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Reward your achievement; you’ve earned it!
Congratulations to Tyler for his completion of all the work to achieve his MMR. He is #663 and joins a large number of MMRs here in the Fourth Division.
Tyler has hosted many open houses and always amazes us with his beautiful model building. Here a few pictures that make that point.
I look forward to seeing this work up close soon.
Russ
4DPNR Superintendent Russ Segner presented MMR Certificate #562 at Chuck’s recent layout open house in Olympia. Congratulations, Chuck!
Chuck’s railroad is the Sherwood, Shelton, & Sarazen Railway set in the early 1900’s on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula. It occupies two downstairs rooms (11 X 20 ft. and 13.5 X 13.5 ft.) with staging in the Operators Lounge and Dispatch Office. Read More
At the Tacoma Clinic on Thursday, January 8th, 4D Secretary Bill Messecar was presented with Master Model Railroader #543. Presenting Bill with this honor were PNR President Michael Highsmith, PNR Past President Walt Huston, 4D Superintendent Russ Segner, NMRA Director Jack Hamilton and members of the evaluation team, Roger Nulton, Ed Liesse and Ken Liesse.
Bill Messecar receives congratulations from Michael Highsmith, Walt Huston and Russ Segner.
Bill earned certificates for Author, Scenery, Structures, Volunteer, Dispatcher, Cars, and Prototype Model. Bill models the Santa Fe railroad in Southern California, and those who have seen his HO layout are always amazed at the detail, especially the oranges in their shipping crates. Bill has written several books and articles on modeling the Santa Fe and is active in the Santa Fe Railway Historical and Modeling Society. His layout has appeared on 4D tours several times. If you haven’t had a chance to visit, make sure you watch for his layout to be on tour.
From the NMRA Achievement Program website: “The Achievement Program is a system of requirements for demonstrating a superior level of skill in various aspects of our hobby. It covers not only building various types of models, but also building other things which are important to the hobby, such as scenery, structures, track work, and wiring. It also recognizes service to the hobby and the NMRA, which are important as well. Use the links on the right to explore the different certificates and requirements.”
“An NMRA member qualifies as a Master Model Railroader when he or she has obtained at least seven of the eleven Achievement Certificates provided that he or she has earned at least one Achievement Certificate in each of the four areas of the Regulations. Earning the title of Master Model Railroader is the ultimate goal for many participants in the Achievement Program.”
Chairperson Rich Blake welcomed 33 attendees to the Skagit Valley and Whidbey Clinic’s third meeting of the season on Wednesday, November 12th. Rich was pleased to point out that several folks from the mainland, who are now regulars of the new Mt. Vernon Clinic, were in the audience tonight. Our two clinics are scheduled about two weeks apart each month, giving area modelers the opportunity to attend both if they wish. That idea seems to be a good one!
Also making the trip to the island were Jack Hamilton and Di Voss, devoting their entire day prior to the clinic to evaluating layouts, rolling stock, scenery, buildings, and even volunteer data, resulting in several NMRA AP awards being earned by SV & W modelers. Thanks, gentlemen, for taking the time and driving the distance year after year; it has really vitalized the AP program in our area. Jack described the AP program and how rewarding — and relatively easy — it is to accumulate points for your modeling, authoring, volunteering, and operations efforts. He noted that working towards the “car” award seemed to be a particularly common roadblock for some of our SV&W modelers, who otherwise were within shouting distance of earning their MMR (Master Model Railroader). As just one result of the day’s judging, Jack called Tom Hawkins to the front and presented him with his Golden Spike Award. Tom was one of the winners of a layout design competition run by Model Railroader magazine, and his layout was featured in the magazine.
Next, as Rich Blake pointed out, it really was Dr. Nick Muff Night. Jack presented Nick with his MMR certificate and plaque, remarking that whenever he visited Nick’s layout, he returned home and contemplated taking a sledgehammer to his own. (Your reporter has had the same emotion!). If ever you are able to visit Nick’s world-class layout, simply look at the chandeliers in the Kansas City station and you will understand that sledgehammer urge.
Nick Muff Receives MMR from Jack Hamilton
Nick was also the presenter of the evening’s program, an historic collection of his still photographs and 8mm film of the West Side Lumber Company. Just as remarkable as the photos were the “vehicles” that Nick and two friends used to travel over the railroad, the entertaining stories about how they were built, and the adventures they shared on the rides. The vehicles? Homemade handcars — a series of three of them no less — each one significantly better than the last.
Nick visited the West Side many times between 1961-66; his earliest explorations in 1961-62, when he was 16, were the subject of tonight’s talk. The West Side’s 3-ft gauge railroad operations had been in gradual decline and finally were abandoned altogether in midyear 1961; only a single steamer, standard-gauge Heisler #3, continued working the mill in Tuolumne. After that, gyppo truck loggers brought timber down to the mill. However Pickering, who owned the West Side, stored the locos rather than scrapping them, and kept the track in place, too, just in case relying on the gyppos didn’t work out. The entire line was ripe for exploring by three keen teenagers.
