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2024 G.O.P.H.E.R.S. Meet Succeeds 1000 Times Over!

Written by Anton Faulk
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By Jim Sabol

The 16th Annual Greater Olympia Prototype History & Engineering Research Society met at the DuPont Museum on June 1 to inspect equipment from the last narrow gauge railroad in Washington State. 17 modelers and 6 guests heard presentations on the powder plant rail operations from former employee Jim Sabol, a review by Fred Foreman of restoration and renovation efforts by 4D members Russ Segner, Robert Grove, Roger Nulton, Jim and Mary Sabol and friends—especially efforts to save 21′ boxcar 506 used to carry munitions and explosives to the wharf–and Vince Mendenhall’s exciting videos of projects completed by his company, Historic Railway Restoration. Members were wowed by Chip van Gilder’s 3D models of #506 and lined up to buy kits. Jim’s grilled hot dogs failed to poison anyone, Don Melnick’s butterscotch brownies disappeared in a hurry, and the rain held off. When it came to pass the contribution jar as a memorial to our fallen brother member Chuck Ricketts, museum staff Zach Lyday counted $965.00 for 506 restoration. An observant modeler tossed in another $35 to make it an even $1,000.00 contributed by generous and caring Olympia area 4D members. 

Boxcar 506
2024 GOPHERS
Narrow Gauge, Olympia Clinic, Railroad History

42nd National Narrow Gauge Convention – less than 2 weeks away

Written by Robin Peel
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By Robin Peel

The 42nd National Narrow Gauge Convention is less than two weeks away! It will take place from September 1-4, over the Labor Day weekend, at the Hotel Murano in downtown Tacoma, WA. This is a national – international – convention being held in our backyard, sponsored by 4D, and it is NOT just for narrow gauge modelers – we will have 60 clinic sessions, many of which will appeal to standard gauge (and armchair) modelers, too!
https://www.seattlenngc.com/clinic-schedule

The star of the show will be the Hangman Creek Lumber Company modular layout, which will be operating adjacent to our registration desk. This outstanding On3 layout won “Best in Show” at our 2012 National Narrow Gauge Convention (in Bellevue, WA), and has been extensively refurbished since then. It is a great opportunity to view this layout one more time, along with three other great display layouts (two On30 and one HOn3). Details of each are on our website at:
https://www.seattlenngc.com/modular

Details on the Hangman Creek Lumber Company in On3
Amazing trestles on Hangman Creek Lumber Company in On3
The Palisades module, from the Arizona Division of the Mudhens, in HOn3

Standard registration for the full, Thursday – Sunday convention is $150, including a free spouse pass, but we are offering a special one-day rate for local modelers for $50 (available only on the day, at the registration desk) that will give access to all convention activities that day (clinics, contest viewing, vendor room, modular displays and 34 home layouts).

We are looking forward to seeing you in Tacoma in just a few days! Head to our website for full details.
https://www.seattlenngc.com/

info@seattlenngc.com

Convention or Meet, Narrow Gauge, News

Narrow Gauge Convention Volunteers Needed

Written by Anton Faulk
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By Gregory Wright

To all modelers!  We need volunteers to help support the 42nd National Narrow Gauge Convention in Tacoma on September 1 to 4, 2022.  You don’t need to be a narrow gauge modeler or even a train enthusiast to appreciate the high quality of this national (international) model railroad convention.  If you are wiling to serve as a volunteer you will have a front row seat to a world class event. 

I can use people that are registered for the event and others that would just like to see it first hand for a day.  If you are a single day volunteer, you will not need to register, so even if you only have one day to share with us, we need you!

Please email me that you would like to volunteer.  I will create a schedule that covers assignments in areas such as registration, clinic room, contest room, and vendor room.  Feel free to call me if you have any questions. 360-870-9449

https://www.seattlenngc.com/

Gregory
Safety and Security Coordinator, 42nd National Narrow Gauge Convention

Convention or Meet, Narrow Gauge

Virtual Layout Tours resume Saturday, 9/11

Written by Burr Stewart
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Dave Yaddock MMR and Gary Jordan MMR kick off this fall’s modeling season for the fourth division with tours of their layouts on Zoom, on Saturday September 11 at 10:00am. As usual, the meeting will open about 9:30 for casual conversation, and then their layout tours will begin at 10am and approximately 10:45am. The Zoom info for attending the meeting will be posted in the Grab-Iron a few days before the meeting.

Dave’s HO layout has been featured in a series of Grab-Iron posts in recent months, and is called the “Dry Gulch and Western”. Gary’s layout is in O scale, and features interchanges between standard gauge, 3-foot gauge and 30 inch gauge trains, and he models the Gilpin Tram in the Colorado Rockies. Gary’s presentation will focus on how he had configured his layout for virtual operations during Covid times.

