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)
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.
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)
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 4th 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)
Our Clinic this month is titled “Robin Explains What LCC Means”. Our clinician will be, Robin Peel, an outstanding modeler in the 4th 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.
Mount Vernon Virtual Clinic will be held on Monday, May 17, 2021 at 7:00pm. Meeting opens at 6:30ish.
Topic this month is David Sherwood on improving Bachmann Spectrum HO heavyweight passenger cars. David’s coverage is thorough and many of his ideas are applicable to other cars.
4dpnrOrganizer MountVernon is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Mount Vernon Clinic, May 2021 Time: May 17, 2021 06:30 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Don’t forget: this Saturday morning, May 22nd, your 4th Division will hold its annual Spring Meet. I hope you can join us. Complete Zoom details are below. This year’s theme is utilizing new technology in our hobby.
Burr Stewart will open the Zoom session at 9:30 AM for chat, help with logging in, and general assistance. Please provide your own coffee and donuts. I may even ask for video evidence!
At 10:00 AM, we’ll begin with a clinic by new MMR #626, Gary Jordan on how he set up operations on his Gilpin Tram Railway during the pandemic using Zoom. Utilizing old cell phones for video, it didn’t cost a lot but allowed operators from across the U.S.
After Gary’s clinic, Superintendent Russ Segner will host our annual 4D business meeting. Since the division is a non-profit, tax law requires us to hold at least one annual meeting. This is it! Russ has some important announcements, including our new social media offering.
Then, MMR #325 Di Voss will show you how he built a virtual Everett & Monte Cristo in Trainz to go along with his “real” E&MC. I’m really looking forward to this one.
Then Russ will present a few awards to deserving 4D members, including the 2021 Golden Grab Iron Award.
Finally, our guest speaker, Jim Sabol,will present “Some Thoughts on the NMRA.”
We should be done around noon; we all know how model railroaders hate to miss a meal!
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
Topic: 4DPNR Spring Meet 2021
Time: May 22, 2021 10:00 AM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
As mentioned at the beginning of my photo layout series in the Grab Iron, the photos presented in this series are more records of progress rather than glamour shots. Since the outbreak of Covid-19 and the “stay at home” orders I have been working on many Dry Gulch & Western projects when not at my day job. I have mainly concentrated my efforts at completing scenery in the central portion of the layout, an area that is roughly 10 feet by 14 feet. This section of the layout had some track issues that needed modification. One major problem was the branch line running out of Dry Gulch. The original plan was to have a separate line proceed to the tiny mining town of Raade Springs. The major problem was that most of the line was buried into very long tunnels. Hidden track is never a good way of doing things and changes had to be made!
It took a long time to come to the realization that the track needed to be changed and that is why scenery in this area languished. What should I do? Remove the tunnels? Daylight the tunnels? Change the branch line? There were many choices, but I chose to re-align the track. It created some challenges along the way. First, I removed all the track in the very long tunnel. This tunnel went from one side of the Dry Gulch peninsula to the other (about 10 feet). Next up, I created a crossover track that connected the mainline that goes to Dry Gulch with a portion of the old original branch line track. Only a hole in the mountain needed to be created to carry the track from the crossover. Luckily both tracks were at almost the same elevation and hidden from view by that mountain. This crossover track is on the mainline located between my town of Gornitzka Crossing and Dry Gulch. Since the crossover is hidden, the branch line track now appears to be its own stand-alone track. This track comes out of a wooden tunnel portal on its way to Raade Springs. Operationally, this works much better since only a small portion of the branch line track is hidden in a tunnel. Another bonus is that I am able to use one small section of track for two purposes (branch line and mainline). The other feature is that I now have a spot for a new town on the layout. It will have its own station and will feature a couple of small industries. This new town is physically separated from Dry Gulch because of its elevation yet it’s buildings will blend in with the town of Dry Gulch. This new town will increase the operational capabilities of the layout without too much additional scenery or space. This use of space is something to consider with layouts that have size constraints.
The new town is called Wapwallopen (named after a small hamlet in Pennsylvania). It has two sidings and a run-around track. I admit the improved branch line was a major change on the layout that required quite a bit of work. The control panel needed modifications. There were 4 turnouts added to the layout along with new sections of track. Two straining beam wooden bridges were constructed to carry the track to a newly constructed coal pocket. Several structures still need to be completed in this area. All the track has now been ballasted and tested. This new branch line will allow trains to originate out of Dry Gulch, something that was previously not done. Once all the scenery is completed even more trains will be able to use Dry Gulch as their starting point. This will create a multitude of operational possibilities.
