From: The 4D HO Modular Club (Seattle Pacific and Eastern) These are previous production turntables, NOT the current model.
One is used, but delivered in a very new box. Turntable is functional, turntable pit has some weathering, the control cabin is included, but not attached, the railings are somewhat the worse for wear, and the electrical bridge is missing. This has the oldest-style Heljan controller. This turntable was previously installed on the club’s Roundhouse module. No manual (available online). Asking $125
The second is new, delivered in a box that has known much better days. This was purchased as new original stock, albeit apparently moved around multiple times prior to sale. Used a few times in working on DCC programming (as a testbed for the club module), we ended up buying the new-model Walthers TT and accessory DCC converter board. Includes all components except the manuals (available online). Asking $200
Both of these work well with the included controller. We found them challenging to use under DCC. If you’re not interested in the DCC control, these are both good deals.
The Pacific Science Center Show last weekend was a great success. It was attended by 13,948 paid visitors and was our largest crowd in seven years. The credit for this belongs to the following groups and individuals:
Lisa Murray handled much of the organizing of volunteers and paperwork needed to keep things running. This was in addition to her being an active participant with the HO modular group. Her son, Aidan, was also there as an operator. Lisa also chairs the Seattle North Clinic.
The staff at Pacific Science Center was excellent and were able to respond quickly to some of the last minute adjustments that always occur with such a large show.
The 4D Hi-Railers, led by Ed Ives, were set up right
inside the Denny Way entrance with a 14’ x 20‘ configuration. Club participants
included:
Wayne Grinnell Ed Ives Jack Klapwyk Woody Mathews Ed Pennington Dan Peters Gordon Sandell
4D Hi-Railers
The 4D N-Trak layout, led by Al Lowe, was set up in
the Ackerley building. Per Al: “We staged an 1,800 square foot layout, which
was set up in the allotted four hours and removed from the building in 61
minutes. Between which, we ran dozens of trains, did a lot of switching, and
discussed model railroading with hundreds of guests. All in all, yet another
good showing for our club, the Division, and the NMRA.” Participants included:
Neill Clift Stephen Clift Dave Cook Mike Donnelly Thomas Dye Edwin Hill Kyle Ilk Kurt Laidlaw Al Lowe Dennis Terpstra Bud Thompson Cole van Gerpen
4D N-TRAK Group
The 4D HO Modular group,led by Mike Slease,
was also set up in the Ackerly building with a 24’ x 28’ layout. The layout featured its well-known
video camera car, which drew a large crowd around the TV monitor. Members participating included:
Gordon Crawford Norm Curtis Bruce Davis Lou Davis Paul Fischler Brian Pickering James Monroe Aidan Murray Ian Murray Lisa Murray Joel Scott Mike Slease Larry Sloan Rob Staples
Thirteen other individual displays were involved in the
show:
ANorthwest Railway Museum booth was set up by Emily Boersma. She was assisted by several volunteers: Peggy Barchi, Jim Hale, Pete Kirchgessner, Michael Ledingham, Dennis Snook, and Harry T.
Bill Harper brought his interactive HO switching puzzle which challenged visitors (and volunteers) both young and old.
Mike Pettruzzelli had two operating N scale layouts on display. He was assisted by Jeff Weinstock and Caleb Wright.
Al Turnbull had two displays—one the kids could operate and one that clearly demonstrated the construction involved in building a module.
Operation Lifesaver had an info booth manned by volunteers Weylin Doyle, Carol Kachadoorian, Alan Nelson, Brian Sims, Mike Turcott, and Martin Young throughout the weekend.
Bob Stafford brought his N scale industrial layout depicting some of the switching involved at Boeing in Everett. His interactive display drew quite a crowd.
Russ Segner’s On30 display was also popular with little operators and had visitors queued up waiting their turns all day.
The 4D/PNR/NMRA Booth was manned by John Owens. He almost ran out of magazines and literature.
Baby Gramps was there along with Doreen to display his intricate and fanciful dioramas. They were assisted by Kevin Buster and Frances Wolfe.
Dan Kellogg had an excellent display and demonstration of techniques in modeling water features.
Kurt Laidlaw demonstrated the construction of an N scale module complete with track work and wiring.
Larry Sloan built and demonstrated a very effective display demonstrating the application of DCC systems.
The vendor, Ravensburger, brought loads of Brio and wooden trains for the little ones to explore throughout the busy weekend.
Dan Kellogg demonstrated water modelling techniques throughout the weekend. The example on the right was made with glue, water, toilet paper, paints, and clear gloss.
Kurt Laidlaw demonstrated the construction of an N scale module, complete with track work and wiring
Larry Sloan brought an interactive DCC display
Bob Stafford’s N scale industrial layout, depicting some of the switching at the Boeing plant in Everett, was popular with young and old
Bill Harper brought his always popular HO switching puzzle
Al Turnbull had two displays—one the kids could operate and one that clearly demonstrated the construction in building a module
Mike Pettruzzelli’s N-scale layout
ON30 layout for small operators
Operation Lifesaver works to reduce the likelihood of collisions between people/vehicles and trains through rail safety education
Northwest Railway Museum
Several volunteers helped in the loading in Friday night and
loading out Monday evening. They also
assisted the many exhibitors with rest and lunch breaks. Volunteers included:
Dave Enger Anton Faulk Fred Hamilton Eldon Jacobson Aidan Murray Ian Murray Paul OldenKamp Burr Stewart John Thompson Dave Woodrell David Yadock
The Fourth Division celebrated November, which is National Model Railroad Month, with the Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI) over Thanksgiving weekend. Three of our modular groups had a great weekend: Hi-Railers, HO and NTRAK participated, along with a small On30 demonstration module. Attendance at MOHAI was way up and we received many positive comments from the public and MOHAI staff.
