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What’s happening now in the 4th Division
In case you missed it in the recent NMRA email, the Feather River Route, the layout of former 4th Division member Mark Bridgwater, was featured on its 25th anniversary. Here’s Mark’s video, with many scenes created when he lived here in Redmond:
Eastside Clinic will be held on THURSDAY, March 17, 2022 at 7:00 PM (lobby opens at 6:45 PM) PDT
The Eastside Clinic is inviting everyone to the March Clinic to be held virtually on ZOOM this Thursday, March 17, starting at 7:00 PM with our virtual lobby opening at 6:45 PM. So be sure and save the date for the March Eastside Clinic this Thursday! The log in info for the clinic is below.
Topic: Eastside Clinic for March 2022
Time: March 17, 2022, 06:45 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Join the Zoom meeting at:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86550431054?pwd=VnNWVytxWmlDSm9EYWNQRUFWNjJxQT09
Meeting ID: 865 5043 1054
Passcode: 514936
Our Clinic this month is titled “Dupont – The Dynamite Train” and will be presented by Russ Segner. Russ will discuss the history and potential modeling opportunities of the DuPont Company’s own narrow-gauge railroad. Built in 1906, it was used to deliver materials and explosives from the old DuPont Powder Works Plant to the pier on Puget Sound.
Alex Brikoff, 03/14/2022
Join us this Wednesday 9 March at 7:00 on ZOOM for a special double feature. We start with Jon Wilbert showing some items from his prototype equipment collection that has been nicely restored for display and functionality. Our second feature will be Al Frasch sharing a tour of his new layout in Arizona – the Modesto Empire and Traction in N-scale. Will be an interesting clinic covering a wide spectrum of big and small subjects.
Zoom Link
4dpnrOrganizer SkagitValleyWhidbey is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Whidbey March Clinic
Time: Mar 9, 2022 07:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82889000829?pwd=ZHBISzZyczZrdGhib3BzWldwU2xBUT09
Meeting ID: 828 8900 0829
Passcode: 120810
One tap mobile
+12532158782,,82889000829#,,,,120810# US (Tacoma) +16699006833,,82889000829#,,,,120810# US (San Jose)
Dial by your location
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
Join us at 10am PST on Saturday March 12 for a great Zoom presentation. Lee Marsh will give us an explanation how he designed an operating scheme for his highly detailed transition era HO scale Great Northern layout set in the Washington Cascades in the early 1950’s. How he made the transition from a “lone wolf” modeler to a “party animal” modeler.
Here is the Zoom info to join the meeting:
Topic: 4dPNR March Layout Tours
Time: Mar 12, 2022 10:00 AM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81811654479?pwd=eStrK2pKQzdMbHVFMUp5MUt5OVBJUT09
Meeting ID: 818 1165 4479
Passcode: 260171
One tap mobile
+12532158782,,81811654479# US (Tacoma)
+16699009128,,81811654479# US (San Jose)
What awaits you at the Rails to Sails Train Show?
There will be three different sizes (Scales) operating during the show.
The Centerpiece of the show will be an N Scale modular layout covering an area of approximately 31′ x 36’. This layout is being assembled and operated by members of the 4dNTRAK N Scale group that represents the National Model Railroad Association in the Pacific NW Region. The group has been in operations for over 20 years, and no layout has been repeated, and this one is no exception. For the first time the layout will include ramps for loading cars onto a ferry that will travel across the layout and unload the railcars onto another ramp after the journey. There will also be a Scavenger Hunt with items located on several of the modules.
N Scale represents model railroading at a size of 1 foot = 160 feet.
We hope you will come to see this unique modular layout.
A permanent part of the exhibit is a an HO Scale model of the Northern Pacific Railway’s Half Moon yard. Where, with the push of a button, you can send a train off to Seattle or Portland. You can see the real rail yard across the street from the museum.
Visit the G Scale layout and challenge yourself to “Deliver the Goods” by putting a train together, and going to different companies, deliver full cars, pick up empty cars and return them to each supplier.
Then you can visit one of several booths with representatives from various railroad related organizations. Come by and see us for First Annual Rails to Sails Train Show. The show runs from March 17 to 20 and is open from 10am to 4pm each day. Thursday night is “Free Third Thursday” from 5pm to 8pm.
