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Last Day to Save on Sn3 Symposium

Written by Al Lowe
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Russ Segner, Convention Chair

Sn3 2015The 30th Annual Sn3 Symposium will be held in Bellevue, Washington next April 16 – 19, 2015. If you REGISTER TODAY, you’ll save big bucks!

It will be hosted by the same bunch that brought you the great 2012 National Narrow Gauge Convention. With over 15 narrow gauge layouts, 16 great clinics, and lots of time with fellow narrow-gaugers. At least seven Sn3 layouts will be open for operating sessions, with slots filled first-come, first-served.

Held at the excellent Bellevue Sheraton, there will be plenty of room for clinics and contest entries. 75 rooms have been reserved at very good rates for attendees.

For more information, see sn3symposium-2015.com, or email Registrar Robin Peel.

Today is the last day to get the early registration rate!

Convention or Meet, Narrow Gauge

Anacortes Antique Machinery Show Sept. 13

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Keith Sternberg

I’d like to invite all 4th Division members to the annual Anacortes Antique Machinery Show this Saturday, September 13, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., at 6th and Market, near the old Great Northern depot and the sternwheel steamer “W T Preston.”

Keith Sternberg's model 4-6-0

Keith Sternberg’s model 4-6-0

There will be exhibits of steam power (both stationary and marine), antique tractors, model builders with engine models, and a handcar operating on the old Great Northern track along Market Street. I will have a temporary short-line railroad of 7-1/2″ gauge track alongside of the steamboat “W T Preston.” My coal-fired ten-wheeler will be in steam with a single-car train. There will be several steam launches on display, wood-fired and oil-fired boats of 18 – 25 foot length. The “W T Preston,” a fine old steamboat built for the Army Corps of Engineers in 1914, will be open for visitors. She has cylinders about 14″ bore and 6-foot stroke, and a locomotive-type boiler.

Admission to the show is free. Admission to board the “W T Preston” is $3.

I built the locomotive using castings from Allen Models. It is 9′ long overall and weighs about 600 pounds. The boiler is state-inspected and allowed 150 psi. Cylinders are 1-3/4″ bore and 3-1/4″ stroke. I often pull a passenger train at the Great Northern & Cascade Railway at Skykomish. I have fired with several types of coal, lately a mix of Pennsylvania anthracite and Utah bituminous. A full head of steam is easily maintained all day, no matter how heavy the load.

I hope you come by Saturday for some really large-scale model railroading!

Model Train Show

Wain Miller Hospitalized

Written by Al Lowe
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Mike Highsmith

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.

News

Gene Methven Passes

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Ed Liesse

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.

News

Skagit Valley & Whidbey NMRA Clinic September 10

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Allen Frasch

Whidbey ClinicThe 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.

OPS CRAFT — The Art of Operating Model Trains

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.

Whidbey2We 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.

Mt Vernon Clinic, Skagit Valley and Whidbey Island Clinic

Sn3 Symposium Discount Sign-Up Ends Soon

Written by Al Lowe
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Russ Segner, Sn3 Symposium Coordinator

Sn32015Do 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.

Convention or Meet, Narrow Gauge

Grab Iron Now For ALL Members

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Al Lowe

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.

News

OLY-OPS 2014 Scheduled for Oct. 18

Written by Al Lowe
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Gregory Wright

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.

Olympia Clinic, Operations

Stathi Pappas to speak at Eastside Clinic Sept. 18

Written by Al Lowe
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Russ Segner

Click to enlarge

Click to enlarge

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.

StathiPappasEfstathios “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

Click to enlarge

Eastside Get-Together (Redmond) Clinic, Northwest Railway Museum