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News from the monthly Olympia Clinic

It’s Not How Big!

April 11, 2013Written by Al Lowe

Jim Sabol / Photos by the author

If all your trains do is run around in a circle, a layout the size of an airplane hangar will soon leave you bored and looking for another hobby. But if you emulate Brian Ferris and convert even a modest-sized room into an actual railroad (just smaller), you will have a hobby for a lifetime of interest and enjoyment.

Superintendent Brian Ferris, seated, orients Greg Wright to the Dispatcher’s job and tools

Brian’s HO Port Townsend Southern, Third Subdivision, occupies a spare room about 12’x20′ in the Ferris home in Olympia. The PTS is point-to-point (no loop) 54.7 theoretical miles from Centralia to Tacoma, with branches to Union Mills and Maytown, all in Western Washington.

The busy engine terminal and classification yard are designed to receive, classify, block, and dispatch an efficient flow of freight traffic over the road

Recently, a road superintendent, a dispatcher, a pair of yardmasters, three teams of engineer/conductors, and two station agent/operators combined to move three first class passenger trains, a second class freight, plus eight extra trains and a logger over the main and branches, originating like magic through a hole in the wall leading to staging tracks in the adjacent garage that represented the terminals at Centralia and Tacoma.

As with big brothers NP, UP, GN, and Milw—whose trains regularly use PTS rails as a bridge line–emphasis is strongest on safety for employees and passengers, reliable on-time performance for customers, and meticulous care for company equipment and infrastructure. First time operator Tom Murphy said, “I had no idea that operating a model railroad as much as possible like a full-sized railroad could occupy a person for four hours with no sign of boredom!”

Operators’ Duties on the PTSRR, 3rd Sub

Superintendent

Create master timetable
Monitor progress of all trains and safe operation of subdivision

Dispatcher

Monitor safe and on-time movement of all trains in subdivision per timetable
Record movement of all trains in subdivision
Authorize agent/operators to issue clearance cards for all scheduled and extra trains
Authorize extra trains
Authorize #19 orders (for special movements) of trains

Yardmasters Robert Grove and Charles Ricketts break down arriving freight #674 prior to blocking southbound local #703 for Engineer Jim Elder

Yardmasters

Prepare yard to receive arriving freight trains.
Classify and block arriving cars for forwarding on departing freight trains
Manage safe and efficient operation of arriving, departing, and switching locomotives within yard limits

Station agent Greg Arndt issues a clearance form to Mike Davison, conductor of Train #1905

Station Agent/Operators

Issue clearance cards for all scheduled departing trains on confirmation from dispatcher
Issue #19 orders as instructed by dispatcher
Register names of crew and train numbers for all arriving and departing trains
Advise dispatcher of all arrivals and departures

Conductors Mike Davison, Scott Buckley, and Ry Bates (with order sheets) go over schedules with yardmasters Robert Grove and Chuck Ricketts

Conductors

Verify wheel report (number and identity of all cars in train)
Obtain clearance card from stations agent/operator, confer with engineer
Plan any switching moves with engineer
Monitor on-time and safe operation of train at all points at all times
Protect train from all directions in case of failure to maintain schedule
Advise dispatcher immediately upon failure to maintain schedule.

Engineers

Verify readiness of motive power assigned to train
Confer with conductor regarding correct current time, timetable, and authority to proceed
Confer with conductor on all switching moves
Conduct sanding brake test (operation of DCC throttle)
Conduct running brake test (verify all cars coupled, DCC brake)
Operate train over the road safely per timetable, speed limits, and special orders

Station Agent Greg Arndt coordinates throttle settings with engineers Jim Elder, Allan Manson, Clint Brown, and Tom Murphy

Station agent Arndt issues a Form 19 order authorizing Scott Buckley’s extra train to meet and pass an opposing extra by virtue of superiority of direction (northbound per company rules) while Enforcer Chuck Ricketts looks on.

Conductor Clint Brown coordinates heavy switching moves at Union Mills with engineer Scott Buckley. Both boys play nice together which is good . because the mill here is a major shipper on the Port Townsend Southern.

It’s not all work! Conductor-Engineer team Ry Bates and Tom Murphy enjoy a seat and a cold one between runs

Olympia Clinic, Operations, Tacoma Clinic

Dynamite Clinic In Olympia

March 17, 2013Written by Al Lowe

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Jim Sabol / Photos by Jim Sabol

The clinics in Olympia are usually a cut above, but the March 15^th get–together at the home of Robert and Sherry Grove was dynamite for the 17 happy modelers present. Actually it was about making dynamite and the attendant modeling possibilities.

