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Don’t Miss Eastside’s May 17 Meeting!

Written by Al Lowe
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JJ Johnston

You’ve heard us talk about it. Now it’s happening! Eastside Get-Together members should not miss our Thursday, May 17, monthly meeting. Dave Hikel, our recent clinician, has generously obtained a one-time permission for us to visit the North West Trunk Lines, a 3,200 square foot, O and On30 scale, layout owned by Peter and Laurie Hambling. This unique layout was recently featured in the Seattle Times.

It includes real world scenes from the western U.S. and Canada. Dave took over John Armstrong’s design for construction and enhancement. He drove over 16,000 miles to photograph and collect soil and rock samples of the areas modeled. Backdrops are hand-painted from his photographs. Dave created a control program based on an MTH Digital Command System integrated with a computer running RR & Co layout control software allowing the use of Apple iPads as local control panels during operating sessions. The scenery is exceptional. There’s so much more for you to see, too.

If you want to visit this unique layout, you must:

1. Parking at the Medina Elementary School, 8001 NE 8th St, Medina. NO exceptions. There is no parking available near the Hambling residence.

2. Ride the free van from the school parking lot to the layout.

3. The van will run round trips from 7:00 pm continuously until 10:00 pm. Dave will do a formal introduction and speak about computer control beginning at 7:30 pm. No admittance after 9:45.

The layout is only accessible down an outside stairway into the basement.

See you there!

Eastside Get-Together (Redmond) Clinic, Layout Tour

2012 Olympia Model Railroad Layout Tour Scheduled

Written by Al Lowe
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Scott Buckley

Be sure to mark your calendars for Saturday, April 14th, for the Ninth Annual Olympia Model Railroad Layout Tour.

There will be at least eight layouts representing various scale and gauge combinations, including N, HO, On30 and 3/8n20. Jim Younkins’ N scale Mud Bay & Southern and Greg Wright’s 3/8n20 Consolidated Republic Mining Railroad have been featured in national publications. Most of the layouts are in various stages of construction, which will give visitors an opportunity to see each builder’s construction methods.

As with previous years, a few layouts will be open early and a few will stay open late, giving visitors the opportunity to see as many layouts as possible.

We hope that you will take the opportunity to visit our layouts. There aren’t many chances to see these many layouts at one time without spending the money to attend a convention.

Additional information, including how to request a tour map, will be provided soon. Meanwhile, if you have any questions, please contact me, Scott Buckley, sbuckley54@comcast.net.

Layout Tour, News, Olympia Clinic

Tacoma Open House Tour a Big Success

Written by Al Lowe
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Walt Huston

On behalf of those who opened their layouts to celebrate National Model Railroad Month, I want to thank the members of the 4th Division and their friends and family members who came out to see our work/fun. Attendance at all the layouts was excellent. Visitors left with their many questions answered (all truthfully, I’m sure). There were hours of enjoyable conversation. Thanks again for taking the time to visit us.

Please note: Phil Harry lost a Pocket Digicam at one of the layouts. If you found it, please contact Phil at 253-514-8465.

Thanks again to everyone for a successful day!

Layout Tour, Tacoma Clinic, Tacoma N Scalers Clinic

Tacoma Area Open Houses November 19th

Written by Al Lowe
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Walt Huston

In celebration of National Model Railroad Month, eight Tacoma-area modelers will host Open Houses on Saturday, November 19, 2011, from 10 AM to 4 PM. Layouts in N, HO and S scales will welcome you, your family, and friends.Each address below is a link to Google maps. And be sure to click on each image to see a larger version!

Come share your hobby with the following model railroaders:

Click for larger imageRoger & Jami Nulton
1874 Hillside Drive NE, Tacoma 98422

S Scale Monon Railroad that fills the basement. Super layout. Excellent Midwestern scenery with hills and streams sets a beautiful backdrop for steam and diesel operations. DCC power with sound.

 

Tyler Whitcomb
3905 North 36th Street, Tacoma 98407

The N scale point-to-point Tenino Western Railroad fills half a basement with magnificent scenery and thousands of details. Diesel power pulls trains over bridges and trestles and through woods. Numerous industries require cars for fun operations. Includes a rail barge operation at Cosmopolis. DCC.

 

Click for larger imageRoy Cutler
1657 S. Geiger, Tacoma 98465

The N scale Olympic Northern Railroad runs from room-to-room throughout the basement as a point-to-point run. Tons of scenery and switching operations in each room, even the rest-room/laundry room. DC power.

 

Dale Kraus
15024 16th Avenue Ct. South, Spanaway 98387

HO scale German-theme garage filled with steam, electric and early diesel locomotives. Lots of urban scenery including overhead wire operations. DCC power.

 

Diane Kraus
15024 16th Avenue Ct. South, Spanaway 98387

HO scale Bessemer & Lake Erie Railroad fills a room with nice scenery and structures. An in-progress layout with lots to see from construction methods to excellent scenery techniques and some fine structures.

 

Click for larger imageWalt & Nancy Huston
1210 141st Street East, Tacoma 98445

The N scale Aberdeen, Tacoma & Spanaway Forrest Railroad lives in a purpose-built building out back that resembles a garage. It’s an in-progress layout with approximately 30% of the scenery completed. Code 55 rail is used on the main lines, with code 40 rail on sidings and in yards. DCC power.

 

Greg Price
13818 74th Avenue Ct. East, Puyallup 98373

HO scale Matheson & Western Railroad fills a 13’ x 23’ garage/room in a two-deck arrangement. Lots of mountain scenery.

 

Click for larger imageSteven Shores
201 7th Avenue NW, Puyallup 98371

The Pacific Shores Railroad is an HO scale basement layout, 13’ x 20’, depicting the Northwest in the 1950s. Scenery is complete and makes good use of mirrors to expand the view in interesting ways. Steam and diesel locos run under DCC.

 

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Layout Tour

Seattle-North Clinic 2010 Layout Tour

Written by Cliff Green
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Cliff Green / Photos by Bobj Berger

Bobj and Roger organized yet another well-done and enjoyable tour to end the Seattle-North Clinic 2009-2010 season. Two layouts and a prototype railroad were toured by almost thirty people in two large vans.

The Eastside Freight railroad in Woodinville was our first stop, a small working railroad serving customers in the Woodinville area on a former NP (and later BN) line. Al Carter’s layout in Bellevue was our next stop, viewing the next iteration of his excellent Tabooma RR HO (and HO narrow gauge) scale layout, significantly expanded from his previous version. The last stop was at the McCrackin’s house in the Queen Anne neighborhood, a hi-rail layout featuring the Alaska RR.

I welcome other attendees to add their own posts or comments.

Layout Tour, Seattle-North Clinic, , , ,

Still Room For a Few Good Layouts at CI2010

Written by Al Lowe
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Clay Hanson, Layout Tour Manager

CI2010 still has a few openings left for those willing to share their efforts with visitors from all over the West. Layout tours will be from September 16–18, or your layout may be shown as a Layout Open House from Wednesday the 15th through Sunday the 18th. We plan to group the layouts into clusters to avoid long drives between layouts. Car pooling will be strongly encouraged.

If you are willing to share, contact me right now at chskier736@comcast.net and tell me:

  • Name of layout, size and scale
  • A brief description of the layout and the period you are modeling
  • The number of persons that can view the layout at one time
  • Access for wheelchair and other physically challenged persons
  • The day(s) and times the layout will be available for viewing

It’s desirable if you could provide cold drinks, cookies, or other snacks.

Convention or Meet, Layout Tour