Layout Tour, Narrow Gauge, News

Narrow Gauge Movies From The Duplers

Written by Anton Faulk
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By Barry Dupler

As many of you know Janice and I have been in hot competition over who takes the best photos. Yeah…..I know she has been beating me time after time.

However, what you may not know is that we seldom take photos at the same time. Typically one of us will shoot stills and the other will shoot video.

Since we now have a captive audience (you), I thought you might enjoy seeing some of the videos.  Two videos were shot in Durango (2008 and 2010), one was shot in Chama (2008) and one was shot on the Heber Valley Railroad. I was a fireman on the steam locomotives in Heber for 2 summers when I was in college. The engine shown on this video is one that I fired. The Chama video was shot the year the Lobato bridge was down, which made for some unusual operations.

I did do stabilization of some of the video to remove the bouncing around (these are home movies). You may see image clipping at times as a result.

Popcorn is NOT included.

Click here to see the movies.

Please let Janice and I know what you think:

Barry
Barry.Dupler@Comcast.Net

Articles, Narrow Gauge

Puget Sound HOn3 Module Group

Written by Anton Faulk
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By Syd Schofield

The Puget Sound HOn3 Modular Group is underway with the first two modules being constructed. The theme for those two modules is the Newcastle coal mine-to-Lake Washington connection. These are being built by Russ Segner and John Paschal. Interfacing modules may have other themes as determined by their builders.

Matching track locations for other modules have yet to be determined and may take some coordination. Russ and John have taken the lead on the module design, so the general specification may be strongly, yet not finally determined by their efforts.

A proposed specification, subject to close scrutiny, slings and arrows, is available upon request from the undersigned.

As Interim focal and contact, I can collect comments from all interested parties at:

sydsg@gmail.com
(425) 235-4911 home
(425) 523-4685 cell

Syd Schofield

Narrow Gauge, News

Ilwaco Clamshell Days with the Pacific Northwest On30 Modular Group

Written by Rich Blake
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Rich Blake

On July 14th and 15th 2018, your newest PNR 4th Division module club – the Pacific Northwest On30 Modular Group, participated in the “Clamshell Days” celebration honoring the narrow gauge Ilwaco Railway and Navigation Company history at the Pacific Columbia Heritage Museum in Ilwaco on the Long Beach peninsula.  This is an annual event where a small model railroad exhibition is provided with several modular displays, railroad centric kids activities and tours of the various historic structures along the original line of the IR&N.

Vintage shot of the last run of the Ilwaco Railway and Navigation Company No. 2 hauling a mixed freight Sept. 1930.

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Narrow Gauge

Burien Clinic – June 28

Written by Russ Segner
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Russ Segner

HOn3, HOn3, HOn3

Have you looked at Hon3 lately? This scale was a longtime favorite of model railroaders who were challenged by space too small. The growth of HO and advent of N and On30 has pushed Hon3 into the background. Now, with the introduction of Blackstone Models, good flex track and tiny electronics, Hon3 is enjoying a resurgence.

Jim Vail was a great model builder in Hon3 and his Glenwood & Black Creek railroad became one of the very best layouts. Jim filled his large layout in Santa Cruz with hundreds of fine structures and trackage that made operation a real joy.

We will look at some of his work in videos and photographs. I am lucky that I was able to visit his layout twice, once just a few years ago. And now, I have three pieces of rolling stock from his layout now being dismantled following his death early this year.

Come and see what he built and shared with us in visits to the layout  and through the hundreds of articles he wrote over the years, particularly in the Short Line and Narrow Gauge Gazette.

Thursday June 28, Pacific Northwest Railroad Archives in Burien, 425 SW 153rd St

Doors open at 7:00 and program begins at 7:30.

Burien Clinic, Narrow Gauge

Photos of Eastside Layout Tour on Oct 1

Written by Cliff Green
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Cliff Green

Port scene on Kevin Klettke's Washington Northern HO scale layout (Cliff Green photo)

Port scene on Kevin Klettke’s Washington Northern HO scale layout (Cliff Green photo)

The 4th Division (PNR, NMRA) is fortunate to have a large number of excellent layouts, and I try to view them whenever there is a layout tour or open house. In particular, I’ve attended the well organized Olympia Layout Tour many times (thanks go to Scott Buckley and others for putting this together every year), and view as many layouts as I can on PNR Regional Conventions and other open house occasions.

Russ Segner organized an Eastside Layout Tour this year, split into two separate days, and I was able to attend the second tour on Oct 1. The Grab Iron post for that event, which contains descriptions of each layout, can be viewed by clicking here. There were four layouts open on that day, ranging in location from Fife to Newcastle, WA.

This is a selected set of photos that I took that day (I will upload photos of a couple of my Olympia Layout Tour visits in a future post). As is always the case on Grab Iron posts, clicking on the small image in a post will display the larger sized (and more detailed) image.

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Layout Tour, Narrow Gauge