Category: News

By Ted Becker

Topic this week is using the PCA9685 I2C PWM multiplexer for driving servos or LEDs with your Arduino. Included will be a set of functions that replace the Arduino library that may be simpler to use.

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

Topic: PCA9685 PWM driver for servos & LEDs
Time: Jun 7, 2021 04:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/98257793045?pwd=WWYwV3MxbmNuTExiOVZ6eTUzN1JLdz09

Meeting ID: 982 5779 3045
Passcode: 593189

Our last clinic before the summer break will be on June 9th at 7:00pm on Zoom.

Our topic – and volunteers needed – is on the last car of the train – THE CABOOSE.

We want to see your crummies.  What do you have, what have you done, lets see those train tushies!!!!

I will kick off the clinic with some examples of my own work in O scale (On30).  We also have a couple other volunteers lined up but a few more 5-10 minute segments are needed.

Would like to see models of any scale that have been weathered, kitbashed and/or super detailed or scratchbuilt. NMRA AP Merit award models are certainly of interest.

This is a great opportunity to show off your train’s back side!!!

All you need to be able to do to share your work is participate in zoom with a web cam or share pictures from your computer with screen share.  You could simply hold up your project and talk about your work.  Alternatively, if you have an external webcam or phone/tablet you could show off your model on your layout or workbench.  Whatever the case, we need volunteers to make this work so please RSVP via email and I will put you on the crew list for this clinic. 

RSVP to : slugsmasher@oakharbor.net

LINK TO ZOOM BELOW:

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

Topic: SVW June Clinic
Time: Jun 9, 2021 07:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/92342184361?pwd=eUtkQ2p3d2ZLZGRjTEp2dEUxN1RwUT09

Meeting ID: 923 4218 4361
Passcode: 576499
Dial by your location
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)

Meeting ID: 923 4218 4361
Passcode: 576499

Come join a virtual chat about all things trains tonight at the North End Clinic tonight. Here’s the link to the Zoom meeting:

https://zoom.us/j/92509457931?pwd=czViSWdvUisvK25YUlFIcUNmeDd4UT09
Meeting ID: 925 0945 7931
Passcode: 595559

As always, the meeting starts at 7pm and we typically start letting people in around 6:45pm

See you then!
Lisa Murray, Clinic Chair

By Emily Boersma, Volunteer & Program Coordinator

Here is a great opportunity to run trains in person at “Day Out With Thomas”.

Northwest Railway Museum in Snoqualmie is recovering from the COVID epidemic.

Their annual “Day Out With Thomas” event is back on, after a year hiatus. Come and help them celebrate, and satisfy your craving to run model trains, and to rub elbows with prototype trains, too.

Day out With Thomas is on July 9, 10, 11 and 16, 17, 18, 2021. We will want to have at least two volunteers each of those days who can monitor and run the O scale layout for visitors. ( This is not the Hi-Rail module layout. This is the layout and trains which were saved from the Bellingham Railway Museum. There is also an N scale layout, which visitors run themselves. ) If we have two volunteers each of those days, we can have at least one stationed at the O scale layout and the other can rove around the Train Shed Exhibit Hall to answer questions, keep an eye on things, and direct people through the hall.

Shifts would be from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. Half day shifts are also available.
Because of crowding, face masks are required while at the Museum, even if you are vaccinated.
Bring your own name tag. ( You probably have one, from other shows. )
Food and beverages are not available on-site. But there are picnic tables, an outdoor lounge area, and a refrigerator.
On-site parking is limited, so plan to get there early.

Anyone interested is welcome to contact the Museum directly.
Emily Boersma
Volunteer & Program Coordinator
425-888-3030 x 7203 or 425-772-8870
Emily@TrainMuseum.org

Here is a link to the volunteer application that you will need to fill out for background checks. ( Required by state law. )
https://trainmuseum.org/index.php/component/rsform/form/3-volunteer-application
This is very similar to the form we all fill out for the Pacific Science Center show.

By Ted Becker

This week we are taking a side trip through the realm of printed circuit boards and how you can design your own board and have it made at a very reasonable cost.

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

Topic: Arduino Class
Time: May 31, 2021 04:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/98173181344?pwd=Vk82S3BjdCtCZUs5eFNUd1kybUdwQT09

Meeting ID: 981 7318 1344
Passcode: 165446

By Ted Becker

Topics this week will be design considerations for controlling a turntable and some basic information on driving stepper motors. Tentative topic for Session #10 is designing your own printed circuit boards and how to have them made at a reasonable cost.

