderness Villa Clubhouse, 24100 221st Place, Maple Valley, WA 98038.
See Gene’s complete Seattle Times Obituary here.
The Skagit Valley & Whidbey Model Railroading Clinic will meet in Oak Harbor on Wednesday, September 10th at 7:00 p.m. to begin the new model railroading season.
Rich Blake and team have some great clinics scheduled for your enjoyment and edification this year, beginning with this month’s clinic by Rich himself.
In preparation for the upcoming OPS season (a.k.a. Model Railroad Operations), get a primer on train operations and how to make your ops participation more fun and realistic. This is not a how-to for setting up an operating session, we will focus on how to participate as guest or owner.
We spend considerable time modeling and developing our own operating method for our layouts but, when it comes time to operate on another’s layout, it can be confusing and difficult. We will show how to make life easier during an ops session while emulating the prototype. If time allows, we will also cover car forwarding methods using JMRI.
Remember: come to Summer Hill in OakHarbor on September 10 by 7:00. We will have our customary pre-clinic get-together at 5:15 at the San Remo restaurant, 421 NE Midway Blvd, OakHarbor. Come early and enjoy some great pizza and conversation.
Do you have a fondness for narrow gauge trains or just admire fine modeling? Then you can’t miss the annual 2015 Sn3 Symposium to be held in Bellevue next April 16! This is a national event with participants from all over the world.
The Symposium committee has lined up 16 layouts in several scales, most of which are not usually open. There will be several operating sessions available; clinics by nationally-recognized modelers; a model and photo contest; and vendors from across the nation. The Bellevue Sheraton has been selected as the convention hotel, with easy access to freeways and free parking.
Take advantage of the early registration rate of just $45 until September 10! Check out our website to see all that we have in store for you.
When we created the Digital Grab Iron a few years ago, we made it “opt-in,” which meant that you must actively request inclusion. Now the 4D Board of Directors believes every 4D member should be notified of all the Division’s news. Starting today, you will receive a short notification whenever any new article is posted.
Just click the link in the email to read the full article or, if you’re not interested, delete the email. It’s as simple as that. But now, all members will know what’s going on in our active Division.
Of course, if you absolutely never want to know anything, we understand. <grin> Send an email to Cliff Green at cliffg@codewrangler.net and he’ll remove you. But you’re going to miss some of the best of what your NMRA dues cover: what’s happening locally.
Want to operate on two great layouts? OLY-OPS 2014 has a few spots left for operators, but sign up now!
Our 8th OLY-OPS will feature 6 or 7 great operating layouts on Saturday, October 18, 2014.
Confirmed participants must be in Olympia by 8:15 a.m. to pick up their layout assignments and will spend the whole day. You will operate on one railroad in the morning and a second in the afternoon. And you will be invited to an after-event dinner. The only charge is minimal: bring food or cash for our local food bank.
Register now! It’s first come, first served. Email Gregory Wright with your name and the names anyone else you are registering for in your carpool. Please limit each car to 4 persons. Please provide only confirmed participants. (No-shows destroy our schedule and block others from attending.) Tell Greg if you have special concerns like you can’t do steps or tall layouts. This year we will not provide maps. If you don’t have GPS, make a special request in your email.
Check out our videos for either Windows or Mac or Android
OLY-OPS is brought to you by the Olympia Open House and Operations Group, O.O. & O. G. And don’t miss our Spring OLY-TOURS, when we’ll have 10 or more area layouts open to visit.
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The Snoqualmie Museum is refurbishing a tank car. Big deal; there are lots of these all over. But this one is special as it contains oil for the little locomotive just in front of it. The second picture shows the loco in better perspective.
This the beginning of a new steam program at Snoqualmie. Stathi Pappas will head up this effort and he will be our special speaker at the Eastside Clinic on September 18. Join us to see how the larger scales are built and maintained.
Efstathios “Stathi” Pappas is Curator of Collections at the NorthwestRailwayMuseum. He has a wealth of education and experience in the railway museum field and is best known for his skills in the rehabilitation, maintenance and operation of steam locomotives. He comes equipped with a Master’s Degree in Industrial Archaeology and has performed major work on a variety of locomotives.
