Skip to main content

Snoqualmie Railroad Days This Weekend – Aug 14th thru 16th

Written by Cliff Green
Leave a Comment

Peggy Barchi, Marketing/Events Manager

Come on board for a steam locomotive excursion and more during this year’s festival!

What’s Special About This Year?

The Steam Era returns again to Snoqualmie! On July 4, 1889 the inaugural run was a day trip from Seattle to Snoqualmie Falls. The excursion was operated by the M.E. Church Society over the lines of the Seattle, Lake Shore and Eastern Railway Company. Now, 126 years later during Railroad Days, the Northwest Railway Museum brings steam train excursions to back to Snoqualmie. And in August of 1890, the iconic Snoqualmie Depot was built! Join us to celebrate this noted historic landmark’s “birthday” on Sunday, July 16 at 10:45 am. The Northwest Railway Museum will feature two of its steam locomotives in a special ceremony followed by cake and lemonade (while supplies last) for visitors!

Wouldn’t you love to ride a train powered by a steam locomotive to get a feel for that first run? Well you can this year! During Railroad Days, the Santa Cruz and Portland Cement locomotive 2, a 1909-built Porter locomotive will let you step back in time to the early days of Snoqualmie.

Other Railroad Days activities can be viewed in an earlier Grab Iron post.

For general information click on the museum website at http://www.trainmuseum.org, e-mail at info@trainmuseum.org or call the museum at 425-888-3030. I can also be contacted at ext. 7203 or peggy@trainmuseum.org. More information on Snoqualmie Railroad Days can be found at http://www.railroaddays.com.

Northwest Railway Museum

Welcome to the New 4DPNR Website

Written by Cliff Green
Leave a Comment

Cliff Green

You may notice the “visual look” of the Grab Iron e-mail notifications has changed, and if you click on the “read more” link you may notice that the 4DPNR website look has changed as well.

Welcome to the new 4th Division website!

(Note – “4dpnr.org” and “4dpnr.com” are now both pointing to the new website. It’s possible, however, that the transition hasn’t made it everywhere in the Internet and if you visit “4dpnr.org” you will be seeing the old website. You may also want to “refresh” your browser.)

Why did we update the 4th Division website?

Read More

Grab-Iron, News

Westside Clinic is Tuesday August 11th

Written by Cliff Green
Leave a Comment

Bill Hupé

Last month’s clinic was a success. We had only six 4th Division modelers. Jack Hamilton pulled a clinic out of his back pocket on building details – “Details make the Difference”. Pete Rowe brought us up to date on the Port Blakely diorama he is working on. Jack “The Tool Guy” Hamilton shared a couple of the new tools he had discovered. He and Pete discussed Tom Brittell’s layout progress.

Read More

Westside Local Clinic

Russ Segner Layout in August Trackside Model Railroading Online Magazine

Written by Cliff Green
Leave a Comment

JJ Johnston

We are proud to announce our 4th Division Superintendent Russ Segner’s Sn3 masterful layout of the Coal Creek Lumber Company has been selected as one of two layouts in the August 2015 issue of the digital railroad magazine, Trackside Model Railroading. Lots of pictures and a video highlight this fine modeling along with extra coverage of Bill Zickerts HO scale Montana Rail Link layout. The photography is outstanding.

The online magazine is subscription based, and you can get the Segner August issue for $1.89 or a year subscription for $14.99.

News,

Snoqualmie Railroad Days Steams into Town August 14, 15 & 16

Written by Cliff Green
Leave a Comment

Peggy Barchi, Marketing/Events Manager

Snoqualmie’s essence and fun history come to life during the 2015 Snoqualmie Railroad Days festival. Enjoy Snoqualmie – past, present and future! Snoqualmie Railroad Days festival brings the variety of what makes Snoqualmie unique to life with Timber Sports and Living History demonstrations, 3 stages of musical entertainment, the Grand Parade, the Children’s Field of Fun, a variety of food & fun vendors, the Legends Car Show, a special model train show, Arts in the Park with numerous artists demonstrating their craft, Wine & Beer Gardens, a Fun Run, Wagon Rides and Steam Train Excursions. And of course the event that started it all, the Firefighters Pancake Breakfast!

