Category: News

There is no 4dPNR “Second Saturday” layout tour Zoom this month, so we can all be free to attend the Boeing Model Railroad Club’s annual swap meet at the Kent Commons at 9:30 am this Saturday, November 9. The next Second Saturday Zoom layout tour will be on Saturday, December 14, at 10am. Details to be announced later.

Dennis Terpstra

To build interest in model railroading among the younger generation, when a youngster shows interest, we give them a throttle, a few instructions, and let them run a train. When completed, we give them a signed Junior Engineer Certificate for them to take home. We have now had the same young person show up twice over the past two years at the Puyallup show to run trains. This coming January he’ll be ten years old… we’ll see if he shows up again. The idea is to encourage the young person and his family in model railroading. (We require a parent to join if a new member is a minor.)

The 4dNTRAK group is a modular N scale club with more than 50 modules, ranging in size from 6′ or 4′ long by 2′ or 1′ wide that we arrange in different configurations. We and the other modular groups can be seen at various public shows, including the Lynden Fairground and Maple Valley during October, the Washington State History Museum during the Christmas-New Year’s holidays, the Puyallup Fairgrounds during January, and the Monroe Fairgrounds during February. Because of our wide variety of available modules, we have created over 100 different configurations and have never repeated a layout at a show.During our various public shows, we always talk with visitors about the benefits of model railroading: talking with other train enthusiasts, learning a new hobby, improving skills in building and craftsmanship, and having fun running their own trains on a large layout. But we have discovered that sometimes visitors might not want to initially ask questions when walking by or just observing. Additionally, our club members need to be on the visitor’s side of the layout (not “in the pit”) to make visitors feel more comfortable when engaging in a conversation.

Our youngest club member was 9-years-old and now, at age 25, he continues to participate with us in show layouts. We have had several young people join our club this way.

With this in mind, Al Lowe and I created a tri-fold brochure to be displayed on our layout so that visitors can easily pick it up information without engaging us initially. It is printed in full color, with a QR code that links to our website.

Magnus Christerson – an active member of 4D – was awarded the ETE PNW Chapter’s Meritorious Service Award from Chapter President Chris Woodruff, in recognition of Magnus’ exceptional contributions to the ETE PNW Chapter over the past year.  Congratulations, Magnus!

Fred Hamilton an NMRA life member for over 50 years died August 1, 2024, after a long battle with cancer. He was 82 years old.

Fred served on the advertising sales staff of Trains and Model Railroader magazines for 25 years. After that, he was general manager of NorthWest Short Line for several years.

He was a Trustee and President of the Model Railroad Industry Association, and later served as its Executive Director. He was a founding Director of the Narrow Gauge Trust Fund and the Narrow Gauge Preservation Foundation.

An avid and talented On3 modeler, Fred knew everyone in the model railroad industry.

Fred piloted Air Force C-141 Starlifters during the Vietnam conflict. Friends who served in country told me his cargo often – or, perhaps, always – included fallen soldiers, sailors, and airmen. Now he rests in peace with the heroes he brought home.

Cole Van Gerpen

Seattle’s newest garden railroad is ready for service! Luke Connor’s Oregon, California and Eastern and Weyerhaeuser Narrow Gauge Division is a 1:20.3 scale garden railroad located near Puyallup, WA.

The railroad depicts Southern Oregon, connecting the Mill at Klamath Falls with the yard and car float at Sycan. Between the two, you’ll find 12 feet of elevation gain, 150 feet of steel bridges, and much, much more!

The railroad will be hosting its first open house on Sunday, August 25th, from noon – 8:00 PM, and we want to see you there! Bring your trains and help us break our new railroad in! Address available upon RSVP; see the form on our website at ocery.org.

If you have questions or need additional information, contact Cole Van Gerpen, (425) 279-3922, or cole@cvgtrains.com.

Our Zoom meeting is this Thursday at 7PM

We will share ideas and experinces in building benchwork. Share pictures of you work.

Here is the link:
Russ Segner is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Eastside Clinic
Time: Jul 18, 2024 07:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88199685830?pwd=eZFFR59bUiehjbfe2MnEZyLkzC04ba.1

Meeting ID: 881 9968 5830
Passcode: 684294

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By Bill Messecar

Dave Liesse wanted to let you all know, his dad (Ed Liesse) passed away earlier this week. He died of degenerative disease of the nervous system with adverse effects from a fall at the end October. No services of any sort are planned, but if that changes, I’ll let you know.  This was expected, and they’ve essentially been without him for several months anyway, so there’s no great change to their routine and they’re all doing fine.  It truly is a good thing all around.

Bill Messecar
4D Superintendent

I picked up a large collection of HO yesterday. It is four large tubs full, mostly GN. It includes rolling stock, mostly Accucraft, etc. in excellent condition in original boxes and many DCC equipped diesels, also GN.

I will hold an open garage sale next Saturday, the 6th from 10 AM to 2PM at my home in Newcastle. If interested, contact me at 206 200 2211.

The video of the Eastside Clinic of June 20 is now online in the 4dPNR Movies page of YouTube. Glenn Farley presents the new layout under construction.

Thursday nights program will be special. We a look at the newest layout in Everett, the EVERETT RAILROAD HERITAGE ASSOCIATION formerly known as the Swamp Creek Railway. They have a terrific space right next to the passenger platform at the new Everett rail station. They are building a museum quality layout featuring the historic Industrial waterfront.

Glenn Farley will present the full story of this exciting move by the former Swamp Creek Club from it’s old location in Edmonds. We will start with introductions, announcements and sharing what you are working on. Join us.

The room will be opened early at 6:30 and the meeting will start at 7:00 PM

Contact Russ Segner at russseg@gmail.com or 206 200 2211 if you want the link to our Zoom meeting.