Stathi own his own personal, operational steam locomotive, an 0-4-0 Porter, the former Santa Cruz Portland Cement 2, that will visit Snoqualmie Railroad Days in August. The locomotive is dubbed the “Chiggen” for its former role as a chicken restaurant mascot near Stockton, California. #2 returned to steam last winter and has been touring Northern California.
Click to enlarge
As your new 4D Treasurer, I am pleased to submit the following Balance Sheet as of July 31, 2014, plus the Budget for the 2014-2015 fiscal year that was approved by the Board at its June 14, 2014 meeting.
| Balance Sheet as of 31 July 2014 | |||||
| Assets | |||||
| Checking/Savings | |||||
| Old Checking | $ 2,370.55 | ||||
| New Checking | $ 1,000.00 | ||||
| Savings | $ 29,276.70 | ||||
| CD Account | $ 30,961.16 | ||||
| PSX2004 Trust | $ 7,872.36 | ||||
| PNR2014 | $ 6,207.65 | ||||
| Total Checking/Savings | $ 77,688.42 | ||||
| Other Assets | |||||
| Prepaid Expense | $ 1,000.00 | Omni Trailer Downpayment | |||
| Total Current Assets | $ 78,688.42 | ||||
| Other Assets | |||||
| Patch Inventory | $ 419.31 | ||||
| Trailers/Videos | $ 7,680.52 | ||||
| Total Other Assets | $ 8,099.83 | ||||
| Total Assets | $ 86,788.25 | ||||
| Liabilities & Equity | |||||
| Liabilities | |||||
| HO Modular Liability | $ 2,591.59 | ||||
| PNR2014 Liability | $ 6,207.65 | ||||
| Total Liabilities | $ 8,799.24 | ||||
| Equity | |||||
| Prior Year | $ 80,453.56 | ||||
| Net Assets | -$750.00 | (Fast Track Jigs) | |||
| Net Income | -$1,714.55 | ||||
| Total Equity | $ 77,989.01 | ||||
| Total Liabilities & Equity | $ 86,788.25 | ||||
| Budget Fiscal Year 2014-2015 | ||
| Income | ||
| Cash from Savings | $ 5,636.00 | |
| Membership rebate | $ 1,600.00 | |
| Interest and Other Income | $ 400.00 | |
| Sales | $ 50.00 | |
| Spring Meet Income | $ 500.00 | |
| Science Center Income | $ 11,050.00 | |
| Ho Modular Income | $ 1,500.00 | |
| Total Income | $ 20,736.00 | |
| Expense | ||
| Admin | $ 1,000.00 | |
| Insurance -Directors & Officers | $ 1,500.00 | |
| Insurance-Trailers | $ 2,500.00 | |
| Bond for Bank Acct Signers | $ – | |
| Membership Promotion | $ 2,000.00 | |
| Publicisty (Public Relations) | $ 1,500.00 | |
| Wash State Vehicle Registration | $ 250.00 | |
| Website | $ 150.00 | |
| Spring Meet (Annual Meeting) | $ 500.00 | |
| Education | $ 1,000.00 | |
| Memberhip | $ 36.00 | |
| Science Center Show | $ 1,000.00 | |
| Video Library | $ 2,800.00 | |
| Bremertom Northern Modular Group | $ 1,000.00 | |
| Hi-Railers Modular Group | $ 1,000.00 | |
| HO Modular Group | $ 1,000.00 | |
| OmNi-Rail Modular Group | $ 1,000.00 | |
| NTRAK Modular Group | $ 1,000.00 | |
| East Side Clinic | $ 500.00 | |
| Seattle Clinic | $ 400.00 | |
| Skagit Clinic | $ 250.00 | |
| Tacoma Clinic | $ 100.00 | |
| Whidbey Clinic | $ 250.00 | |
| Total Expense | $ 20,736.00 | |
| Other Income Expense | ||
| OmNi-Rail Trailer | $ 9,486.00 | |
| Fast Track Jigs | $ 750.00 | |
| Total Other Expense | $ 10,236.00 | |
During June’s PNR Regional Convention in Tacoma, I signed up for the tour of the Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad. I hope you enjoy the video.