A BIG “Thank you” to those who set up and operated for three full days:
Hi-Railers: Sam Hayden, Gordon Sandell, Ed Ives, Woody Mathews, Dan Peters, Craig Ives, Marc Sachnoff, Mark Elster, Christoff Elster, Dave Enger, David Yadock
HO: Brian Pickering, Larry Sloan, Rob Staples, Aidan Murray, Lisa Murray, Ian Murray, James Monroe , Lou Davis , Bruce Davis., Mike Slease
4dNTRAK: Al Lowe, Dave Cook, Dennis Terpstra, Doug Bulger, Kurt Laidlaw, Mike Donnelly, Neil Clift, Peter Clift
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.)
Division-sponsored groups that will be present are The 4th Division HO Modular Group, 4th Division Hi-Rail O Gauge Modular Group, 4dNTRAK Modular Group, and The 4th Division OmNi-Rail Modular Group. The division will also have a membership booth.
The 4th Division HO Modular Group consists of about 20 active members with about 50 modules, a staging yard, and 6 corners. They get together monthly for breakfast. The group sets up its modular layout at about 8 to 9 events annually for charity, community service, 4th Division events, and fundraisers. For more information visit http://www.4dho.com.
The 4th Division Hi-Rail O Gauge Modular Group consists of about 18 members who collect anything from ancient Marx or Ives tinplate to the modern die-cast Lionel and MTH trains of today. The layout is O gauge, 3 rail. Boy do they run trains on it! The Hi-Rail Group has 24 modules, 4 corner modules and 4 yard modules, and the number is growing to build large displays with lots of moving trains. The current capacity of the layout is 4 long moving trains and 3 trolley cars. The group meets periodically as needed for breakfast and to conduct business meetings. The Hi-Rail Group attends 8 to 9 shows a year in the Puget Sound region, from Lynden, Washington to the North, to Portland, Oregon to the South. For more information contact Ed Ives at gresley7@gmail.com.
The 4dNTRAK Modular Group has been displaying modules and running trains for thirteen years. The group started out with four corner modules supplied by the 4th Division. Members have built more than 50 additional modules in the years since. The layout includes a new spectacular yard built in 2013 with 120+ turnouts and the capacity to handle many prototype-length trains! For more information, visit http://www.4dntrak.org.
The fourth and newest 4D PNR sponsored modular group is the OmNi-Rail Modular Group. The group has been running trains now for a bit over 2 years. The 4D PNR financed the construction of the four corner modules. The nine members of the group have built over 20 additional modules for public display layouts. The OmNi-Rail name is to represent “All Encompassing” for N Scale modular design. The intention is to bring NTRAK, Free-moN, and Bent Track to one club, so the design incorporates the best of each. It is also designed to accept older modules from these different disciplines with minor modifications. The design uses a dog-bone linear base design with no bridge tracks and power pole connections. There is also a one track branch line called the OmNi-Branch. The sky is the limit on different module designs. For more information go to http://omni-rail.net.
The BEMRC recently posted some photographs of their progress on the Seattle and North Cascasdes Railway at their World Headquarters in Burien, WA. The Boeing Employees Model Railroad Club has completed it mainline, has final wiring in progress, and the sidings and spurs are progressing, too. To see what they’re doing, click here.
The 4D HO Modular SIG (Seattle Pacific & Eastern) participated in the Lynden Lions Show on 1 & 2 October. The 32’ by 28’ layout was composed of modules belonging to the following members: Norm Curtis (2), Mike Slease (3), Ross Tabor (2), Mike Laughlin (3), and Robert Beise (6), plus the Kuranko Junction Wye (3), and Westin Yards (2). Also present were helpers, Don Voss, Frank Dekker, and Don Yeo. Everyone with modules arrived on Friday so by the end of the day the layout was up and electrical systems checked out.
On Saturday the modular layout was finished and trains were running by 9 AM when the show opened, right on time. On Sunday Frank had young children running trains on the layout. What a treat that was for the kids, their eyes wide open and a smile from ear to ear. The show closed on Sunday at 4PM and we were taken down, loaded up, and out of the show by 6 PM. A great time was had by all and we were awarded third place by the Lynden Lions. By this observer it did not seem as the show was as well attended as in the past and there were not as many vendors there either.
This was the first major show for Mike Laughlin’s 3 new modules. The woodwork, trackwork and wiring are excellent and an example of fine modeling. We request that new modules be tested in a layout that exposes them to a variety of rolling stock before ballasting so that changes can be made if necessary. Another first at the show was the extensive use of a new leg adjustment method. Since the adjustment screws are on the top of the leg, leveling and height adjustments can be made while standing up for comfort and easy viewing of the height gauge and/or level.
We welcome new members to our group. If you are interested you can call Norm Curtis at (425) 743-9035 or Bob Beise at (425) 488-2494. Our program consists of setting up layouts at local shows and a breakfast meeting almost every 2nd Saturday of the month unless there is a show that weekend, or during the summer when we hold work parties to help get modules up and going, and group outings. The breakfast meetings alternate between Redmond and Kent, Washington.
The NEXT breakfast is Saturday, May 14, at the Old Country Buffet in Kent. Social and eating time: 8:00. The meeting starts at 8:15 am. Check the website for directions and menu.
