Category: News

The Skagit Valley and Whidbey’s first 2019 clinic was an excellent event presented by Susan Gonzales. 

Our objective was to show various types of open car loads and explore different techniques for making loads using common materials found at box stores.  We started out the clinic with a display of various clinic members cars and loads and some show and tell on each.

Mike Garcia brought two HO flat cars with a nicely detailed logging donkey and the other with diesel engine loads.  All loads were tied down properly. 

Curt Johnson had two HO cars for work train support.  One car contained sets of ties all blocked and staked together and the other with sets of rail segments with blocking in between. 

Curt’s dad Iver brought a couple HO logging support cars with a steam donkey load and a camp cabin load complete with outhouse. 

Available at this month’s Redmond Clinic

I will be bringing copies of Kurt Armbruster’s new book on the Pacific Coast railroad centered around the coal mines of the area. It is soft cover, some 127 pages, with good maps and many photos we have not seen before.

Each copy is $20 with all proceeds going to local museums and historical societies. I am selling them for the Newcastle Historical Society.

Dale G. Kraus

Photos by author

Photos by author

The Paradise Lanes meeting room was full as host Kevin Klettke brought us to order (more or less.) Our friendly hobby shop proprietor, Rob, showed some interesting products, including an Athearn tunnel motor, a radio controlled Lionel Great Northern GP9, and a 3 car set from Kadee of TTX flats with M-1 Abrams tanks.

Jim Sabol introduced our guest speaker, John Hilbar who regaled us with stories of his long career on the Milwaukee Road. John began as a laborer and retired as a conductor on the Hoquiam local.

The modeler’s showcase had five entries.

Warren Kerr’s HO Speeder with DCC installed

Walt Huston’s N scale SD35 and Caboose

Chip VanGelder’s 3D printed cabooses in N and HO

Paul Vaughn’s On30 scratchbuilt switches (under construction)

Larry Sloan’s HO brass transfer caboose, painted for BN.

The next meeting will be 7PM, February 14. At Paradise lanes.

Sorry about the photos.  I can’t get them to move. dgk

By Russ Segner

We need some volunteers!

It is that one time of the year when the general membership of the Fourth Division can show our commitment to our hobby and share it with the public.

The show is this January 19, 20 and 21. Since this is the major source of funds for the Fourth Division, each who can give some time is encouraged to come and help.

Here is a list of places to serve:

Operation Lifesaver needs to be manned all 3 days

N-scale layout needs to be manned all 3 days

On30 switching layout needs to be manned all 3 days

NMRA table needs to be manned 2-2.5 days (Bob R. will be there part of the time)

Build-A-Dream needs to be created and manned all 3 days (someone or several can build a kit or create trees during the show)

Crew lounge needs to be manned 2 days (Ed Liesse will be there on Monday)

Layouts that need help for breaks are as follows-

Whidbey Island switching layout

Cascades-N-Western

Train Mania

Al Rameys Transportation Museum

Mike Petrozzelli’s N scale layout

Ideally, volunteers can be most effective by coming for a four hour shift. Parking script is available and you get into the show free. Refreshments are available in the breakroom.

If you can help, contact David Yadock at hi61izq@hotmail.com; or me at russseg@gmail.com. Call me in the evenings at 206 200 2211.

Russ

Kevin Klettke, Tacoma Clinic Chair, announces that the first meeting of 2019 will be a program featuring John Hiblar, a prototype railroader in a question and answer presentation hosted by Jim Sabol at the January 10th clinic. John was a laborer, a brakeman, then a conductor on the Milwaukee Railroad out of Tacoma, including the Hoquiam local, and the Bellingham local.

Paradise Lanes Entertainment Center
12505 Pacific Ave S
Tacoma, WA 98444

Meeting starts at 7:00 PM

Contact : Kevin Klettke
206-467-042

There will be a meeting of several members who have expressed interest in forming a modular group for HOn3. The first meeting will be this Saturday January 5 at 1PM at my home in Newcastle. We will discuss general topics such as; standards, membership rules, possible themes, etc.

Barry Dupler, John Paschal, Syd Schofield are coming. If you can join us, let me know. We will spend some time running trains on my layout – Coal Creek Lumber Company.  We will finish in plenty of time for everyone to get home for the Seahawks game.

Russ Segner

Please call me at 206 200 2211

Russ Segner

Our annual train show at Seattle’s Pacific Science Center is scheduled to open very soon on January 18. David Yadock has once again organized a very busy show with most of our modular groups and several individuals setting up displays.

If you can help, it is a great opportunity to share some time with your fellow 4D members as we show the public what our hobby is all about. Contact David at hi61izq@hotmail.com or me at russseg@gmail.com.

The PSMRE layout together with several of our modular groups is celebrating the Holidays with open house throughout this week.

One of the finest examples of model building is featured. Here is a link to a Facebook presentation.

Russ Segner

By Russ Segner

We are in the midst of a season of gift giving. We will give and receive clothing, toys, electronics and all manner of gizmos. Some of us who are really lucky will get things for our love of trains. This is all great and I hope you get what you wished for.

I want to mention one special aspect of giving. That is the giving of time and sharing of experience to benefit others with no expectation of compensation or even acknowledgement. In the course of our association together in the 4th Division, many routinely give of themselves to the benefit of us all. So, I want to take this opportunity to thank each of you who have done so.

Thanks to all who present clinics, help with setup for the clinics, spend hours preparing modules for display at train shows, talk with the public about our hobby, work to publish communications with members, organize membership information, recruit leadership and serve as directors and officers of the 4D.

I wish you all a very enjoyable season, however you observe our many holidays. Get some rest, do a little model railroading, share some time with others and be ready for a very busy and fulfilling 2019.

By Ted Becker

Submit your nomination with the name of the member and a list of their contributions to the hobby, the NMRA and the 4th Division plus a short bio. If you have submitted a nomination in the past, please resubmit. Email your nominations to Ted Becker at: rail.bird@att.net.

The Golden Grab Iron Service Award is given each year to a member of the 4th Division, Pacific Northwest Region, National Model Railroad Association, who exemplifies extraordinary service to the organization. The selection committee is comprised of the immediate past three honorees. Please submit your nominations for the 2019 recipient by January 15th. A list of past recipients is on the 4D website here.

Ted