Please join us at the Foss Waterway Seaport Museum and Event Center located at 705 Dock Street, between the Northern Pacific Railway’s Half Moon Yard, and the Foss Waterway. Take I-705 to the 4th Street bridge, turn right and cross the bridge. 4th Street becomes Dock Street as it turns to the right. The museum is the second building on your left.
We’ll be seeing you at the Train Show!!!!!!
Bud
Please join us for the monthly north end clinic tomorrow night, Thursday, March 3, at 7pm to hear visiting clinician, James Knabb, present Post COVID-19 Model Railroading, a timely presentation about how the pandemic has changed our hobby. James joins us from the great state of Texas so we will be sure to start promptly at 7pm PST. The lobby will open by 6:45pm so folks can join and chat beforehand. Login information for the meeting is below.
About the clinic: The model train industry has changed significantly since the height of the pandemic and there has been a huge amount of people joining the hobby. We will chat about what types of new modelers are out there and how to get them to join the NMRA. We will also discuss what other clubs have been doing to stay active.
About the clinician: James is a junior at the University of Texas at Dallas as a Supply Chain Management major. He has been in the model railroading hobby since he could walk and is currently an NMRA member. He is the social media chairman for his local NMRA division and organized multi-division NMRA Zoom meetings for divisions across the world during the height of the pandemic. He is active in recruiting members at shows for his local division and regularly encourages new modelers to take a more active role in model railroading. James is active in the organization Youth in Model Railroading (YMR) and presented at their national virtual meet in March of 2021. He created a blog called NextGen Railroaders and sometimes hosts Zoom meetings for college students to talk about trains. James also was the recipient of the 2019 LSR NMRA Youth Award for presenting at the 2019 LSR Convention for CAD design and recently received the NMRA AP Volunteer Certificate at age 19.
Zoom meeting information:
Topic: North Seattle March Virtual Meeting
Time: Mar 3, 2022 07:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87300328199?pwd=SVBzNzR5KzBKN0V5Szg2VlhwU0Qwdz09
Meeting ID: 873 0032 8199
Passcode: 392468
Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow night!
Mark your calendar, Saturday April 30, 2022. 10am to 3pm. Location is the Mount Vernon Senior Center, 1401 Cleveland Avenue, Mount Vernon, WA. Admission is free.
After a two year hiatus the Mount Vernon Clinic is hosting a Saturday event. These meets are as much about getting together to talk as they are about the clinics. This year we decided to keep it simple and forgo clinics. Since the swap tables were so popular in past years there will be swap tables with stuff for sale and freebies. Table availability is limited but will be available for a nominal fee. Table reservations will not be taken until announced in a few weeks.
At this time no refreshments are planned so be prepared to bring your own or shop locally. More details will be available nearer the date of the event.
Covid precautions will be the policy of the City of Mount Vernon and Skagit County in effect on the date of the event. Much prefer everyone to be fully vaccinated and prepared to wear an approved mask.
For more information contact Ted Becker, rail.bird@att.net.
Eastside Virtual Clinic will be held on THURSDAY, February 17, 2022 at 7:00 PM (lobby opens at 6:45 PM) PDT
The Eastside Clinic is inviting everyone to the February Clinic to be held virtually on ZOOM this Thursday, February 17, starting at 7:00 PM with our virtual lobby opening at 6:45 PM. Be sure and save the date for the February Eastside Clinic this Thursday! The log in info for the clinic is below.
Topic: Eastside Clinic for February 2022
Time: February 17, 2022, 06:45 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83451673804?pwd=N2pSOTF0RjJpTnhnbVpEZHNTbldudz09
Meeting ID: 834 5167 3804
Passcode: 257601
This month’s clinic is titled is “Lighted Utility Poles: Modeling Lighted Utility Poles on an HO Model Railroad” and will be presented by Paul Rising. Paul will discuss how he fabricated over 150 lighted utility poles very inexpensively for the PSMRE layout at the Washington State History Museum in Tacoma. Lighted utility poles are an often overlooked scenic feature on many model railroads, so this should be a great clinic that we can all take some ideas away from and apply them to our own modeling projects.
Alex Brikoff, 02/15/2022
Spring is almost here. Time to start thinking about getting outside and doing some train-watching, some train-chasing, and definitely some train-enjoying.
