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Day Out With Thomas Returns to Snoqualmie in July, Tickets on Sale March 6th

Written by Cliff Green
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Peggy Barchi, Marketing/Events Manager

Thomas The Tank Engine™ To Visit Snoqualmie, WA on July 14-16 and July 21-23!

Thomas the Tank Engine at the Northwest Railway Museum

All aboard! Thomas the Tank Engine invites little engineers to join him for a day of friendship and family fun at “Day Out with Thomas: The Friendship Tour 2017”. Children everywhere can spend the day with their friend Thomas when the #1 Engine pulls into the Northwest Railway Museum on July 14-16 and July 21-23. “Day Out with Thomas: The Friendship Tour 2017” is presented by Mattel.

This fun-filled event offers children and their families the opportunity to take a ride with Thomas the Tank Engine, star of the popular Thomas & Friends™ series. In addition, they will meet Sir Topham Hatt, Controller of the Railway and enjoy a day of Thomas-themed activities. The tour, now in its 22nd year, will make 42 stops across the U.S. and Canada and is expected to welcome nearly one million passengers in 2017.

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Northwest Railway Museum

4D HO Modular Group Meeting on Saturday, Mar 11, 2017

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Pete Gulick

The 4D HO Modular Group will hold its next regular member no host breakfast meeting on March 11, 2017 at 8:00 to 10:00 am at Mitzels American Kitchen in Kent. The meeting is open to anyone interested. Larry Sloan will present a program titled “Modern Layout Lighting”. For further information, contact information is on our web site 4dho.com.

(Editor’s note: The HO Modular Group has an excellent series of presentations at their monthly meetings and are well worth attending.)

HO Modular Group

Westside Clinic in Bremerton on Tuesday, Feb 14th, Steve Hauff Presentation

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Bill Hupé

Steve Hauff from Port Angeles has volunteered another one of his presentations on trains he has ridden. I thank him for all his sharing. It may be the only way we see these trains.

We are still in need of volunteers for clinic presentations.

What would you like to see in our Clinics? Would a local layout tour be of interest? Or how about we bring a project and tools, getting help on the project from other members? I would love for someone to show me how to upgrade my cars by installing stirrups and ladders.

As usual there will be a “Show and Tell” and “Model of the Month”. Bring your family or a friend who is interested in model railroading. Refreshments will be provided.

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Westside Local Clinic

Chuck Ricketts Health Report

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Robert Grove

Update, Feb 21

Chuck moved to the Panorama City physical therapy complex in Lacey. His right leg is coming back under control but the right arm and fingers will take longer. Panorama will be part of his life for another 3 or 4 weeks according to the therapist. I picked him up today to visit the optometrist, pick up some new eye glasses, then a stop at his home for more clothing and re-acquaintance with Smudge the cat. Good spirits and a desire to get on with it make him the best of patients.

Original post, Feb 8

Hey everyone, Chuck Ricketts was in the hospital for a few days with pneumonia until February 1, then was readmitted with stroke-like symptoms on Friday, February 3 (according to Jim Elder). Therapy started on the stroke affected right leg and arm. As of Tuesday afternoon, Feb 7th, Chuck has been moved to the rehab section of Panorama City (in Lacey, WA).

I’m sure he would enjoy hearing from all and his cell phone (480-861-3629) is at the ready. Wish him a quick recovery.

(Editor’s note: Chuck is well known for his world class layout, which is featured every year in the Olympia Layout Tour and Oly Ops. The first picture on the front page of the 4D web site is a wharf scene from his On30 scale layout.)

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Northwest Railway Museum Rides Begin on April 1

Written by Cliff Green
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Peggy Barchi, Marketing/Events Manager

It’s no joke – Northwest Railway Museum train rides begin on April 1st!

Excursion train ready to depart at the NW Railway Museum depot in Snoqualmie, WA.

It’s “Not Just A Train Ride” at the Northwest Railway Museum this train season! Beginning on the weekend of April 1-2, visitors can explore more of the Museum’s collection as most train excursions will include a stop at the Train Shed exhibit building in 2017. With a call of “All aboard!” Northwest Railway Museum visitors can step back in time and experience rail travel as it used to be aboard historic railway cars. The train excursions give visitors a glimpse back in time to discover how railroads influenced settlement and everyday life in Washington State.

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Northwest Railway Museum

Military Society of Model Railroad Engineers Upcoming Events in Anchorage, Alaska

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Mike Philo

Feb 24 – Mar 5, Anchorage, AK: The Military Society of Model Railroad Engineers (MSMRE) will have three sectional layouts set up during the annual Fur Rendezvous winter festival in Anchorage, Alaska. The layouts – in HO, HOn3 and N scales – will be on display in the Alaska Railroad Passenger Terminal from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM most days, longer on some days to accommodate arriving and departing ARR passengers. Admission is free to all. Contact: Randy “Bj” Bjorgan, bjorgan@alaska.net, 907-952-4353.

Feb 18, Mar 18, Apr 15 (all are Saturdays), Anchorage, AK: Military Society of Model Railroad Engineers monthly Open House, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM at the club’s location on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. Layouts in HO, HOn3, N and O. Admission is Free. Contact Randy “Bj” Bjorgan, bjorgan@alaska.net, 907-952-4353 for directions and access from off post.

(Editor’s note: Marty Quaas maintains a well-known web page on Alaska model railroading at http://alaskamodelrrnews.homestead.com/, with information on his layout, “The Consolidated South Western Railroad”, as well as various model railroad clubs and prototype organizations and activities in Alaska.)

Convention or Meet, Model Train Show, The Alaska Section

Pacific Science Center Model Train Show Committee Thanks the Volunteers

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David Yadock

The Superintendent of the 4th Division and the Pacific Science Center Model Train Show Committee would like to thank all of those folks listed below that volunteered at the train show. It goes without saying that if you didn’t help out at the show then it wouldn’t have been possible. This train show is very demanding and requires many people to make it work smoothly. This year there were over 13,000 visitors that passed through the gates of the Pacific Science Center. That number of people allows very good exposure to our organization.

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Model Train Show

Kitbashing HO to Sn3, Burien Clinic January Report

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Article and Photos by Syd Schofield

Paul Vaughn’s clinic presentation material models.

The first meeting of the recently split-off Eastside Get Together South Clinic (NMRA, PNR Region, 4th Division) is now officially the Burien Clinic. It all came together at the Pacific Northwest Railroad Archive facility in Burien, Washington on 26 January, 2017 at 6:30 PM with Russ Segner presiding.

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Burien Clinic

Bob Rudge Passes

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JJ Johnston

Update, Feb 23, 2017:

Well known vendor and modeler Bob Rudge passed away January 25th and his graveside service was held February 7th at the Tahoma National Cemetery honoring fallen service men and women. Bob had reserved a spot at the UNW Monroe Show this weekend (Feb 25-26) and his wife Emma and family members have decided to keep his commitment and run the booth. Bob was a member of the Boeing Employees Model Railroad Club. If you are attending the UNW model train show, please visit Bob’s tables and give condolences to the family. The pictures below show wife Emma receiving the American Flag and Bob’s Urn.

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