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What’s happening now in the 4th Division
For Sale: Ten drawer HO scale roll-around model cabinet. Drawers for Locos, passenger cars and freight cars. Would be great for storage or a mobile staging station.
Make an offer. Email Mark Malmkar at plm99mfg@gmail.com for more info.
I’m clearing my train room and garage of supplies and tools I’ll never use. So, it all goes this weekend. Most of it is FREE.
Here is a list of supplies and modeling materials you might find useful.
I will be open this Saturday, Sept 5, from 9 AM to 4 PM. I will have my garage open for anyone interested to drop by and take items they want.
My home is in Newcastle, between Bellevue and Renton.
14419 SE 84 th Street
Newcastle, WA 98059
(206) 200 2211
Russ Segner
The Eastside Clinic of the Pacific Northwest Region, 4th Division of the National Model Railroad Association is seeking individuals to share their railroad knowledge and skills at its monthly clinics.
We would like to broaden the circle and refill the pool of presenters. Might this be you or someone you know?
This is a call for clinics or presentations on any railroad-related topic, whether it’s model railroading or prototype railroading. Modelers are always interested in clinics that share scenery and weathering techniques, layout building. We also welcome presentations related to historic and current railroads – Northern Pacific,Great Northern,Spokane Portland & Seattle,Southern Pacific,Union Pacific,Burlington Northern, Santa Fe, Canadian Pacific, Canadian National, etc., freelance, subsidiaries or short lines, industry, logging or mining roads. What do YOU model? Standard Gauge, Narrow Gauge?
Virtual Clinic Opportunities:
Why Present?
How to Get Involved:
Russ Segner is our current master of ceremonies, and Doug Oldenburg has been helping with some of the admin tasks. We would welcome anyone who wants to join in. Russ would very much like to retire from leading the clinics and we would love to see someone step up.
We hope you’ll consider presenting at one of our upcoming virtual clinics and contributing to an enriching and educational experience for all attendees. Thank you for your consideration, and we look forward to your participation!
Our May clinic is scheduled for 5/21 so here’s your next opportunity! Clinic starts at 7:00 PM but we open the zoom meeting sometime around 6:30 depending on content. We have no presentations lined up for this month yet. Any suggestions?
Please contact Russ or myself with any ideas.
Sincerely,
Doug
Russ Segner: russseg@gmail.com
206-200-2211
Doug Oldenburg: douglas.oldenburg@yahoo.com
425-577-2928
Our region’s Regional Convention is here. Have you signed up?
This is the one to make.
Oregon Rails 2026 (May 13–16, Tigard, OR)—organized by the 2nd Division of the Pacific Northwest Region (PNR) of the NMRA—delivers something you don’t often get at a regional: real prototype access + a full slate of layout tours and clinics + hobby stores with NO SALES TAX + swap meet.
👉 Real railroading. Local. Hard to access otherwise.
Great local hobby shops, including Whistle Stop Trains and The Hobby Smith.
And Oregon has NO SALES TAX.
That’s real savings on every purchase.
As of this past weekend, the convention was just 27 registrations short of break-even.
👉 If you’ve been thinking about going, now is the time to sign up and support your region.
👉 Prototype tours are limited—and will fill first.
👉 And note: next year, the PNR convention will be folded into the National Convention, so this is your chance for a dedicated PNR regional event in this format.
👉 https://oregonrails2026.com/index.html
Prototype access. ~20 layouts. Tax-free buying.
Let’s get it across the line—see you in Tigard (not Portland!).
This is your opportunity to be part of the leadership of the 4th Division of the Pacific Northwest Region (PNR) of the NMRA. We are seeking candidates for the office of Superintendent and two Board Member positions. These are for two-year terms starting on September 1, 2026 and ending on August 31, 2028. The Board meets every two months with meetings alternating between in-person and Zoom. The election for these positions will be held in late May 2026.
If you are interested in running for either of these positions, or would like more information, please contact Bob Kenworthy, Assistant Superintendent by telephone or text at (253) 312-7506 or by email at bkenworthy4@comcast.net. We plan to finalize the ballots by May 1st.