Nick opened with slides shot in Tuolumne: the large mill operation; Heisler #3; some of the charming home-built cabeese; the gauntlet track at the log dump; and several of the Shays. The Shays were kept in immaculate condition, mechanically and in appearance, too; paint gleamed on most of them in Nick’s photos.
The boys hiked much of the line on their first forays, and soon realized that this was one long railroad! Camp 45 — the last camp built for railroad logging — was 56 miles from Tuolumne, and the main line at one time was 70 miles long. To speed things up, they built their first handcar — their “Car # 1.” It had no pump mechanism and was simply a platform, rope-pulled or sometimes “poled.” Its wheels had rubber tires, and those wheels were the biggest problem. The tread just wasn’t wide enough and the car constantly derailed. Nick said that the variations in gauge of the West Side’s rail, as light as 35-pound in places, were so large that any successful car needed 5-inch wide treads!
Camp 8, Car no. 1, Nov. 1961; Nick on right
In 1962, Nick and his friends were at Clavey River bridge when they spotted a wheelset (it appeared to be from some sort of handcar) discarded near the track, and then another nearby. The axles weren’t quite true and wheel flanges had pieces missing but (as Nick put it) there was just enough of the flanges left to keep the wheels on the track. They found a steel frame that fit, and using some 2 x 12’s among the scrap they built a floor and other wood parts for their new Car #2, built entirely in the woods! With wider treads and sturdier all around, it was a clear improvement over #1. Intending to return to Tuolumne on their new creation, things went awry. A severe rainstorm came up quickly, necessitating a night spent on soaked bedrolls and, eventually, their rescue by the county Sheriff, who was not pleased.
Deadwood Camp, June 1962, Car no. 2; Nick on right
Undeterred, Car #2 was improved yet again with the addition of a 5 hp engine, and proudly lettered West Side #3. On it Nick and the others could now make the trip out to Camp 45 in style. But not without more adventure. Returning to Tuolumne, #3 had an unfortunate encounter with some 2 x 12’s which a farmer had used to “enhance” his cattle guards, the boys jumped off, and off went Car #3 too, picking up speed and outpacing its pursuers on the downhill grade into Tuolumne. Would the handcar (possibly on fire) crash into Tuolumne yard and get Nick and friends into some really serious trouble this time?
If you’d heard Nick’s talk, you’d know. If Nick ever gives this talk again at another clinic, a regional convention, or other gathering, make every effort to get there. You’ll enjoy it.
Glenn Farley was presented with his Master Model Railroader plaque this week at an open house of fellow MMR, Dave Woodrell. Glenn models in On3, but has won many awards for his modeling in HO, including a Best of Show at a NMRA Convention for a scratch built HO steam locomotive.
His home On3 layout includes a complete Gunnison roundhouse which he created in collaboration with Clint Crow.
Glenn will present clinics on working with brass and illustrate his techniques at our upcoming PNR Convention this June. Congratulations, Glenn.
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On October 19th, PNR President Walt Huston and I presented Jim Younkins with his Master Model Railroader award #488. A lot of hardware is involved with becoming an MMR and it took both of us to give it all to Jim.
If you’ve ever seen Jim’s “Mud Bay & Southern” layout, you know how Jim earned his MMR. If you haven’t, it’s received plenty of press. Jim routinely opens his home during the Olympia Layout Tour, and is part of the Oly Ops operating sessions every November. Jim also schedules operating sessions throughout the year.
The Achievement Program, of which the Master Model Railroader is part, challenges model railroaders to better their skills through different disciplines in the model railroading hobby. There are 11 areas of work and, when a modeler earns Certificates of Merit in 7 of the 11 areas, he has his MMR. Jim earned his certificates in Electrical, Volunteer, Scenery, Structures, Civil, Author, and Cars. Jim has also earned his Golden Spike Award, often the first step in the A.P. program.
Jim joins other 4D’s other MMRs: Jack Hamilton, Dale Kraus, Max Maginness, Roger Nulton, C.J. Riley, Paul Scoles, Gene Swanson, Di Voss, and David Woodrell. Congratulations, Jim!
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Scott Buckley receives Golden Grab Iron Service Award (Greg Wright photo)
Scott Buckley of Olympia was awarded the 2012 Golden Grab Iron Service Award during a ceremony at the September Olympia Clinic.
The award is the highest honor afforded by the 4th Division and dates from 1955. Per tradition, Scott was selected by a committee made up of the three previous winners, who this year included J. J. Johnston, Ed Liesse, and Walt Huston. The award is symbolic of the recipient’s dedication to the hobby of model railroading and his or her generosity toward one’s fellow modelers.
