Topic this week will be pushbutton route control. One pushbutton aligning several turnouts to the selected route. We will also cover a basic method for saving turnout positions and restoring those positions.
The next session will be held Tuesday, November 16, 2021 at 4:00 via Zoom.
The Mount Vernon Clinic for November 2021 will be held via Zoom at 7:00pm Monday November 15, 2021. Topic this month is Thomas Keyes’ presentation on Railway Express Operations in Seattle. Zoom session will open sometime between 6:30 and 6:45.
4dpnrOrganizer MountVernon is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Mt Vernon Clinic, Nov. 2021 Time: Nov 15, 2021 06:30 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
We are looking forward to another visit (virtual) from our old friend Stathi Pappas. He will be catching us up on his activities at the railroad museum in Chehalis on the Cowlitz, Centralia, & Cascade Locomotive 15 Restoration and hopefully the Cumbres and Toltec. Clinic starts at 7:00 PM on Wednesday 10 November.
Stathi riding on the footboard of his personal loco – an 0-4-0t Porter engine affectionately called the “Chiggen”.
Some of you in the Pacific Northwest Region may remember Stathi when he worked at the Snoqualmie Railroad Museum and previously on the Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad as Chief Mechanical Officer. His locomotive restoration skills are legendary and well respected nationally. If you are interested in the technical aspects of prototype steam locomotives this will be a clinic not to miss.
ZOOM Link provided:
4dpnrOrganizer SkagitValleyWhidbey is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: SV&W November Clinic
Time: Nov 10, 2021 07:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Topic this week will be a repeat of the session that didn’t get recorded a couple weeks ago. First example will be a method for servo slow motion using the Arduino servo library. The remainder of the session will be a review of the PCA9685 operation with an example of slow motion servo and variable brightness LED. The same example will be presented with a set of functions not requiring the use of libraries.
The next session will be held Tuesday, November 9, 2021 at 4:00 via Zoom.
There are some large items left from the Murray estate donated to the 4th Division. These include lumber, a large desk, ladders, portable work bench and the spray booth. If interested, contact me as soon as possible. There are photos of the lumber and some other items in the garage and a photo of the desk still in the train room.
Lisa is tied up with work issues and cannot host the meeting this month so I am stepping in to help out. As for clinic topic, Russ Segner will talk about the upcoming Boeing Employees MR Club meet. He also will talk about tearing down a layout.
The rest of the meeting will be an open forum. You are invited to show photos of current projects, past projects, interesting prototype photos or whatever else you think will interest the group. If you have questions about any model railroading topic, there is usually an abundance of expertise represented on these programs.
Topic: Northend Clinic Time: Nov 4, 2021 06:30 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
All of you that were able to see my Zoom layout tour on September 11th will know what this update is all about. I will go over some of the subtle changes that are in and around the Potter Flats/Raade Springs area. Some more scenery was added along the mainline. Trees were planted and Raade Springs was completed. That scene was finally joined in with all the other areas. The last piece of the puzzle is the Dry Gulch access hatch, you may see it hovering up in the air in some of these photos. That access hatch has been a slow work in progress but once completed it will allow the scenery to be finished off in the Dry Gulch peninsula area.
Photo 34 shows what Raade Springs, and the surrounding area looked like prior to adding scenery. I only had a small station placed in the town. The branch line that serviced Raade Springs was never really operational and most of the track was buried in tunnels. This was not good for operational capabilities, so this area was never fully developed. A remedy for the buried track was needed if I was to apply scenery to the entire area. The track to Raade Springs was relocated and now most of the track is no longer in tunnels.
Photo 34
Photo 35 is a nice view looking down the mainline that also serves as a branch line to Raade Springs. Potter Flats is on the left while Raade Springs is toward the right. The large yellow barn-like building on the right is a coal pocket that is accessible via the town of Wapwallopen on the branch line. A nice stand of trees has been planted to act as a view block.
Photo 35
Photo 36 Raade Springs is a small hamlet served by the branch line. It has two mining operations. The Cantby mine and the Higotta mine are both located on one side of the town. The Higotta mine ore bin is placed on the combination branch line and siding. This siding leads directly into Dry Gulch through a short tunnel just out of the picture by the ore bin. This becomes a dual-purpose track for either branch line or siding use during operating sessions.