Jim Sabol and Robert Grove prep their posters. (A pair of poster-prepping perpetrators practicing presentations.)

Robert Grove and Jim Sabol reprised their two-part clinic, first presented at the recent Bellevue National Narrow Gauge Convention. Jim’s graphic handouts and poster displays traced the history and operation of the DuPont Explosives Plant opposite the Fort Lewis main gate on I-5. Of greatest interest was the last narrow gauge railroad in the State of Washington, which was an integral part of the plant operation. Attendees learned how to manufacture nitro-glycerin but had to promise not to go home and make bombs, especially Jim Elder who, we could see, was giving it serious thought.

Robert followed with an entertaining as well as informative slide show of the DuPont plant’s motive power, including the currently displayed 12-ton “critter,” the rolling stock, the railroad track plan, the Northern Pacific interchange, and restoration efforts in the museum at the site of the company town, which is easily accessible off I-5 at exit 119.

Robert’s ability to skillfully organize varied material into a coherent program that we could all follow was much appreciated. Even Gracie the dog thought the presentation was almost as good as the cookie crumbs offered by sneaky hands in the audience. (Several of those hands were quite small inasmuch as their owners had previously worked in radio broadcasting: “wee paws for station identification.”)

A brief discussion re the June G.O.P.H.E.R.S. outing (Greater Olympia Prototype History & Engineering Research Society) selected June 16 as the date for our traditional prototype-themed trek. The vote favored the Government Locks in Ballard where we can observe the giant Great Northern heritage bascule bridge open and close between passing trains on their way to and from Vancouver and Chicago, plus the parade of boats through the locks, plus our traditional hot dog feast, plus green grass and sunshine. Don’t you just love model railroading?!

First-timer Cave Forsythe (left) is welcomed by Olympia host Ted Eggleston.

Favorite model balloting was won by Greg Wright whose model of a 20″ gauge work car in 1:32 scale is a work of art. Greg’s scratchbuilding and kit-bashing skills to produce original equipment for his 3/8″ scale mining layout always get us hunkered down to better admire the detail and finish on models for his Consolidated Republic Mining Company.

Once again it was discovered that everyone present held a winning door prize number and went home with something in his pocket. “It’s a muracle!” exclaimed Ron Bartels. Goodies included donations from Ronnie Beghin, Charles Lundberg, Ted Eggleston, Chuck Ricketts, and Jim Sabol.

Next month’s get-together will be April 19, our usual third Friday, and will feature Brian Ferris and Greg Wright on modeling the East Broad Top Railroad out of Rockhill Furnace and Orbisonia, Pennsylvania. It would be nice to see you there. Email Jim Younkins to receive monthly notices. Bring a model. Bring a friend. Have some chips. You’ll like it. We’ll like you.

Olympia Clinic

Olympia Layout Tour March 2

February 24, 2013Written by Al Lowe

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Jim Sabol / Photos Scott Buckley & Jim Sabol

See the Tehama Valley Railroad and Ten More Great Model Railroads

This Saturday, March 2, you can visit eleven — count ‘em, eleven — great layouts in one day in the Olympia/Lacey area. Visiting hours are arranged to flow from Northeast to Southwest to help you visit as many layouts as possible without backtracking.

Lucky us! These are among the finest model railroads in the Fourth Division, several of which are regularly written up in major modeling magazines and considered “must-see” during convention tours.

One such layout is the HO Tehama Valley Railroad of Scott Buckley, recipient of the 2012 4D Grab Iron Service Award. In its purpose-built, 25′ x 40′, climate-controlled room, the TVRR short line originates and serves the northern California town of Walnut Grove (freelanced but you’ll swear you’re in Chico or Colusa or Yuba City). Even as many towns north of Sacramento were strung out along the tracks and old Route 99, the thriving agricultural town of Walnut Grove is oriented to the tracks of the little ten-mile short line. The authenticity of the scratchbuilt grain elevator, feed store, packing house, fuel dealer, and cattle pens, along with a supporting cast of era-appropriate town buildings, convinces even casual visitors that this is indeed the northern Sacramento Valley. (Don’t miss the sturdy but economical benchwork of this innovative layout.)

Like most of the home and club layouts in Thurston County, the Tehama Valley is built for prototypical operation, with local freights shuttling loads and empties related to the predominant ag business and other community necessities between Walnut Grove and its interchange with the mighty Southern Pacific’s mainline at Hamilton City, as well as serving other small towns along the way. Even the scenery Scott Buckley has created convinces the guest operator that this is, indeed, Golden Bear territory.

Steaming out of Hamilton City headed east with the morning local, the summer sunrise in your eyes and deer grazing along the right of way, you half expect to see wisps of steam from distant Lassen Peak drifting across the rolling landscape of golden grass and black oaks. The friendly waves from ranchers stopped at the grade crossings in their pickup trucks tell you that the Tehama Valley road is both needed and appreciated by the hard-working citizens of this important crop-growing region. They will enjoy waving back to you, too, on Saturday, March 2, from noon to 5 p.m.

For a map to Scott Buckley’s Tehama Valley Railroad and the ten other layouts open on March 2, from N scale to 1:32 scale, email Scott. Ten more talented modelers and their helpers would love to share their layouts and their knowledge with you. Come visit!

Layout Tour, Olympia Clinic

Oly Layout Tour to be Saturday, March 2

February 17, 2013Written by Al Lowe

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Scott Buckley

The 10^th Annual Olympia Model Railroad Layout Tour is scheduled for Saturday, March 2^nd. Eleven layouts will be open to visitors:

Kevin Gastreich’s N scale P-3 Line
The Olympic Model Railroad Society’s HO scale layout
Jerry Barnes’ On30 scale Southern Idaho Narrow Gauge Railroad
Dave Rakestraw’s HO scale PNW Railroad
Dean Cody’s N scale KD&S Railroad (first time participant)
Chuck Ricketts’ On30 scale Sherwood,Sheltonand Sarazen
Greg Wright’s 1:32n20 Consolidated Republic Mining Co
Brian Ferris’s HO scale Port Townsend & Southern
Jim Younkins’ N scale Mud Bay & Southern Railway
Scott Buckley’s HO scale Tehama Valley Railroad
Keith Newsom’s HO scale P&B Railway (first time participant)

This your chance to see a variety of layouts in various scale/gauge combinations that represent a wide variety of prototypical interests. A few of the layouts are in the early stages of construction; but all are operational. As with previous years, a few of the layouts will be open early, while a few will stay open later to give you the opportunity to see as many as possible.

If you are interested in visiting, you must email me in advance so I can email you layout descriptions, hours of operation, addresses, and a map. Please include your full name and the city in which you live. If you have already contacted me, you don’t need to do so again.

Olympia Clinic

Olympia Clinic Report: Brian Ferris Does It Again!

February 16, 2013Written by Al Lowe

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Article & Photos by Jim Sabol

Olympia clinic members have come to expect highly informative as well as entertaining presentations from Brian Ferris at our monthly get-togethers. Brian’s February 15 clinic at Chuck Ricketts’ home was no exception: taking us PowerPoint by PowerPoint through the steps of creating a prototypical layout from conception to layout plan.

Keith Newsom and a full house have no trouble staying awake for Brian Ferris

Twenty-one happy modelers filled Chuck’s living room, kitchen, and dining room (an open plan with great sight lines) to learn from Brian how to pick a likely prototype area rich in modeling possibilities; research the geography, facilities, trains, commodities, and schedules for that area; and design a track plan that accommodates most of your favorite elements from that area and era.

Brian Ferris readies his PowerPoint presentation

Selecting the bustling Grays Harbor cities of Aberdeen, Hoquiam, and the surrounding communities, Brian presented slides of typical trains, an actual roster of train movements in and out of the area for a single week in the 1960s, and historical shots of the yard, locomotive, and industrial facilities served by the Northern Pacific, Union Pacific, and Milwaukee railroads.

Brian finished with an HO track plan for a garage-sized room that effectively included most of the elements from the choices that make Grays Harbor a great place to model and would be a ton of fun to operate prototypically—which is a huge emphasis among the Olympia group. Brian’s CAD rendition of the layout even allowed for some effectively interactive kibitzing and reworking of the plan—something else at which this group excels.

There were even rumors of groups with torches and pitchforks planning to storm the castle and raze Brian’s current layout to be replaced by the one he just described. But the torches went out before the mob could get to Brian’s house, which is a considerable distance away. And their pitchforks turned out to be merely large swizzle sticks.

During the breaks, attendees had a chance to descend the stairs into the wonderful world of Chuck Ricketts’ On30 Shelton, Sherwood and Sarazen Railroad with its terrific scenery and multitude of scratchbuilt structures and funky narrow gauge rolling stock. (Not allowed to say “cute.”)

One of the happiest moments of the evening was welcoming David Halliday back home from six months of logistics support in Afghanistan. Dave was home less than a week but he showed up at the clinic. Now that’s our kind of model railroader! Welcome home, Dave!

Jim Sabol made a pitch for NMRA membership, handed out free copies of the NMRA Bulletin, and provided bargain, special offer, 6-month trial memberships for only $9.95. Sue Ritter was first to sign up.

Sue Ritter holds an entire tavern in her hands

Carrying out the prototype theme of the evening, the Most Popular Model was won by Sue Ritter with a beautifully scratchbuilt rendition of the Brooklyn tavern, an actual establishment more or less famous in the southwest Washington hills between Rochester and Raymond. Sue downloaded and weathered her signs from the Internet.

Once again everyone in attendance had a winning ticket in the door prize derby which included a copy of O. Winston Link’s pricy book of Norfolk and Western art photos donated by Ronnie Beghin, decoders donated by Walt Huston, calendars, key chains, and a variety of gizmos from trucks and track to switch throws donated by Charles Lundberg (who is cleaning out his parts bins). Seeing that everyone present held a winning number, Robert Grove was moved to exclaim, “It’s a muracle!”

On March 15 (the ides! no problem unless your name begins with Caesar), we’ll meet at Scott Buckley’s home, where—unless prevented—Robert Grove and Jim Sabol will reprise their clinic from the recent National Narrow Gauge Convention on the railroads and restoration efforts of the DuPont Powder Works.

Join this happy group to see slides of DuPont’s ocean dock with its narrow gauge railroad and aerial tramway. Learn how to make nitroglycerin. Win a door prize! We’ll leave a light on!

Grab-Iron, Olympia Clinic

Operating on the Sherwood, Shelton, and Sarazen

February 4, 2013Written by Al Lowe

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Jim Sabol / Photos by Dave Faussett and Jim Sabol

“How happy were they, Jimmy?”
“Happier than a model railroader, operating on a DCC layout, with a fresh set of batteries, a smooth locomotive, and a clear board from the dispatcher!”

Layout owner Chuck Ricketts explains DCC controller to first time operator Dave Faussett

About once a month, a group of about ten guys, modelers in scales from N to 3/8,” gather at Chuck Ricketts’s home in Lacey to operate the Northwest-themed Sherwood, Shelton, and Sarazen Railroad in On30 scale.

At a typical four-hour Saturday afternoon session, the gang observes a twenty-four hour fast clock to run two first class passenger trains northbound (a.m.) and two southbound (p.m.), two through freights north and two south, a logger, a harbor local, and five or six extras. Yardmasters at Shelton and Oyster Bay drive their switch engines hard but prototypically to construct and deconstruct departing and arriving traffic, giving priority to livestock, perishables, and non-time-sensitive ladings.

Jim Sabol works the dispatcher’s desk with timetable and fast clock

Station stops by the fast passenger trains are brisk but adequate for customers to board and disembark safely. All activity is charted and facilitated by a dispatcher with a timetable, lots of coffee, a sharp pencil, an OS sheet, and phone communication with station agents (who double as passing engineers OS’ing their arrival at each station). The dispatcher remotely operates working order boards at each station to confirm a train’s authority to proceed to the next control point, where the engineer again OS’s his progress.

Layout owner Chuck Ricketts assigns duty to Yardmaster Greg Wright at Oyster Bay

The SS&S is no plywood central. Operators run their trains through beautifully executed scenery and backdrops, and a multitude of mostly scratchbuilt, appropriately dated and located stations, tipples, liveries, quarries, sawmills, water towers, docks, and warehouses. No matter what scale a person models at home, after ten minutes operating on the SS&S, a visitor feels as if On30 is the perfect scale—at least for today.

Jim Elder checks out several of many structures he scratchbuilt for the wharf on the SS&S

Frequent operators on the SS&S include Scott Buckley, Ted Curphey, Mike Davidson, Josh Delp, Brian Ferris, Scott Groff, Robert Grove, Ryan Bates, Charles Lundberg, Allan Manson, Roger Nulton, Sue Ritter, Jim Sabol, Marvin Schurke, Robert Scott, Doug Walters, Larry Williams, and Greg Wright, assisted by first time operators Lee Bishop, Dave Faussett, and John Phillips. Layout co-builders, maintainers, and troubleshooters include Jerry Barnes, Jim Elder, and Jerry Julian.

The busy Sherwood sawmill was designed by Chuck Ricketts, scratchbuilt by Chuck and Jim Elder, with machinery built by Bob Staley

Chuck Ricketts’ Sherwood, Shelton, and Sarazen will be open to visitors on March 2 from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. as part of the annual Olympia Layout Tours.