In presenting the award to an amazed Scott, Jim Sabol, representing the selection committee, noted Scott’s many years of volunteering with railroad museums both in Nevada and Washington, his leadership in planning and often hosting 81 monthly Olympia NMRA clinics from 2002 to 2010, and his propensity for showing up ready to work whenever friends need a helping hand.
In the audience and clapping enthusiastically were previous award winners Dale and Diane Kraus, and Keith Newsom.
A complete list of all the Golden Grab Iron Service Award winners is on the 4D website.
The complete text of the plaque Scott received is below:
The Golden Grab Iron Service Award is given each year to a member of the 4th Division, Pacific Northwest Region, National Model Railroad Association, who exemplifies service to the organization. For 2012 the selection committee, composed of the immediate past three honorees, has chosen Scott Buckley for his many contributions to the hobby, the NMRA, and especially the 4th Division.
Scott has known trains all his life, inheriting publications and memorabilia from his late grandfather, a career locomotive engineer, at the age of 9. Scott’s dad served as brakeman, conductor, and fireman on the Sierra Railroad before it became a tourist train. Scott’s volunteer career, firing engines, began there when he worked with school field trips during the summer of 1974. He qualified as brakeman and fireman as a volunteer and has had some training as an engineer.
Railroading sites and the Southern Pacific were close at hand when Scott moved to Sacramento and then Roseville, California. A special event at the Nevada State Railroad Museum in Carson City provided a new opportunity for Scott’s volunteering over the next 6 years.
Scott joined the NMRA in 1990. Following the 1994 national convention in Portland and exposure to the Mount Rainier Scenic and Chehalis-Centralia Railroads, Scott moved to Olympia and the Pacific Northwest in 1996 and soon joined the 4D’s Tacoma Clinic. After several active years with that group, Scott was instrumental in successfully establishing the Olympia Clinic, which exists today. He often hosts meets and several clinics during the year and since 2004 has been responsible for organizing the annual spring Olympia Layout Tours and works with the Olympia Operating Sessions (Oly Ops) each fall.
Having built a house with a bonus room, Scott decided that 20 years of weekend, recreational railroading was enough and began devoting more time to his own layout, which features the Southern Pacific Railroad and will be included for the first time in the Oly Ops schedule in 2012.
Scott Buckley has given his time and energy, sharing his knowledge of trains and railroading for many years, providing educational opportunities to the public, as well as sharing his knowledge with fellow modelers. His Golden Grab Iron Award is well deserved.
Max Maginness’s Totara Flat Railway was featured in the January-February issue of the Narrow Gauge and Short Line Gazette magazine. With beautiful photographs by the author, 4D’s own Paul Scoles, MMR, the three page article will surely convince even more people to attend the upcoming 32nd National Narrow Gauge Convention, to be held in September at Bellevue’s Meydenbauer Center.
Totara Flat models the 3½’ gauge New Zealand Railways in S scale. If you haven’t seen the February issue of the Gazette, look for it in the hobby shop. And be sure to check out the 32nd National Narrow Gauge Convention’s website, http://www.seattle2012.com.
The Golden Grab Iron Service Award is given each year to a member of the 4th Division, Pacific Northwest Region, National Model Railroad Association, who exemplifies service to the organization. For 2011 the selection committee, composed of the immediate past three honorees, chose JJ Johnston for his many contributions to the hobby, the NMRA, and especially the 4th Division of PNR.
Congratulations, JJ!
JJ Johnston, Ed Liesse & Walt Huston
JJ was honored with the presentation of an engraved plaque and framed certificate at the November 17 Eastside Clinic. In addition, JJ received the traveling plaque listing him and past award winners, which he’ll keep for a year before passing it on to the 2012 winner.
JJ’s service to 4D includes his years of leadership of the Eastside Clinic, securing their meeting space at the Foursquare Church in Bellevue, assisting with the Pacific Science Center Shows, and opening his layout to fellow modelers and other visitors.
An accomplished modeler and envied owner of the Puget Sound Iron Goat Railway, which was recently featured by Paul Scoles in Railroad Model Craftsman, JJ’s accomplishments include helping to establish a link between the local Division and the Pacific Northwest Railway Museum in Snoqualmie. Though he models in HO scale, JJ’s interest in narrow gauge railroading has led him to serve in the planning for the 2012 national narrow gauge convention to be held in Bellevue.
Ed Liesse, 2009 honoree, presented the 2011 Golden Grab Iron Service Award in the absence of committee chair Gay Liesse, 2008 winner. Gay is recovering from back surgery and was unable to attend. Walt Huston, PNR president who took home the prize in 2010 and served as the third member of the selection committee, participated in the presentation.
The full text of the citation read during the presentation is below.
