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Have a JAM Breakfast on Thursday, July 2nd

Written by Cliff Green
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David Yadock

Thursday, July 2nd marks the birthday of John Allen. He constructed the famous Gorre and Daphetid Railroad (pronounced “gory & defeated”). It was a true model railroading marvel. The Gorre & Daphetid Yahoo group usually celebrates with a JAM (John Allen Memorial) breakfast. John Allen was a real pioneer in model railroading. Just like Frank Ellison, Whit Towers, and many others, he promoted many of the things we now take for granted in our model railroading hobby. So help celebrate his birthday by having a hearty breakfast!

Layout Tour, News, Operations, , ,

Brent Carlson, 1943-2015

Written by Cliff Green
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Bobj Berger

Brent Carlson 1943-2015

Brent Carlson 1943-2015

We have learned from Kathleen Carlson that her husband Brent Carlson, long time Seattle-North Clinic and Eastside Get-Together attendee, has lost his many-years-long battle with cancer. Brent was well-known from his huge amount of HO structure and billboard purchases at Clinic Marts and model railroad swap meets. For a time he also participated with the HO Modular group.

Brent retired as a CPA auditor a few years ago and he and Kathy traveled many of the the world’s most beautiful and interesting museums and locations. They also had a wonderful time cruising and attending car shows with their classic Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz convertible. In typical Brent style, he bought a complete second Cadillac, disassembled it and stored the pieces out of the way and all around the house for any future replacement needs.

Brent attended the March Thursday night Eastside Get-Together, went to a doctor appointment the next day, from where he was hospitalized, and unexpectedly died the following Monday. He leaves his widow Kathy, two daughters, Jeanine and Maureen, and three grandchildren.

Besides travel, car cruising, Bible reading, and great food, model railroading was Brent’s passion. He loved collecting completed structures and graphically-illustrated billboard boxcars and trucks (as his layout pictures demonstrate). There are hundreds of buildings and thousands of vehicles. Before his illness, Brent liked to have a sales table at swap meets to have early access to those completed structures and vehicles (no kits!). Kathy has recalled how he loved helping Railfun (Bobj & Roger) set up for meets in the last few years, as it also gave him early access.

Kathy has agreed to open the layout for its first, last, and only open house tour during the June 4, 2015 Seattle-North Annual Train Room Tour. This tour will include three other never-before-seen train rooms in Edmonds and will begin at Brent’s with both his layout room and his upstairs train room. The address and details will be announced in the Grab Iron next week. After the tour, the layout, structures, rolling stock, vehicles and all other details and supplies will be sold by Railfun the following weekend, with details to be posted in the Grab Iron.

Brent Carlson's collection of structures.

Brent Carlson’s collection of structures.

Brent Carson's double deck layout.

Brent Carlson’s double deck layout.

Brent Carlson's double deck layout showing some of the many structures he collected.

Brent Carlson’s double deck layout showing some of the many structures he collected.

Brent Carlson's colorful collection of billboard rolling stock.

Brent Carlson’s colorful collection of billboard rolling stock.

News, Seattle-North Clinic

Gerald “Jay” Huff Jr. Passes

Written by Cliff Green
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Rich Blake, Skagit Valley and Whidbey Clinic Chair

Long time Whidbey Island resident Jay Huff passed away April 11th 2015. He was a US Navy veteran and active model railroader in the Skagit and Island County areas for many years. Some of our older club members remember him as a gruff and tough Naval Officer who liked to be in charge. Nothing wrong with that as he was one of the Navy guys to get a model railroad club layout set up on the Navy Base on Whidbey Island back in the early 70’s. That club became the off-base Whidbey Island Railroad Club. These first steps formed the foundation of the 4the Division groups we now have in the Skagit Valley and Whidbey area along with the Mount Vernon Clinic. He also was involved with the Anacortes and Fidalgo Club layout. Many of the long timers in these groups knew Jay from way back and appreciate everything he contributed to the growth of model railroading in this area.

Jay was very fond of HO brass steam model collecting and was also fascinated in the different styles of bridge construction. He built many detailed bridges for various club layouts and became the subject matter expert on bridges for the region. He gave several clinics on this and other model railroading topics over the years.

Jay suffered a stroke some years ago which severely limited his mobility. This did not deter him, however, and he remained a dedicated modeler while continuing to attend the Skagit Valley and Whidbey Clinics as long as he could. He always kept his tough Navy guy demeanor but at the same time was actually a very generous and friendly person and always had something to contribute at the clinics I had the pleasure to share with him. His ability to overcome a terrible handicap and remain cheerful and upbeat will always be an inspiration to all who knew him.

Background information provided by Al Carter, Bill Harper, Terry Kandzor, Jack Tingstad, and John White.

News, Skagit Valley and Whidbey Island Clinic

The 4D Needs Your Help …With Inventory

Written by Al Lowe
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Al Lowe

The 4D Board of Directors has tasked our Treasurer, Mike Donnelly, with building an inventory of everything the Division owns in order to identify what should be insured, what needs to be replaced when, and who is responsible for what. The 4D Board wants all clinic chairs, committee chairs, modular groups, and everyone else to assist by listing 4D-owned items in their care.

If you have, are responsible for, or know of, any items paid for by the Division, email a list of them to treasurer@4dpnr.com.

Questions? First, read the following guidelines. Then, if you’re still confused, ask Mike: treasurer@4dpnr.com.

4D Inventory Guidelines

  1. Include anything paid for by the 4th Division, except small quantities of consumable items (paper, stamps, pens, scenery material, ballast, etc)
    1. You can list these if you wish
    2. Use your own judgment for large quantities of consumables
  2. Include all items with a serial number or other unique identification
  3. Include anything you believe originally cost over $250 (either individually or collectively)
  4. Include as much information as possible: date acquired, purchase price, model number, serial number, etc. Lump multiple items when it makes sense, e.g., modular group carts or racks could be listed as “5 welded-steel, wheeled racks, approximate cost $1,200”
  5. Report minor items by saying what they are, how many, etc.
    1. Estimate high volume quantities
    2. Add details when sensible, e.g., model numbers for unique tools or special color-coded items
    3. Group multiple items, e.g., “1 tote bin of scenery materials” or “1 box of 50+ assorted C-clamps painted green”
  6. Include modular groups’ corner modules, yard modules, etc., if paid for by the 4D and include the names of those taking responsibility for each.

Mike Donnelly will compile this information into a master list before May 30, 2015. If you need more time, you can negotiate with Mike. The 4DNTRAK group and the PSC Chair have already provided data and the 4dNTRAK, Omni-Rail, HO, and Hi-Railer trailers are already listed.

News

Foss Waterway Seaport Layout Help Still Needed

Written by Cliff Green
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Bud Thompson

Construction is progressing but help is still needed!

How often do you have the chance to build a layout that 100’s of people will get to enjoy? Help us complete the model of Tacoma’s Half Moon Yard. Our typical schedule is Mon thru Fri, 9 am to at least 1 pm. We may be able to work longer if museum staff is available, up to 5 pm. Always call before coming in to ensure there have been no last minute changes.

Additional details are on the previous Grab Iron blog post.

Please contact me (Bud Thompson) to let us know if you can help, at 206-310-9414 or budmanthe3rd@yahoo.com.

News, Railroad History

Westside Clinic April 14th, Bremerton

Written by Cliff Green
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Bill Hupé

This coming Tuesday, April 14th, is our next Westside Clinic in Bremerton. The clinic is “Narrow Gauge Geared Locos” and will be presented by Steve Hauff.

For the March clinic, thanks go to Steve Neupert for presenting “Making Sure Your Freight Cars Are Ready for the Layout.” We also thank Jack “The Tool Man” Hamilton for sharing 4th Division, PNR and NMRA news, as well as sharing his screw head capture drives. Bob Jensen provided the latest news on the Bremerton Northern Model Railroad layout. He invited those present to join the BNMR at Retsil Veterans Home on April 4th and 5th.

We were joined by visitors Steve Hauff and his wife, Steve Ragan, and Bob Preece.

As always we will have a “Model Contest” and “Show And Tell.” Coffee and cookies will be provided. Please come and bring a friend.

For those visiting us for the first time our clinics are held at the United Way of Kitsap Building in downtown Bremerton (647 4th Street) at 7:00 PM. For more information contact me (Bill Hupé) at whopay@tscnet.com or 360-621-5041.

Grab-Iron, News, Westside Local Clinic