We are also looking for someone to fill the position of Secretary. This position is appointed by the Superintendent and does not require election. The new Secretary may take office as soon as appointed and may serve as long as desired by the Secretary and Superintendent.
Duties of Superintendent, Board Members, and Secretary:
Bob
Steve Cox presents Japanese Trains.
Japanese trains have continually set global standards. We will explore the evolution of Japan’s rail system and how that passion for trains is captured and celebrated through Japanese model railways.
We will attempt to get the Zoom media going again, here is the link info
Rich Blake is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Whidbey Clinic 2026-02-11
Time: Feb 11, 2026 06:45 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84845859150?pwd=F3ypIp0gTaC9iI64xJ4HQTwKhwxF5i.1
Meeting ID: 848 4585 9150
Passcode: 424841
Join instructions
https://us06web.zoom.us/meetings/84845859150/invitations?signature=0R7DvoK_9vRhdAvOvFGRVlFn1xTsV6KK3D0xvzHSZSk
There is no “Second Saturday” layout tour Zoom meeting on Saturday, October 11. The next layout tour Zoom is planned for Saturday, December 13. We always skip November so we can attend the Boeing Swap meet, this year on November 8. For more information on the swap meet, see https://bemrrc.org/events
And please consider presenting a layout tour on your own layout’s progress. Everyone is as interested in seeing construction progress reports as they are in seeing a finished masterpiece. Contact Lee Marsh or Burr Stewart to get going on scheduling your layout for a future “Second Saturday” online Zoom event!
The September 2025 “Second Saturday” will feature an update by Burr Stewart on adding the West Seattle steel mill to his HO layout, and what he has learned about the steel industry. After the presentation, we will have an open discussion about industries in general and the traffic they generate. As usual, we will open the Zoom meeting at 9:30am, and Burr’s presentation will start at 10:00am, on Saturday, September 13. Here is the Zoom info needed to join the meeting:
Join Zoom Meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87210657142?pwd=ZHhIWnZGMUU0YnAwNVUvMENheEZSUT09
Meeting ID: 872 1065 7142
Passcode: 805577
If you have not already heard, 4D and the Pacific Northwest Region (PNR) of the NMRA will be hosting the 2027 NMRA Convention in downtown Tacoma, August 10-15 2027. Planning is already underway. Both the Tacoma Convention Center and several hotels have been contracted by NMRA HQ.
Now … we need everyone’s support to make this the best convention ever! We will be hosting guests from around the planet.
First, put it in your calendar: August 10-15, 2027.
Second, think about how YOU can contribute:
Third, tell your friends and family about this. They may not want to attend the core convention, but there is something for everyone – especially kids of all ages – at the National Train Show, open to the public, that will take place on the Saturday and Sunday following the Convention.
Our theme is Expand Your Horizon and we want everyone to come away with new ideas and new friendships.
We will welcome both NMRA members and non-NMRA members (though non-members will pay a little more).
Our website has just been published and will expand as we finalize our plans. But you can signup to our newsletter now. Visit us at:
If you want to help us right now, or have any ideas, then please contact Magnus Christerson or Robin Peel (Co-Chairs) at conv2027@nmra.org
During the weekend of 19-20 July 2025 we enjoyed our annual participation in the 23rd Annual “Clamshell Railroad Days” at the Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum in Ilwaco WA on the southwest coast. This is an open house event hosted by the museum and is one of the main fundraising events to support the various museum projects to include restoration of the Ilwaco Railway and Navigation Co narrow gauge passenger car the “Nachotta”.
The Pacific Northwest On30 Modular Group was of course there with a large setup. Also in attendance for the weekend was the Mount Rainier N Scale, Cascade Z Scale, the Longview, Kelso and Rainier Model Railroad Club (HO Scale), and Dean and Donna’s Lego Layout.
One of our members, Daniel Bentz made a great video that showcases all the various layouts and a lot of fun train operations action. See the video here on youtube.