The Golden Grab Iron Service Award is presented each year to a member of the 4th Division, Pacific Northwest region, National Model Railroad Association, who exemplifies service to the organization. The selection committee consists of the past three honorees, who put their heads together to consider recommendations for the newest member of this elite group.
Gay Liesse, winner of the 2008 Golden Grab Iron, regrets that she is unable to be here tonight to present the award, but recuperating from extensive spinal fusion surgery is taking longer and is more debilitating than she had anticipated and she felt the evening would be too exhausting. Ed Liesse, 2009 recipient, is taking over Gay’s duties for the evening. Walt Huston, honoree for 2010, rounds out the committee.
Because you’ll recognize the 2011 winner of the Golden Grab Iron Award almost immediately, we’ll cut to the chase and invite JJ Johnston to join us while we detail his life story. To say that he has enjoyed unique experiences over the years would be the understatement of this year.
A native of Seattle, son of a dentist and a registered nurse, JJ attended Harvard School, a military academy in Los Angeles and still maintains contact with some of his classmates. He zipped across the country for the first time to attend the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. His high school career wasn’t exactly academically impressive, but he made up for average grades by being active in swimming, high-board diving, basketball and serving as editor of the student newspaper, head of the rally committee and performing in the lead role in his school’s dramatic endeavor his senior year.
In college, JJ was part of the swim team, joined Zeta Psi national fraternity and played soccer. He had the opportunity to meet author William Faulkner and visited Cuba at the time Fidel Castro was a revolutionary fighting a guerilla war against the Batista government. With the draft in effect, JJ joined the U.S. Army after college, serving at various American bases before adventuring into the professional soccer world while stationed in Landstuhl, Germany. He defended the goal for the Sportverein Hermersberg before returning home. Forty years later JJ and Patt had the thrill of a return visit to Hermersberg for a gala reunion celebration with townspeople and soccer players, some of whom were even old enough to remember his soccer days.
JJ’s next step was a position as Director of Alumni and Public Relations at his former high school, working on fund-raising for the private education sector and developing his skills in writing, graphic design, and photography as editor of the school’s alumni magazine. After experimenting with a few other fields dealing with people, JJ earned his license and joined Windermere Real Estate in Bellevue in 1985.
There he met Patt Sellen, already an established, top producing agent, and courted his future bride. They were married during Seafair weekend and JJ still believes that Patt arranged the Blue Angel flyover – close enough for them to see the pilots’ faces – following the wedding ceremony. Patt’s four children, a daughter and three sons, quickly became JJ’s family. After almost 18 years with Windermere, JJ and Patt opened their RE/MAX Northwest Realtors office. Many local model railroaders have acquired their layout space through the efforts of JJ and his now-retired office manager, Sandy Finn.
But what about that model railroading, you say. How did the well-known Puget Sound Iron Goat Railway come to be? Most of us have seen JJ’s layout with its Woody Winter paintings simulating a ticket office, a log cabin, trees, forest animals and other hidden delights. This “fantasy wing” has provided entertaining viewing for countless visitors.
JJ truly is a Johnny-come-lately as far as model railroading is concerned. He’d had the requisite plywood Lionel layout as a child but didn’t get involved in the hobby until 1993 after a chance visit to a hobby shop with a friend. Intrigued by scenery early on, JJ bought a kit, built it, and was hooked. He became a close friend of GAZETTE author Bob Christopherson, who played a major role in the development of the Iron Goat Railway. This first layout was begun in 1996. After only six years under construction, JJ’s layout was featured by Paul Scoles in the Narrow Gauge and Short Line Gazette.
Always a “people person,” JJ soon became involved with the local model railroad organizations, serving two terms as a Director of the 4th Division, PNR, helping with the Pacific Science Center Show, and coordinating the monthly Eastside Clinic meetings here at his church. The Pacific Northwest Railway Museum in Snoqualmie has become a favorite “cause” of many local modelers (not to mention residents), and JJ can take credit for helping create a relationship between the museum and 4th Division of PNR. Though he models in HO, JJ is immersed in the idea of Narrow Gauge modeling and is part of the organizing committee for next year’s national Narrow Gauge Convention in Bellevue.
In addition to being a familiar face to most 4D members, JJ is active in community and church affairs and has been nominated for several other service awards from other groups over the years. We are proud to recognize the talented modeler, JJ Johnston, as the recipient of the PNR 4th Division’s 2011 Golden Grab Iron Service Award.
In case you have yet to receive your copy, that beautiful layout seen on the cover of the October issue of Railroad Model Craftsman belongs to none other than 4D member and Eastside Get-Together chair, JJ Johnston! 4D member Paul Scoles wrote and photographed a gorgeous article about the Puget Sound Iron Goat Railway. Congratulations, JJ.
2011 may well go down as the year of the 4D layout cover story!