Join the fun during the Grand Parade as band director Matt Wenman is honored for his community spirit in building the music program at Mt. Si High School including two years as finalists with the Jazz I group to the Essentially Ellington Competition & Festival in New York City!

For general information click on the museum website at http://www.trainmuseum.org, e-mail at info@trainmuseum.org or call the museum at 425-888-3030. I can also be contacted at ext. 7203 or peggy@trainmuseum.org. More information on Snoqualmie Railroad Days can be found at http://www.railroaddays.com.

Northwest Railway Museum

Westside Clinic June Report

Written by Cliff Green
1 Comment

Bill Hupé

The June Westside clinic was a great success with eleven 4th Division modelers attending. Jack Hamilton shared his latest model railroad adventures as well as some new tools. Pete Rowe brought a flat car and two trucks with loads of lumber that he cut on a miniature table saw, for use on a lumber mill project.

Steve Hauff’s clinic was titled “Toto, I don’t think we’re on Amtrak anymore”. The clinic illustrated traveling on two of Africa’s (and the world’s, for that matter) finest trains: Rovos Rail and the Blue Train.

The Rovos journey went from Pretoria, South Africa to Swakopmund, Namibia via Kimberly, DeAar, and Windhoek, with side trips to the dunes at Sossesvlei and Etosha National Park. The Rovos equipment as well as South Africian and Namibian hardware was also viewed.

The Blue Train section centered on the opulence of what is considered to be one of the best appointed trains anywhere. While the journey is only slightly more than a day, it is a day spent in 5-star luxury.

Typical clinics have a “Model Contest” and “Show And Tell”. Coffee and cookies are provided and bringing a friend is encouraged.

For those visiting us for the first time our clinics are held on the 2nd Tuesday of the month at the United Way of Kitsap Building, 647 4th Street, Bremerton, WA at 7 pm.

Westside Local Clinic

4th Division Election Results and Leadership Changes

Written by Cliff Green
Leave a Comment

Russ Segner, 4D Superintendent

Editor’s note: Updating the post to add the following note from JJ Johnston, Volunteer Chair, 2015 Election Committee: A special thanks goes to those who assisted on the election committee process of writing, designing, printing and tabulating the 2015 ballots including Russ Segner, Mike Slease, Ed Liesse, David Yadock, Mike Laughlin and JJ Johnston.

Great news! Kurt Laidlaw and Al Lowe have been re-elected to the 4D Board of Directors. Mike Highsmith was also reelected to Assistant Superintendent. These are two year terms which run from September 1 to August 31.

Now for some bad news: Assistant Mike Highsmith has resigned not only the balance of his current term, but also will not serve the term commencing September1. So …

Here is some good news: As Superintendent I have asked Kurt Laidlaw to step into Mike’s remaining term and also to fill the position for the two year term as Assistant Superintendent commencing September 1. He has accepted and will be confirmed at our Board of Directors meeting August 15. Thank you, Kurt.

More good news: Paul Pellegrino has agreed to fill the Board of Directors term which Kurt will vacate. This also will be acted on at the August board meeting. The leadership team is intact and we look forward to working on the balance of this year and preparing for 2016.

If you are interested in serving your fellow model railroaders, please give me a call at 425-228-7327.

News, Superintendent’s Message

Volunteers Needed For Day Out With Thomas at the Northwest Railway Museum

Written by Cliff Green
Leave a Comment

Cristy Lake, Volunteer Coordinator and Registrar

Here is a great opportunity to expand your railroad experience.

Day Out With Thomas (Photo Courtesy of NWRM)

Day Out With Thomas (Photo Courtesy of NWRM)


Russ Segner, Mike Donnelly and Ken Liesse are regular volunteers and already know about this.

The Northwest Railway Museum in Snoqualmie begins its largest fundraiser of the year and it is starting this week! If you can lend an extra set of hands for a day, we could really use your help. This will be our best Thomas so far, but it means we need a few extra people. We have sold over 17,000 tickets so far for the event! Tickets are only left for the second Friday, July 17.
Read More

Northwest Railway Museum