This relatively new holiday was created in 2008 by Amtrak, as a way to publicize riding the train. Amtrak dropped their sponsorship in 2015, as a cost-cutting measure. But other groups and organizations continue to keep it going. It is an un-official “National” holiday, since there has never been a congressional resolution or presidential declaration. Amtrak still celebrates “Amtrak Train Days” in several cities with a large Amtrak presence.
This year, National Train Day will be Saturday May 7th, 2022. When the holiday was first declared by Amtrak, it was defined as “the closest Saturday to May 10th”, the anniversary of the Golden Spike Ceremony in Promontory Summit UT in 1869. Some locations do their local celebration on the Second Sunday in May, the date of Mothers Day. Other local venues ( especially in Ohio ) do their celebrations on the Second Saturday in May, which would be May 14th this year. When you look on your favorite web site, they may reference a different day. But Saturday May 7th is the “Official” day.
There have been many lists and suggestions for ways to celebrate National Train Day. Some require more advance planning than others. At the very least, you can mark your calendar now, and save the day. Or, if you’re more ambitious, make reservations for a truly memorable celebration.
Take a train ride
We in western Washington are lucky that Amtrak has 3 major services in Seattle. Long-distance trains ( defined as a train with sleeping cars ) include the daily Coast Starlight and the Empire Builder. Our regional train ( over 50 miles, but no sleeping cars ) is the Amtrak Cascades. If you want to ride the nostalgic Talgo trains, they will be replaced by all new equipment, scheduled to arrive in 2024.
The Sounder commuter trains don’t operate on Saturday. But the Link Light Rail trains run every day, and service is fast and frequent. And in Tacoma, the streetcar trains are still free, including free parking.
Go to a train museum
You’re in luck here. National Train Day 2022 falls on Mothers Day weekend, one of 3 weekends when the Northwest Railway Museum in Snoqualmie runs their steam engine, Northern Pacific number 924, to power their passenger trains. Their museum and train rides should be back in operation by March, plenty of time to make your plans. If your plans include riding this train, I suggest getting your ticket early ( available through their web site https://trainmuseum.org/ ), since their Steam Engine Excursions sell out fast. Your train ticket is also good for admission to the Train Shed museum, located at the “History Campus” between Snoqualmie and North Bend.
Like all other museums and heritage railway operations, the COVID epidemic has caused closures and schedule disruptions all around the area. My suggestion would be, if you know verified information about your favorite museum or train ride, let the “Grab Iron” editor know, so it can be posted. Beware of “well they usually . . .” speculation, or unverified rumors. It’s always smart to call first.
Read a train book
I have my favorites, and you probably do, too. Please feel free to leave your suggestions as “comments” to this article.
Visit a train club or swap meet
Once again, the ongoing COVID epidemic has turned everybody’s schedule up-side-down.
As I suggested above, if you have verified information, please give it to the “Grab Iron” editor, so it can be posted. Nobody needs “well 3 years ago they used to . . . ” speculation, with all the schedules up in the air.
Watch a movie that has trains in it
There have been many. Some good, some less good, but all entertaining. Even a YouTube video can serve as detox for the truly train-addicted. And it’s always worth-while to share watching a “Thomas And His Friends” video with your grand-kids. Don’t worry how to find it, your grand-kids certainly can show you.
Hope to see lots of you next National Train Day.
The topic for this month is Scratchbuilding, presented by Ron Hopkins. Ron is an excellent modeler and if the preview I’ve seen of his results are any indication, this will be a first rate program. Don’t miss it.
Next month in March the topic will be The Northern Pacific in Sedro Woolley presented by Kent Sullivan. Kent is an expert on Northern Pacific history. The amount of railroading done by the NP in Sedro Woolley was a surprise to me and Kent does an excellent job of presenting the material with lots of photos and maps.
Future plans include a special event and resumption of in-person clinic in a hybrid format. To make the hybrid format work we need a volunteer to act as the “director” to manage the computer hosting the Zoom link for the meeting, directing the camera, etc. Also a second computer is needed to host the Zoom meeting. If you want to help out contact Ted Becker rail.bird@att.net.
4dpnrOrganizer MountVernon is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Mount Vernon Clinic, Feb. 2022
Time: Feb 21, 2022 06:30 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82002980872?pwd=d21PdEFTY283eVluTmJCNStmU3ZMdz09
Meeting ID: 820 0298 0872
Passcode: 657918