Olympia Clinic, Operations

Olympia Clinic Gains Calories and Knowledge

January 23, 2013Written by Al Lowe

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Jim Sabol / Photos by Jim Sabol

Twenty-three hungry but happy members of the Olympia G.O.P.H.E.R.S. (Greater Olympia Prototype History & Engineering Research Society) gathered for an evening dinner meeting at Ranblin’ Jack’s restaurant on January 18.

The Olympia clinic has a January tradition of hosting a prototype railroader or prototype-themed presentation. January’s meeting was another winner.

Jim Younkins, Ted Eggleston, and Brian Ferris watch Dr. Jim and Carol Hannum autograph books.

Dr. James Hannum, M.D., author of Abandoned Railroads of Thurston County and South Puget Sound Railroad Mania (among others) entertained us with a PowerPoint presentation of obscure and long-gone rail lines in the South Sound. “Wow! I never knew that existed,” was a frequent comment from modelers upon learning that a long-gone logging railroad ran past their house. The beauty of Dr. Hannum’s books (published by Minuteman Press) is that they are so well documented, with maps and illustrations by Carol Hannum, that an interested railfan can drive right to the site to scope it out. “It’s a muracle,” said Ted Eggleston!

Up next month: Brian Ferris on Layout Design for Operation. 7:30 p.m., February 15, at the home of Chuck Ricketts.

Olympia Clinic

10th Annual Olympia Model Railroad Layout Tour announced

December 30, 2012Written by Al Lowe

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Scott Buckley

Be sure to mark your calendars for Saturday, March 2nd, as this is the date of the 10th Annual Olympia Model Railroad Layout Tour.

There will be at least eight layouts on the tour. Various scale and gauge combinations will be represented, including N, HO, On30 and 3/8n20. Some of the layouts have been featured in national publications, and some have been on national convention tours. Most of the layouts are in various stages of construction, which will give visitors an opportunity to see each builder’s construction methods.

As with previous years, a few of the layouts will be open early, while a few will stay open later; which will give visitors the opportunity to see as many layouts as possible.

We hope that you will take the opportunity to visit our layouts. As I say every year, there aren’t many chances to see these many layouts at one time without spending the money to attend a convention.

Additional information will be provided in late January. In the meantime, please email me if you have any questions.

Layout Tour, Olympia Clinic

Olympia Clinic November Report

November 18, 2012Written by Al Lowe

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Jim Sabol

No wonder they were tired!

Modelers at the November 16 Olympia Get-Together left town about 7:30 p.m., traveled 1,500 miles to Salt Lake City, Durango, Silverton, Cumbres, Chama, Alamosa, Antonito, Golden and Denver, Colorado, viewing every possible narrow gauge steam locomotive, car, and interesting infrastructure along the way, and were still home by 9:30 — all through the magic of Scott Buckley’s terrific camera work last summer.

Over 1,000 photos were viewed by the happy audience. And that was only half the shots that Scott took! Great PowerPoint show, Scott! Multitudes of ideas for weathering, structures, and yards.

An added bonus of meeting in Scott’s layout room was seeing the exciting progress he has made on his Tehama Valley HO railroad, which now reaches all the way from Tehama to the Southern Pacific interchange.

Models and samples of craftsmanship and artistic ability were shared by Paul Vaughn, Larry Williams, and Greg Wright. Greg won most popular model with his scratchbuilt 1:28 scale train of a log car, a flat car, and a MOW car.

Chuck Ricketts took up a collection which, when enriched by his personal donation, will provide a train set for a child who otherwise might not be able to obtain one. Think of a young boy or girl at Christmas time, with nose pressed to hobby shop window, with a dreamy but sad look. Chuck inspired the Tacomaclinic guys last year to place a contribution can with George Boucier at Tacoma Trains for the same purpose — a project that, thanks to George’s personal contribution, was very successful in making train sets available to several Tacoma-area youngsters.

We reviewed reports of layout owners Ry Bates, Scott Buckley, Brian Ferris, Chuck Ricketts, Greg Wright, and Jim Younkins who, on November 3, opened their layouts for guest operators from Oregon,Eastern Washington, and all points between for the price of a contribution to the Thurston County Food Bank. Visiting operators contributed over 175 pounds of food and $90 cash and had a grand time running trains on one layout of their choice in the morning and another layout in the afternoon.

Once again everyone present for the evening held a winning door prize number and carried home some treasure. “Itza muracle!” exclaimed Sue Ritter.

Our next meeting is the annual Christmas social get-together at the home of Ron and Carol Beghin on December 14.

Olympia Clinic