Photo 36
Since Raade Springs is placed on a very narrow strip of real estate I cantilevered three structures so that they hang off a short cliff. This allowed me to place the buildings in front of a small road. The rest of the area was built up and many wooden retaining walls are placed in the area. This gives the location a mining town charm. You can see the main support for the Dry Gulch access hatch just above the ore bin.
Photo 37 Here you can see how small an area Raade Springs occupies. To the right is Higotta mine and its ore bin. In the photo at the top right is Cantby mine. To the left of A. Oster supplies is the vertical support for the Dry Gulch access hatch.
Photo 37
Photo 38 Cantby mine is next to Higotta mine and features a forest the was logged off years ago to supply wood for the mine. Opportunistic trees have taken over where the forest was cleared.
Photo 38
Photo 39 Give a clear view of Higotta mine with Cantby mine in the background. You can also see the many wooden retaining walls placed in the area. Floating in the top left portion of the photo is the Dry Gulch access hatch! This hatch gives me complete access to Potter Flats, Raade Springs, a good portion of Wapwallopen, and the backside of Dry Gulch.
Photo 39
Photo 40 shows the other side of Higotta mine. The little green building in the center bottom of the photo is Woody’s Gun shop named in memory of Woody Matthews, longtime member of the 4D. That covers this area of the layout.
Photo 40
Next time we will finally have a look at Dry Gulch and all the changes that have occurred over the past few months. This entire area of the layout has been akin to assembling a large puzzle. There have been many “mini” scenes needing to be tied together. The last piece of the puzzle is Dry Gulch and its scenery. Most of Dry Gulch’s scenery had to be put on hold till all the other scenery was in place.
The Northern Pacific steam engine number 924 is operating next weekend the 6th and 7th of November 2021. https://trainmuseum.org/ This will be the engine’s first time operating since the boiler certification was fully approved, and pulling a passenger train. This is an excellent opportunity for steam rail-fanning.
The train leaves North Bend station Saturday and Sunday at 10:30, 12:30, and 2:30. Station stops in Snoqualmie depart at 11:00, 1:00 and 3:00. Trains usually arrive 10 minutes before departure. Switching the passenger train will be at the “Train Shed” museum on Stone Quarry Road, between 8:30 and 10:00am. ( There’s free parking there, too. ) If it’s as cold out as it was yesterday morning, when you could see your breath all morning, the steam and exhaust pictures should be dramatic.
The best places I’ve found for action shots would be along-side Hwy 202 between Snoqualmie and the traffic circle ( near the Hwy 18 intersection ), or at the highway crossing on W North Bend Way, east of the Casino. The truss bridge over the river ought to be good, too, but I haven’t scoped out a location there. It would be best to snap the westbound train, so smoke is going the “correct” way ( not backing up ). Of course, audio recording would work either direction.
If you have in mind to ride the train, get your tickets soon. ( You can purchase tickets directly on-line at the museum web site. See link above. Bring your vaccination card, or a copy. ) Regular diesel trains have sold out for the past several weekends, and they expect the steam train will sell out quickly. Seating in the open-door baggage compartment of the combine car is popular – unfortunately, it is at the rear of the consist.
Unfortunately, cab rides are pretty much out of the question. Last time the steam engine ran in August, the cab was packed with a 3-person steam engine crew PLUS a 3-person diesel crew “in training” to run the steam engine. It looked almost like one of those little clown cars in the circus. Or the Keystone Cops on their way to “the scene of the crime”.
If you’re there on Saturday, stop by the Snoqualmie Depot and say Hi. I’ll be the guy doing his George Carlin “Mister Conductor” imitation. “And remember this is Mr. Conductor talking, I know what I’m talking about!” ( Probably the only time. )
The 4th Division will have tables at the BOEING SWAP MEET November 13 at the Kent Commons. Several items available are donations from local members who have taken their layouts down. Some items are unusual and should go for significant prices. These include an IWATA air compressor, a UNIMAT lathe and several quality airbrushes from AZTEK, BINKS and PASCHE.
The Hi-Railers will have several interesting items. Most of the items I am bringing are HO or applicable to any scale, scenery materials for instance include a number of rolls of printed backdrops. A great amount of painting supplies will be available.
Half of the money raised from the estate of Michael Murray items will be a donation to the 4th Division.
If you would to see the IWATA compressor or the UNIMAT before the Swap Meet, contact me directly at 206 200 2211 or by email at russseg@gmail.com.