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

Topic: Arduino Class
Time: May 24, 2021 04:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/92305855295?pwd=OFhBSjlPa282azNEd0RnUkc0SFB2dz09

Meeting ID: 923 0585 5295
Passcode: 216344

Al Lowe

Clay Lemming passed away a few months ago and they’re holding his estate sale this weekend.

I just received a telephone call from Bob Barry, Clay’s next door neighbor, who informed me that Clay’s collection of HO equipment hasn’t sold yet, so they’re going to give everything away for free starting tomorrow, Sunday, May 23rd, at 11:00 AM at Clay’s home, 1913 22nd Street, Anacortes.

I don’t know any more about it. I just told him I’d pass along the information. Good luck.

For those of you who were not able to attend the 2021 Virtual Spring Meet today, were we fortunate to have new NMRA member, Jacob Wright, unveil the 4th Division’s new private Facebook group. He gave a short presentation on how to join and went over the many features that members can use to keep connected and to continue to build community among the 4th Division .

A 4th Division social media team has been formed to focus on enhancing the 4D’s social media presence. Facebook was the team’s first step thanks, in part, to Jacob reaching out to Russ Segner to volunteer.

Jacob led the Facebook effort and will be the main point of contact for ongoing questions. He can be reached at facebook_admin@4dpnr.com.

You can follow this link https://www.facebook.com/groups/4dpnr and request to join the Facebook group. You can also search in Facebook for “4D PNR” and select the private group.

Before you submit your request to be added to the group, you will be required to answer some basic questions and agree to the group rules. The goal is to keep all conversations and posts NMRA and train centric.

The current administrators for the Facebook group are Jacob Wright, Larry Sloan, and Lisa Murray.

Going forward, the team will be announcing other social media updates, like creating/maintaining an Instagram account and re-igniting the 4D’s Twitter account (which has been dormant since 2015).

If you would be interested in volunteering and helping with the social media effort, please contact Lisa Murray, Communications Chair, at communications@4dpnr.com.

Thanks!
Lisa Murray, Communications Chair

Link to Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/4dpnr
Contact for Facebook questions: facebook_admin@4dpnr.com

Al Lowe

This Saturday morning at 10:00 AM the 4th Division will host its annual Spring Meet. This includes our legally required annual meeting for all members, to be hosted by Superintendent Russ Segner.

There will be two clinics, by Gary Jordan and Di Voss, that you won’t want to miss, plus a short speech by 4D member Jim Sabol on “How to Get the Most Out of Being a Model Railroader.”

Burr Stewart will open the meeting around 9:30 for those who like to drink coffee and chat. (Coffee provided by you, at home, of course.) You’ll be home on time – since you’ll never leave home!

Here’s the Zoom information you need to log in. To eliminate zoom-bombers, you will have to be admitted to the meeting so be sure your real first and last names are displayed in Zoom.

See you Saturday!

Topic: 4DPNR Spring Meet 2021

Time: May 22, 2021 10:00 AM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86490912590?pwd=ZGR6OHo0Z1VHRXQzMXQva3MwME1KUT09

Meeting ID: 864 9091 2590

Passcode: 896122

One tap mobile

+12532158782,,86490912590# US (Tacoma)

+13462487799,,86490912590# US (Houston)

Dial by your location

+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)

+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)

+1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose)

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Meeting ID: 864 9091 2590

Eastside Virtual Clinic will be held on THURSDAY, May 20, 2021 at 7:00 PM (lobby opens at 6:45 PM ) PDT

Our next Eastside Clinic will be held virtually on ZOOM this Thursday, May 20, starting at 7:00 PM with our virtual lobby opening at 6:45 PM.  I would like to extend an invitation to all the 4^th Division to virtually attend this Thursday.  So be sure and save the date for the May Eastside Clinic this Thursday, May 20 at 6:45 PM!  The log in info for the clinic is below.   

The Eastside Clinic is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting:

Topic: Eastside Virtual Clinic for May 2021
Time: May 20, 2021, 06:45 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting at:
https://zoom.us/j/93259679083?pwd=YnJoOCs5Z2lraTcrYnJKZUhZbUFjUT09
Meeting ID: 932 5967 9083
Passcode: 133559

Our Clinic this month is titled “Robin Explains What LCC Means”.  Our clinician will be, Robin Peel, an outstanding modeler in the 4^th Division.  He will explain what “Layout Command Control” is.  How is LCC different from DCC? Robin will explain the basics of LCC and show how he built a simple LCC demonstration module.  Questions are encouraged!

After the Clinic, there will be an opportunity for other folks to show off their latest model work in our “Show and Brag” event. 

Alex Brikoff, 05/18/2021