For your viewing ease I will be placing “before” and “after” photos of the newly completed areas. This will allow you to compare the old with the new scenery/additions without having to go back and view the older Grab Iron entries I have made.
Photo 11 shows the area where the new town of Wapwallopen will be situated. In this “before” photo a new town will be located approximately where the Borden’s Fine Cheeses reefer is parked. That flat area was built out and extended to allow for a run-around track and two additional turnouts. Some room was created for additional structures.
Photo 11
Photo 12 (another before photo) gives the overall view of the area prior to the changes. This photo shows the limited working space in this area. In a few square feet two bridges were installed, a run-around track, and several structures added to create a town. The mountain that is behind and to the left of the red, white, and blue reefer in this photo hides the crossover connecting the mainline with the branch line.
Photo 12
Photo 13 shows a close-up view of some of the new track and turnouts. I added more plywood to give some needed real estate for future structures. Woodland Scenics wall units were added to finish off the front height gap that was created. In this photo you can see the run-around track and one of the straining beam wood bridges. The bridge was a highly modified Campbell kit that carries one of the turnouts for the run-around track. The track then continues on to yet another straining beam bridge and then finally to a coal pocket.
Photo 13
Photo 14 is an odd photo, but it shows half of the new crossover that has been added to the mainline (north of the roadway). The rest of the crossover is in the mountain. This crossover is directly behind the mountain in the center of photo 12. To give a frame of reference for this photo, the photographer (me) was standing on the Ellison yard tracks hovering just over the forest above Gornitzka Crossing. If you look at photo 11, I would be just in front of the small waterfall cascading down the mountain along the back wall pointing my camera directly across the room. I admit, I will probably never take a photo from this vantage point ever again! When this photo was taken there was still some scenery to complete by the crossover and vehicle roadway.
Photo 14
Photo 15 shows a closeup of the tunnel entrance. The branch line is the track closest to the front and is one leg of the crossover from photo 14. The next track is a long siding that curls into the mountain and can be used store several freight cars for switching or storage. The next track in the photo is a siding coming off the small yard in Dry Gulch. This track is about 4 inches below the branch line tracks. That will be a loading area for cut stone. Construction of a stiff leg wooden derrick has begun and will be placed next to that siding. A small station will be located by the turnout at the bottom center of this photo.
Photo 15
Photo 16 shows an overall “helicopter view” of the area. There isn’t very much space, but it will make for an interesting section of the layout. The run-around track will allow for locomotives to complete switching of businesses. Here you can see the two bridges and the coal pocket. The original branch line track to Raade Springs is directly behind the coal pocket. This portion of track is still used while most of the other track that was buried in the mountain has been removed. Only some more trees and structures to be added to the area, then it will be complete.
Photo 16
This new portion of track has changed the way trains will function out of my layout’s namesake town. It will give new operational challenges as well as opportunities. This just goes to show you that a layout must remain fluid and can be changed at any time. Next time I’ll give you a view of some more new scenery additions to the Dry Gulch & Western.
Learn about our local Pacific Northwest Railroad Archive and the stories and treasures it holds. Access to railroad records can expose new dimensions to railroad research, local history and communities. This presentation will get you started on learning more about railroad history in the PNW.
Topic: Uncovering Community Stories from Railroad History Time: May 12, 2021 06:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
You should pre-register
Here is the event’s registration page for Uncovering Community Stories from Railroad History.
Meeting ID: 991 0938 6022 Passcode: 035978 One tap mobile +12532158782,,99109386022# US (Tacoma) +13462487799,,99109386022# US (Houston)
Dial by your location 877 853 5257 US Toll-free 888 475 4499 US Toll-free Meeting ID: 991 0938 6022 Find your local number: https://kcls.zoom.us/u/aUcFKXlsb
Last Saturday was a really good day for Northern Pacific fans! If you missed the 4DPNR live layout tours on Zoom, you can now watch them on YouTube at the links below. We were able to get the original videos from the PSMRE, including the excellent cab ride from an F-unit, included in the YouTube video, so it’s worth watching again even if you saw it live on Zoom last Saturday, because the resolution is much better. Here are the links:
