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What’s happening now in the 4th Division
There will be a meeting to discuss HOn3 modules this coming Saturday at 11:45 at the Pacific Northwest Railroad Archives in Burien.
We will discuss standards and next steps. I will bring a module the I am working on with John Paschal.
There is a great bakery across the street for lunch. Pack a lunch or get a snack across the street.
Address is: 425 SW 153rd St, Burien.
Russ Segner
206 200 2211
Some weeks ago I read in the times about a new writer Christy Karras who was looking for general interest stories “in things that make life worth living” so I emailed her about the wonders of model railroading. She wrote back the idea was interesting and asked me to send more info. I sent her two dates which were an open house at Dave Woodrell’s home and the 4th Division Spring Meet at Tacoma Community College. She ended up attending the Tacoma Spring Meet “Make-And-Take” clinic. Then she emailed me and wanted to know if CJ Riley was C.J. or CJ like JJ with no periods. I checked with CJ and let her know. I asked when the story might appear and she said perhaps on July 21, 2019. So today in the Seattle Times her story appeared in the Pacific NW Magazine. Also interesting in the publication on the back page in Now & Then is a short story about Seattle’s Pacific Coast Railway. Be sure to pick up a copy of today’s paper to share with friends and family.
The article is also available in the online edition of the paper:
JJ
Let’s build something! Announcing a contest to build a diorama for display at the Pacific Science Center Show next January. Here are the guidelines:
Entries will be judged at the Boeing Swap Meet this Fall and many will be displayed at the Pacific Science Center Show in 2020.
Here are some fine example dioramas from years past, built by 4D/PNR members:
Russ
On July 13th and 14th 2019, the Pacific Northwest On30 Modular Group, participated in the “Clamshell Days” event at the Pacific Columbia Heritage Museum in Ilwaco on the Long Beach peninsula.
This was our 7th year participating in this event and it is one of our favorites as the museum provides a great gallery space for our layout. Since this is one of the less known “trainshows” there is considerably less spectator traffic than the big shows around Puget Sound. This allows us to focus more on operations and having fun with our layout and equipment.
We ran two days of TTTO operations and are now sporting a new station stop semaphore built by Cliff Aaker that is controlled by an Arduino CPU board and a servo. The dispatcher also acting as station operator can now use a TV remote control to operate the semaphore to indicate stop for orders at the station. It really adds a prototypical element to our operations.
The group also had the good fortune through Paul Vaughn’s efforts of gathering a large donation of structures from George Chambers of Issaquah. He graciously donated the items due to a downsize in living arrangements with the only caveat that the structures be displayed for all to enjoy. We have several spots for these finely detailed structures and they really add a lot of visual interest and operational opportunities. Thanks George!!!
Everybody had fun and enjoyed a nice relaxing weekend. This event runs every year on the 2nd weekend in July so start planning now and maybe we will see you next year.
Announcing the annual “Clamshell Days” in Ilwaco at the Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum 13 and 14 July 2019 celebrating the historic Ilwaco Railway and Navigation Co which was the northwest’s only long standing narrow gauge railroad.
While not as famous as the Colorado and California narrow gauge railroads, the IR&N is no less interesting and is steeped in unique history. The museum keeps this history alive and well with their exclusive exhibit and preservation of an original IR&N passenger car, the “Nachotta” that is only open for public inspection during the Clamshell Days weekend. Self guided tours are also offered over the southwest peninsula touring various historical sites and structures along the original IR&N railroad right of way. If you have any interest in northwest rail history, the IR&N certainly shares a significant part and shaped the heritage of the southwest coast of Washington.
This event is attended annually by the Pacific Northwest On30 Modular Group and the museum provides an ample space for a large layout configuration. Operating sessions are hosted each day and any 4D member is invited to come out and run an op session with us. Note that this is not a “trainshow” in the usual format (i.e. no vendors or swap meet) but is a celebration of local railroad history. The event is open from 10:00AM to 4:00PM on Saturday and Sunday. See the Clamshell Days webpage for directions and more information.
Would you like to donate to the NMRA without it costing you a cent? Or any trouble? You can! Amazon will donate 0.5 percent of your purchases to the NMRA. And it won’t cost you anything.
It’s easy to set up. You don’t need a new account or password. It’s easy to use. Just go to smile.amazon.com instead of amazon.com. If you forget, Amazon will (sometimes) ask you if you want to change — without losing your place.
I recently received my quarterly AmazonSmile report. The National Model Railroad Association received $191.54 this quarter from smile.amazon.com. But think how much more that would be if just everyone in the 4D used it.
To date, AmazonSmile has donated a total of:
• $2,924.79 to National Model Railroad Assn Inc
• $134,890,393.33 to all charities
Make Jeff Bezos support our hobby! You can learn more at Amazon: https://org.amazon.com. And here’s an outsider’s perspective: http://bit.ly/2LuL2S9
A Reminder our Redmond Clinic starts at 7:00 PM.
You have only a few days left to get your free lunch. Oh, and also register for a day filled with fun, knowledge, comradery, fellowship, and donuts.
The 4th Division’s annual meeting will be held at the 4D Spring Meet on June 22 from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM at the Pamela Transue Center for Science & Engineering Building on the Tacoma Community College campus. Click here for a Google map.
Register by Monday, June 17! Or register afterward and you can watch the rest of us eat lunch. Or you can bring your own lunch. Just come!
Look! It’s June already! It’s time to get serious. About you. And your procrastination problem.
Remember how you didn’t register for the 2019 4D Spring Meet because you “had plenty of time” or “I’ll do it later” or “I’m too drunk right now to type”? Well, now there’s only 3 short weeks left. Time’s a’wastin’!
Head on over to the Spring Meet website and register right now! You’ll be glad you did. And if you do it before June 17, you’ll get a free lunch. Plus great clinics by some of our 4D MMRs. Plus camaraderie with your fellow model railroaders. Plus coffee (which you need probably in the mornings) and donuts (which you probably don’t!).
So click here and register today while you’re online and it’s still fresh in your mind. And before you have too many beers to click!
Seriously, this year’s Spring Meet is shaping up to be a good one! Don’t be left out! See you in Tacoma!!
On 19 May 2019 thirty members and guests of the SV&W Clinic attended their second spring train excursion field trip on the Lake Whatcom Railway in Wickersham WA just east of Lake Whatcom and Bellingham.
Our trip was once again coordinated by our excellent Program Coordinator – Susan Gonzales who also somehow gave us a brilliant sunny spring day as well. A special note of appreciation also goes to Jan Clarke who coordinated food orders and provided picnic box lunches for our train riders.
Our trip started in the tiny village of Wickersham which was once a station stop for the Northern Pacific on it’s way to Sumas. The BNSF branch still runs through this area today. The railroad grounds contain a wye and a large engine shop/car shed. We rode behind a vintage Alco S1 diesel which was originally assigned to the Northern Pacific Terminal Company as No 30 in Portland OR.
After boarding we headed out on what was once a branch line along the south shore of Lake Whatcom on the Bellingham Bay and Eastern Railroad Company line that connected Bellingham to the NP Mainline at Wickersham. Our ride took us to the shores of Mirror Lake for a picnic stop and some fun on a pump car for the kids (and adult kids).
Once back at Wickersham, some of us explored the NP No 1070 Class L-9 0-6-0 steam locomotive in the shop and watched the crew turn the Alco on the wye to put the passenger coach away. It was a great day out in the sun and everyone had a good time. Check the Lake Whatcom Railway’s website for their event schedule, it is worth the trip.
