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What’s happening now in the 4th Division

Mount Vernon Virtual Clinic for Jan. 2022

January 15, 2022Written by Ted Becker

By Ted Becker

Topic this month is the Mount Vernon Terminal Railroad by Al Carter. The MVTR is an active local shortline within the city of Mount Vernon. Al will cover some history plus current operations with photos and information from interviews with current owners of the railroad.

The future of the Mount Vernon Clinic is in your hands. We need clinicians. If you can prepare a slide show that can be displayed on your computer screen you can present that slide show on Zoom. Show us what you have been working on. Share any new tools or techniques. Doesn’t matter how short or how long. Email Ted Becker rail.bird@att.net with your ideas. Help is available with your presentation and trial sessions are easy to set up.

At this time we are not predicting when in-person clinics will resume.

4dpnrOrganizer MountVernon is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Mount Vernon Clinic, Jan. 2022
Time: Jan 17, 2022 06:30 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89808373809?pwd=U2pBakNCZnE2am9ENDNLU1dKN0tKUT09

Meeting ID: 898 0837 3809
Passcode: 183451

News

Whidbey Clinic on ZOOM 12JAN2022 – Scratch-building an Operating Rail Ferry

January 9, 2022Written by Rich Blake

1 Comment

The January clinic will have your news letter editor Cliff Aaker presenting a clinic on a Train Ferry that was scratch built to function much like a turntable at one end of a end-to-end layout. The ferry is scratch built to insure it’s function is thoroughly served. Topics will include aligning the track on a turntable like structure. the animation/control which in this case is an Arduino/servo and planning or lack thereof. If you have some “mini-clinic” material to share also that would be perfect.

Cliff Aaker’s On30 rail ferry that also operates as a turntable to provide variable operational opportunities on his Salmon Bay Railway and Navigation layout.

ZOOM LINK:

4dpnrOrganizer SkagitValleyWhidbey is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: WHIDBEY CLINIC JAN 2022
Time: Jan 12, 2022 07:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82522542827?pwd=byt3NXlqUEpxVit0cUk5VW1lYlE1QT09

Meeting ID: 825 2254 2827
Passcode: 290017
One tap mobile
+12532158782,,82522542827#,,,,*290017# US (Tacoma)

News

Layout tours on Saturday Jan 8 @10am- Details and Zoom Info

January 5, 2022Written by Burr Stewart

North End Virtual Clinic Thursday, January 6, at 7pm: Taking Better Photographs of Your Layout

January 4, 2022Written by Lisa Murray

1 Comment

Happy New Year!! With the winter weather wreaking havoc on the Seattle area recently, it’s good to know that we still have the virtual option for our North End clinic, regardless of the new COVID variant.

The January meeting is coming up this week and we are fortunate to have Lee Bishop presenting a clinic entitled: Taking Better Photographs of Your Layout, With Any Camera or Cellphone. Lee’s clinic will describe how he is taking pictures of his layout and share some of his recently published pics!

A little bit about our presenter:

Lee got into the hobby at the age of 5, with a Lionel O27 train set. He modelled in HO and G through his youth, into the 1990s. He left the hobby for several few years and came back when Bachmann decided to release his favorite prototype (an ET&WNC Baldwin ten-wheeler) in On30. He’s been in On30 ever since.

He is also a part-time military historian, having worked on various magazine articles, books and TV shows over the years in a consultant role. He is considered to be an expert on various topics of military history and also served in the US Army as an officer for several years.

Lee’s modeling reflects his love and interest for the WW2 era. He decided to model a fictional branch line of the East Tennessee & Western North Carolina (ET&WNC) railroad in On30, in an 11 X 10 foot bedroom in his home. The layout takes place in 1943. His layout has been featured in several model railroad magazines over the last couple of years

Lee presented this clinic in November at the Olympia clinic, but, unfortunately the presentation was not recorded. Lee has been gracious enough to present again on Thursday so folks who missed it in November can get a chance to see it live (and we can also get a recording!). Thanks to Byron Osborn for the suggestion!

Here’s a link to the clinic. The meeting will start at 7pm. “Doors” will open shortly beforehand:

Topic: January 2022 Virtual North End Clinic
Time: Jan 6, 2022 07:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83279895298?pwd=UDM2bkFwb1RKalV6TnNOYm83WnVoUT09
Meeting ID: 832 7989 5298
Passcode: 930465

Looking forward to seeing everyone on Thursday!

Lisa Murray, chair, North End Clinic

News, Seattle-North Clinic

4dPNR Layout Tours reZoom next Saturday, January 8, at 10am!

January 1, 2022Written by Burr Stewart

2 Comments

You are in for a treat next Saturday, January 8, at 10am, on Zoom! Our regular “Second Saturday Layout Tour Zoom meetings” will resume, with Michael Dziubinski’s spectacularly sceniked N scale layout, followed by Don Borden’s HO model of Cajon Pass on the Santa Fe, both of these layouts modeling the transition era of the early 1950’s. As usual, the meeting will open at 9:30am with the layout tours themselves beginning at 10:00 and 10:45, respectively. Mark your calendars (both for next Saturday and every second Saturday all year!) and join in if you can. If you miss it, we plan to post a recording of the presentations a few days later on the 4dPNR YouTube channel, which is www.youtube.com/c/4dPNRMovies.

The Zoom info for the meeting is:
Topic: 4DPNR January Layout Tour Zoom Meeting
Time: Jan 8, 2022 09:30 AM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88934715496?pwd=UVF5TW1CY2kvNHpQNzNKZFVmbVl1dz09

Meeting ID: 889 3471 5496
Passcode: 836693

Layout Tour, News

First Annual Rails to Sails Train Show

December 19, 2021Written by Anton Faulk

By Bud Thompson

The Foss Waterway Seaport Maritime Museum will be holding their first Annual Rails to Sails Train Show on March 17 to 20, 2022 in their facility at 705 Dock Street, Tacoma WA. As one of the coordinators, I have contacted the 4DNTrak Group to bring their modules down and set up a 30′ x 36′ layout that will be running for the length of the show.

The Educational Department of the Foss Waterway Seaport, and their Events Dept are planning railroad related events that will be included the train show. If you would be interested in having a clinic or two that may be of interest to the museum visitors, I would like to discuss the possibilities with you. You can leave a message for me at 206-310-9414, or email at budmanthe3rd@yahoo.com.

I look forward to speaking with you about space and scheduling the clinics.
Thank you.

Bud Thompson

Model Train Show, News

Mount Vernon Virtual Clinic for Dec. 2021

December 19, 2021Written by Ted Becker

By Ted Becker

The original presentation for this month has been postponed until January because more material is being added to make it a better program.

This month the clinic is an open forum. Share photos of what you have been working on. Show us any new tools and tips you have come up with. Ask questions on all subjects model railroading, there is a lot of expertise available to help.

In the holiday spirit bring some holiday treats and a favorite beverage.

4dpnrOrganizer MountVernon is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Mount Vernon Clinic, December 2021
Time: Dec 20, 2021 06:30 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89636549727?pwd=dzJTaTlUakdFUW1JMXZwcWtiZXJOdz09

Meeting ID: 896 3654 9727
Passcode: 302241

News

Eastside Virtual Clinic for December 2021

December 14, 2021Written by Alex Brikoff

2 Comments

Eastside Virtual Clinic will be held on THURSDAY, December 16, 2021 at 7:00 PM (lobby opens at 6:45 PM) PDT

The Eastside Clinic is inviting everyone to the December Clinic to be held virtually on ZOOM this Thursday, December 16, starting at 7:00 PM with our virtual lobby opening at 6:45 PM. Be sure and save the date for the December Eastside Clinic this Thursday! The log in info for the clinic is below.

