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Grab Iron Posts

A Welcome to New Members, Grab Iron Email Issues

Written by Cliff Green
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Cliff Green, Grab Iron Editor

Welcome, new 4th Division (PNR) NMRA members (or former members recently renewed)! An e-mail notification is sent out to all Grab Iron subscribers every time a new Grab Iron post is made (or on a regular basis), so this may be one of the first messages you see from our Division. Our 4D web site has clinic info, modular group info, an events calendar, some excellent model train photos, and many pages of other related info as well as all of our Grab Iron posts – click here to navigate to the front page.

As many of you have noticed, there have been problems with Grab Iron post e-mail notifications for at least three weeks. We have been troubleshooting and understanding more of the inner workings of WordPress (and PHP e-mail), e-mail servers, spam blacklists, and SQL tables with plugins. (You can safely ignore the technical words I just wrote – if you’re interested in the details send me e-mail at the address at the end of this message).

We have switched to using the Constant Contact e-mail service that the PNR (Pacific Northwest Region of the NMRA) is using to send out regular (at least monthly) newsletters (typically written by Jack Hamilton). For now Grab Iron post notifications will be sent out by me on a manual basis versus an automatic “post by post” basis (“automatic” notification will be put in place in the future).

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Grab-Iron

2016 4D Election Results

Written by Al Lowe
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Al Lowe

On May 8, 2016 at 1:30 p.m., the 4D Ballot Committee (Bill Messecar, Burr Stewart and Al Lowe) met at Al’s home. We confirmed that each ballot received was from a valid 4D member in good standing, remained sealed until we took possession, and was submitted to us before the May 1 deadline.

The results of our count are:

Total Ballots                 143
Invalid Ballots                  0

Superintendent:
Russ Segner                  139
Write-in votes                  0

Board of Directors:
David Yadock                74
Scott Taylor                   69

Congratulations to Russ and David and our thanks to Scott and all of our 4D members who took the time and spent the effort to exercise their voting privilege.

Respectfully submitted and attested to by:
Al Lowe
William Messecar
Burr Stewart

News

Eastside Layout Tour Proposal

Written by Cliff Green
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Russ Segner

Many of us visited layouts open in Olympia on April 30th. So far, several groupings of layouts throughout the region are open on weekends during the year, but there is no such opportunity on the Eastside (East of Lake Washington). These open houses are usually Saturdays from 1 to 5.

I am proposing a layout tour in the Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, Issaquah, Renton, Maple Valley, Kent, Auburn, and other close by areas for a weekend in mid July.

If you have a layout you would be willing to open to members sometime this summer and are located in one of these areas, please contact me at 452-228-7327 or by email at russseg@gmail.com.

Burien Clinic, Eastside Get-Together (Redmond) Clinic, Layout Tour

Next Seattle-North Clinic – South of the Border – May 5, 2016

Written by Jeff Moorman
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By Jeff Moorman

Next Clinic:

The next Seattle-North clinic is this Thursday, May 5. Seeing that it is Cinco de Mayo, one of our topics will be Mexican Railroads. Other topics include a short audio/visual presentation on urban transport and a video on what it takes to get the fire started in a steam engine.

Last Clinic:

We didn’t get to our fallen flag mini-clinic, so we’ll hold that for some later date. What we did do was listen and participate in a clinic on track warrants presented by Ed and Ken L. Two things I took away from the clinic were:

  1. Track warrants only apply to mainline track. Other rules govern what is known as auxiliary track.
  2. Radio protocol states that the person/location calling is given first followed by the person/location being called. For example, “This is engine 4233 calling Dispatch.” And NOT “Dispatch this is Engine 4233.” Note that the latter is what you might expect from military or amateur (ham) radio experience.

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Seattle-North Clinic

Tacoma Clinic Report for April

Written by Al Babinsky
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By Al Babinsky, Photos by Dale Kraus

N scale semis detailed and weathered by Tyler, "Bring and Brag" winner

N scale semis detailed and weathered by Tyler, “Bring and Brag” winner

MMR Gene Swanson opened the clinic on time as always, we had 33 in attendance including one newcomer. MMR Dale Kraus presented a Merit Award in Scenery to Wain Miller.

Other announcements included requests for mailing in your 4D ballots, a Rail Day show on May 14, 2016 in Oregon, and a plastic model show in Renton.

A discussion was held about changing the start time for the clinic from 1930 hrs (7:30 PM) to 1900 hrs (7:00 PM) due to the fact that the doors must be locked before 2200 hrs (10:00 PM). The computer system will set the alarm at that time. By starting a half hour earlier we will be able to finish around 2100 hrs (9:00 PM) and have time to clean up and stack the chairs. The new start time will begin with the September clinic.

Bill Sandstrom from Tacoma Trains presented a number of new items from Rivarossi, Athearn, Intermountain, BLI, and Microtrains. He also carries some items from Chip Van Gilder including 3D printed log cars in N scale and the Morton Station.

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Tacoma Clinic

Clinic in Renton on May 26

Written by Russ Segner
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Russ Segner

We will have a clinic in Renton in May on the 26th.

Date: May 26
Time: 6:30
Location: Renton Highlands Library at 2801 NE 10th Street, Renton, 98056

Program information will come next week.

Last months meeting in Newcastle was very well attended and we had several new attendees. Plan to join us if this location works for you.

I can be contacted at russseg@gmail.com or 206-200-2211.

Burien Clinic

Mt Vernon Clinic will be May 12

Written by John O'Connell
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By John O’Connell    Photo by Kevin Klettke

Date: Thursday, May 12
Time: 7:00 PM
Location: Mount Vernon Senior Center, 1401 Cleveland Street, Mount Vernon (Click Here for map & directions)

The Program

Kevin Klettke will present his “Fleet Weathering” clinic. This is a reprise of his well-received Clinic at PDX 2015 on efficiently weathering large fleets of rolling stock. Visit Kevin’s website at http://wnrr.net.

Another Example of Kevin's Work

Another Example of Kevin’s Work

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Mt Vernon Clinic

Reminder – Eastside Get Together is Thu April 21

Written by Russ Segner
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Russ Segner

This is a reminder the Eastside Get Together is Thursday April 21.

Place: Redmond Library
Time: 6:30
Program: Neil Stanton discussing radio control and battery power for your locomotives. This technology can work for HO, S, On3, and larger scales. Solve the problems of dirty track and eliminate complicated wiring.

Neil has been working with these systems for years and can answer your questions about starting with this system or retrofitting your existing system.

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Eastside Get-Together (Redmond) Clinic

Mt Vernon April Clinic Report

Written by John O'Connell
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By Roger Johnson and John O’Connell, Photos by Roger Johnson and Kevin Klettke

On the evening of April 14, Ted Becker kicked off the Clinic with 16 regulars and 3 newcomers in attendance at the Mt Vernon Senior Center. A special welcome to Chuck Wilkey, Dick Wilskey and Bonnie Hollingsworth. We hope you’ll join us again.

Announcements

April 30, 14th Annual Olympia Layouts Tour, Olympia. Details

May 12, Mt. Vernon Clinic. Kevin Klettke wil present “Fleet Weathering”, a reprise of his clinic at PDX 2015 on efficiently weathering large fleets of rolling stock. Visit Kevin’s website at http://wnrr.net.

Another Sample of Kevin's work

Another Sample of Kevin’s work

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Mt Vernon Clinic