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Science Center Show This Weekend

Russ Segner, 4D Superintendent

The 4th Division is a big part of all that goes on at the Pacific Science Center this weekend. Thousands of kids will bring their parents to see our trains and how we build and run them.

 

 

David Yadock is our chairman for this event and if you want to help, contact him at 206 399 0247 or hi61izq@hotmail.com.

This is our major fund raiser each year, so it’s a chance to help the 4D and you get to meet and share some time with many of our best most active model railroaders.

 

New Grab Iron Editor

We now have a new editor of the Grab Iron. Al Turnbull has stepped forward to fill the vacancy created when Cliff Green resigned. Cliff gave us a lot of fine leadership in dealing with the website and making sure that the Grab Iron did it’s job communicating with our membership. I thank him for his contribution.

Al is known to many of us who regularly participate at the Science Center Show. Al has built and exhibited several portable layouts specifically designed to help visitors understand how our layouts and modules are constructed, scenicked and operated. He has strong computer skills and understands what it takes to get our message out.

We encourage members to contribute articles about their modeling, layouts and rail interests. So, Al is ready to work with you in getting things published in the Grab Iron. Submit materials to him at:

aeturnbull@outlook.com

Welcome Aboard, Al

New Grab Iron Editor Needed

Russ Segner

Cliff Green has indicated he cannot continue as Grab Iron editor.  So, this is an opportunity for someone to step up and play a key role in communication with our members.

The position requires skills in working with our website which uses WordPress.  It also requires writing skills and a willingness to be proactive in contacting members who write articles and share news helpful to 4D members.  Currently, we publish news and articles as received from members and the groups such as local clinics and modular clubs.  A monthly newsletter is also an option.

If you are interested, please call me, Russ Segner, 4D Superintendent at 206 200 2211.

It’s time for the 4D Annual Budget

Mike Donnelly

The next Board of Directors meeting, currently scheduled for June 24, 2017, will be our annual budget meeting.  All groups requesting funds from the Fourth Division for Fiscal Year 2017–2018 should submit their requests in writing to the 4D Treasurer no later than June 10 to be considered for the proposed budget.  As appropriate, break the requests into three categories: Operations and Maintenance, Capital Expenses, and Mileage

As usual, please include a brief explanation of how you will use the funds and a list of shows your group plans to attend.

Requests must be submitted in writing either by U.S. Mail to the 4D P.O. box or by email to treasurer @4dpnr.com.

Golden Grab Iron Service Award 2017

by Jim Sabol

Click for larger image

Greg Wright accepts the Golden Grab Iron Service Award for 2017 from previous recipients Jim Younkins, left, and Jim Sabol, right.

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 members of the organization. For 2017 the selection committee, comprised of the immediate past three honorees, has chosen Greg Wright for his outstanding longtime contributions.

It is not difficult to find Greg Wright. Just look for a great modeler with a family railroad heritage. Greg’s father and grandfather were SP&S and NP railroaders who sometimes took Greg along when they went to work. To find Greg as a child, just look for a little guy getting to know model trains with a Lionel set and Marx cars. To find Greg as a young man, look for a youngster getting into serious modeling with his HO and HOn3 layout. Then, look for Greg taking the brave leap into the realm of 1:32 large scale modeling with uniquely improvised locomotives and scratch built structures that tower over your head on the Consolidated Republic Mining Company narrow gauge railroad. To find Greg Wright these days, just look for the popular Olympia clinics that Greg helps plan as well as chair each month and at which he sometimes shares his own skills and models. Check out the PNR and NMRA convention schedules to find Greg on their programs sharing his clinics with a wider audience. To find Greg, just look to the annual Olympia OlyOps operating sessions that attract modelers from all over the region to benefit the Thurston County Food Bank. Look for Greg helping the active Whidbey Island crew put on their annual Whidbey op sessions. And don’t overlook Greg helping organize the annual G.O.P.H.E.R.S. outing to help modelers understand more of our prototype heritage. Then check out Greg in the layout room of a modeler having trouble with his wiring or DCC throttle. There you’ll find Greg with his sleeves rolled up, sharing his knowledge to help a fellow modeler.

So, if you’re searching for Greg Wright, just look for the guy in front of a group giving a clinic, look for the guy meeting with a committee to plan the Olympia clinics or prototype field trip. Check out the guy at his computer preparing the schedules for OlyOps. See who’s the willing helper working on a friend’s layout: that’s where you’ll find Greg Wright generously and cheerfully giving of his time and talents to spread the joy of model railroading in whatever your scale or wherever you reside in the 4th Division.

The Footplate – a Report from your Superintendent

Russ Segner

This has been a very busy first quarter in the Fourth Division.

The Seattle Center Show in January was one of the best attended shows in years. In addition to the many fine modular layouts operating, this show featured many smaller demonstrations of modeling and operation reflecting a shift in emphasis from just running trains to helping attendees understand “how to”. We will see much more of this in coming years with a focus on education about railroads.
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The Footplate, January 2017

Russ Segner, 4th Division Superintendent

This is the first issue of a monthly article I will be publishing about the activities inside our 4th Division. I hope you enjoy it.

We have just completed the Pacific Science Center Model Train Show. Before that, many participated in the Christmas show at the Washington State History Museum in Tacoma, The Great American Train Show and last weekend the World’s Greatest Hobby Show in Puyallup. We are well into our operating season.

These shows are our major outreach to the public and, in the case of the Pacific Science Center Model Train Show, the source of our annual funding. Last year, we added support for one more modular group and funded a trailer for the OmNi-Rail modular group.

So what’s ahead? The Tacoma Layout Tour, the 4D Spring Meet (which includes our annual Division Meeting), Spokane Falls Express (SFX 2017, the PNR Convention in Spokane), the NMRA Annual Convention (in Orlando, Florida), the National Narrow Gauge Convention (which will be in Denver, Colorado this year) and all our local clinics including the new Burien Clinic at the Pacific Northwest Railroad Archives in Burien. Does that leave any time to model and work on our layouts? Well, from postings in the Grab Iron and on Facebook, many of us are doing a lot. Please keep sharing comments and photos.

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Clinicians Wanted for 4D Clinics

Russ Segner

The 4th Division fall clinic season will soon begin. While most of our area clinics already have their lineups set, there is always a need for additional clinics ready to present.

If you have a topic you think would be of interest to model railroaders and would like to share it, please let me know. We definitely have openings for the Eastside Get Together (both the North Branch in Redmond, and the South Branch, currently in Renton).

Topics of interest: Prototypes, building structures, scenery, trackwork, interesting and special tools, electronics, track planning, and operations. These are just a few. Let me know if you are willing to share. Presentations are about 45 minutes and we supply the projectors at all locations. I can be contacted at russseg@gmail.com or 425-228-7327.

4th Division 2016 Annual Meeting

Russ Segner, 4D Superintendent, Photos by Ken Liesse

Ted Becker receiving the 2016 Golden Grab Iron Award at the 4th Division Spring Meet.

Ted Becker receiving the 2016 Golden Grab Iron Award at the 4th Division Spring Meet.

Over 75 members attended our 4th Division Annual Meeting at Tacoma Community College last Saturday, as part of the Spring Meet. Kurt Laidlaw, our Assistant Superintendent, was in charge of planning the Spring Meet event and put together a fine list of clinics and presenters. We had several first time participants and very positive comments, especially from those attending the “Hands On” clinic (building laser cut structures). Many of the presentations focused on operations for layouts and we can expect to see more layouts use prototype methods in operating sessions.

Thanks to all who shared their experience and knowledge to help us enjoy this special part of model railroading.

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