Topic: Eastside Clinic for December 2021

Time: December 16, 2021, 06:45 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting at:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89774070814?pwd=YS9idjJiZGZvNENwVlBaWVZWaFJJQT09

Meeting ID: 897 7407 0814
Passcode: 878809

This month we’re having a special holiday, year-end presentation titled “Remembering Milwaukee Road’s Coast Division” narrated by Blair Kooistra. Blair has demonstrated his photographic expertise in creating this beautiful and exciting but somewhat sad tribute to the final days of the Milwaukee Road’s Coast Division. This video is a collection of images that document the last days of the Coast Division, narrated by Blair and set to background music. So come join us, take a break from holiday shopping and kick up your feet with your favorite holiday beverage and enjoy our December presentation!

Alex Brikoff, 12/14/2021

News

Arduino Session, December 14, 2021

December 14, 2021Written by Ted Becker

By Ted Becker

Topic this week is bit, bytes, words, the corresponding lingo and how to do “bit fiddling” or “bit banging” with emphasis on how Ted uses it to build action codes to be transmitted on his network.

This will be the last session for 2021. We’re taking a break until next year. January 11 is the most likely date we will resume.

I’ll be honest, I am pretty much out of ideas on what to present. You are reading this because you are interested in Arduino. What is it you want to know? Are you wanting to apply Arduinos but can’t over some hump? Let me know what it is you want to know.

Subscribe to: https://groups.io/g/MR-Duino for more information and discussions from these sessions.

4dpnrOrganizer MountVernon is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Arduino Session
Time: Dec 14, 2021 04:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83982669069?pwd=WXdYcmZ2Z0NRSThVMU1CSThRVVVQZz09

Meeting ID: 839 8266 9069
Passcode: 743223

News

David Yadock’s Dry Gulch & Western Update 9

December 11, 2021Written by Anton Faulk

1 Comment

Article & Photos By David Yadock

Dry Gulch & Western, Update 9

In the last update you were able to see the new access hatch that was placed in the town of Dry Gulch. For this update, I’ll show you how it works and how this type of hatch makes life a lot easier when conducting maintenance. I would assume that there is some interest in its construction and operation.

Most modelers use a variety of ways to gain access to areas of their layout that is inaccessible from an aisle. The most common type is the simple “lift-out” hatch, this type is a simple cover to a hole in the layout. These are easy and quick to construct but difficult to actually use. One must usually find a place to put the hatch while doing maintenance.

My sliding hatch operates using a simple 1 x 4 pine board that is housed in a shaft built from four pine boards of the same size. It uses a single L-shaped lift mechanism for simplicity. Since the weight/size of the hatch is not too heavy only a single lift support is used. When raised, the hatch is held in place with a nail. A hole was drilled at a desired height completely through the shaft and hatch support. A wide pen mark on the support rails notifies the user when full extension is achieved.

Photo 47 shows the access hatch fully extended to allow access for maintenance. You will also note that the access hole is rather large to allow easy movement for maintenance. This was necessary since there are several locations on all sides of the hatch that require maintenance access.

Photo 48 gives you an idea of the simple construction of the shaft. The shaft is not completely enclosed. This was done to save on wood and remove any possible binding issues of the hatch support.

Photo 49 is a close-up of the nail placement. This nail goes completely through the hatch support and shaft enclosure to ensure the hatch will not inadvertently drop down.

Photo 50 shows the line drawn on the hatch support. This acts as a guide when pushing the nail into the hole.

Photo 51 shows a trick I used to hide the hatch seam that runs along a roadway. I glued the back wheels of a large box van type truck to one side of the roadway that is on the hatch. The other side of the truck’s wheels are not glued down. This large truck straddles the seam and hides it quite well!

Photo 52 shows the hatch back in place. The dangling box truck from photo 47 is now back at rest on the roadway! Notice how that box van helped hide an offending seam.

Photo 53 has Santa on his way!

In the next update I’ll show you the new scenery additions to Dry Gulch. Progress is being made on the locomotive service facilities as well as other parts of the layout. I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

David

Articles, News