Category: News

By Russ Segner

I attended the Annual Meeting of the Northwest Railroad Archive last Wednesday. The vision of Northwest Archive is to “Promote world-wide access to Pacific Northwest railroad heritage.” We share many common threads with this effort. Many of us model Northwest railroads, the towns and cities they served. So, we benefit greatly from the vast collection of information, photographs and maps the volunteers there make available to us on line. Where would we be if someone had not taken the time to make those photos and plans available to the manufacturers and writers of books and periodicals about railroads?

We, in turn have many opportunities to share our interest in railroading with the broader public when we take our modules to train shows and several public events. This year over Thanksgiving we will have three modular layouts plus a small On30 display of mine at MOHAI in Seattle. Like our annual show at Pacific Science Center, this effort will need lots of volunteers to help. Our modular guys build and bring their models, but they could use some help with the crowds and spell the operators for breaks.
So, if you have some time to give, Friday, Saturday or Sunday, give me a call at 206-200-2211 and I will put you in touch with one of the modular groups.

Russ

By Ed Ives

Years ago I used to shadow the 4D; attend a clinic or two; pay to go to the PSC train show; a train nut wannabe but never a member of anything. Well at one of those PSC shows I encountered Roger Ferris on duty at the membership stand. Roger grabbed me by the metaphorical scruff of the neck and convinced me that I really needed to sign up to the NMRA. You know Roger, he could sell ice to Eskimos and have them enjoy the experience. He made sure that I subsequently didn’t go off the boil so to speak and here I am so many years later.

I’ve slowly got more involved in 4D operations, the Hi-Railer’s etc., and from time to time needing help. Of course sending out a message for help, volunteers, realizes minimal response. My thinking was if I keep on making these requests the results would be different but sadly not so. I then got to remembering Roger saying to me, “You have to ask people face to face. You will get results that way”. Ah the very Rev. Roger Ferris. So imagine one cold frosty morning as you go out the front door you just might be approached by a fellow model railroader saying, “Would you not like to volunteer for ……….?” You just might say yes rather than freeze to death on the spot and who knows in the end you might enjoy the experience of being more connected to and more involved in 4D. Try it you just might like it.

MOHAI Train Show

Ed

By Ed Ives

Do you remember with affection the Science Center train show when it was held at Thanksgiving, the start of the holiday season? Due to factors beyond our control that show was moved to a different date. Now we have a new show at a new location, MOHAI the Museum of History and Industry in Seattle over the Thanksgiving weekend and as always we REALLY, REALLY need your help. This is the first year for this show and we need to make a good example. There will be three modular groups in attendance as well as a small number of single person displays, all from the 4th Division.

How can you help? On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving we need folk to assist in directing on-site traffic and man the building doors to facilitate rapid and orderly load in. On the days of the show, Friday, Saturday and Sunday we need members to assist those running the displays so they can take a break from time to time. On the Sunday evening, from 5 pm we need help in directing on site traffic and manning the building doors for a quick and orderly tear-down and pack out.

The hours are:
Wednesday 11/21 – load in from noon until done.
Thursday 11/22 – turkey day, feet up.
Friday 11/23 – the show from 10 am until 5 pm.
Saturday 11/24 – the show from 10 am until 8 pm.
Sunday 11/25 the show from 10 am until 5pm and load out until approximately 8 pm.

We need your help for as little as two hours on any one day to all day each day at your discretion.
For their part MOHAI are providing us a break room and refreshments for our members on all days.
Offers of help, please call Ed Ives 425-391-3313 or e-mail Gresley7@gmail.com

With a successful show and your help we will be invited back next year and hopefully this will become a Seattle tradition as well as a needed revenue stream for 4D.

Ed

By Russ Segner

Once again, the 4th Division will stage its 45^th Annual Model Train Show over the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend, January 19–21, 2019, at the Pacific Science Center. And we need YOU!

We all enjoy the benefits of this hobby; the PSC Show is a way for you to share that love with the public. It only takes a few hours.

Plus, the PSC Show is the Division’s single largest means of financial support. Without its proceeds, you wouldn’t have all the wonderful things the Division makes available, things like our many monthly clinics, our modular groups, the Spring Meet, the Achievement Program, the Grab-Iron Service Award, our website, and more. Give a few hours and our hundreds of members get a year of benefits.

But what can you do? Here are just a few of the needs you can fill:

1. Staff the outreach table to convince new members to join the NMRA

2. Tend a hands-on model railroad for kids

3. Teach a short class in any aspect of modeling (rocks, trees, weathering, you name it!)

4. Help us load-in or load-out. We need you during the time slots below:

a. Friday load-in: 5 – 9 PM
b. Saturday: 6AM – 6PM
c. Sunday: 9AM – 6PM
d. Monday: 9AM – 6PM
e. Monday load-out: 6 – 9 PM

The PSC requires that every volunteer undergoes a background check, but they make it simple. Just go to their website during January and complete a form. (Details will follow later.) Parking may be provided (details are coming for that, too).

Right now, before you forget, volunteer a few hours by emailing David Yadock at hi61izq@hotmail.com or calling him at 425-226-7518. Spread some joy!

By Russ Segner

The Lynden Train Show is this coming weekend, Saturday October 6 from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and Sunday the 7th from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

Several of our modular groups will be there. I plan to be there Saturday. The location is:
Northwest Washington Fair & Event Center
1775 Front Street
Lynden, Washington 98264

Congratulations to each of our clinics with great starts to the season. This is an opportunity to share our experiences in model railroading. Spread the word amongst your friends who share interest in trains. Each clinic is encouraged to post in the Grab Iron an article of recent or future topics.

There is an opportunity this Friday evening to hear an excellent presentation about “SEATTLE’S FIRST RAILROAD”, the early movement of coal from Newcastle to Seattle by means of a Tram and Incline. Coal cars were barged across Lake Washington and Lake Union, over narrow-gauge tracks which went up what is now Westlake Avenue to a Pike Street pier.

White River Valley Museum
918 H Street SE
Auburn, WA

The program begins at 7:00 PM. Never before seen photos and maps will be shown. Join me there.

Russ