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Westside December Clinic is Tuesday the 8th

Written by Cliff Green
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Bill Hupé

The Westside Clinic is tomorrow Tuesday December 8th, 2015. Last month Jack Hamilton presented a clinic on basic wiring.

This month’s clinic: Weathering Rolling Stock. Walt Huston is coming up to present his hands-on clinic on weathering.

This is our White Elephant gift exchange and annual food bank drive. For those of you who are new, our White Elephant exchange consists of you wrapping a model railroading related item for exchange; old or new; useful or not; Give one get one.

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

If you are visiting the first time our clinics are held at the United Way of Kitsap Building in downtown Bremerton (647 4th Street) at 7 pm. Additional details (including a map and contact info) are on the Clinics Page.

Westside Local Clinic

A Narrower View – Helper

Written by Cliff Green
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Syd Schofield

Editors note: Welcome to the tenth article of a series on narrow gauge by Syd Schofield. The previous article is available by clicking here, or by filtering with the category “Narrow Gauge”. Syd welcomes discussions and feedback, which can be made by clicking on the comment link at the bottom of the post.

Some of the terrain crossed by the narrow gauge railroads had easy grades for long distances. Small locomotives (the miniatures previously mentioned) were adequate. However, when push came to shove (or push and shove) was required for a steeper grade, a helper locomotive station was often built. This localized the operation of the enhanced motive power and kept the costs to a minimum as the added fuel and operation was only used briefly. Such was the standard practice that a town in central Utah (Helper, Utah) is actually named for this activity. The grade to the west of town to Soldier Summit is the price (also a nearby town, Price) that the latecomer Denver and Rio Grande Western (D&RGW) paid for the otherwise easy route between Grand Junction and Salt Lake City.

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Articles, Narrow Gauge

Skagit Valley and Whidbey Island Clinic Nov 2015 Report, BNSF Bellingham Sub Ops

Written by Cliff Green
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Rich Thom / Photos by Rich

The Skagit Valley & Whidbey NMRA Clinic’s meeting on November 11th was attended by 22 regulars and two guests. Guests were Dave Johnson, an Oak Harbor resident and long-time friend of regular Alan Murray, and the evening’s clinician Bob Stafford. In opening remarks, Clinic Chair Rich Blake observed that it was Veteran’s Day and asked: “How many attendees had served?” Many hands went up, to applause and thanks from everyone. Susan Gonzales reported that the October 24th special shop tour and train ride at the Northwest Railway Museum had been enjoyed by 12 clinic members, family and friends (click here to see the previous Grab Iron article). Susan was thanked for making the tour possible, and added that it might be repeated next year. Rich mentioned that a work day is a possibility, too – there’s always plenty of work for volunteers at the NWRM. Finally, longtime clinic participant and modeler Curt Johnson let it slip out that November 11th, meeting night, was his birthday. Accordingly Susan presented Curt a cake, but it was only an inedible, 1:1 scale model of one – a hat, which of course Curt had to don. Moral for SV & W clinic members: don’t reveal your birthday.

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Skagit Valley and Whidbey Island Clinic

Mt Vernon Clinic Report November 24

Written by John O'Connell
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By John O’Connell / Photos by Al Carter, George Stephenson, and John O’Connell

Twenty two, including five guests, were in attendance when Ted Becker opened the Clinic. Ted advised that this is an NMRA, Pacific Northwest Region, 4th Division, sponsored event.

Announcements

Performance R/C Hobbies is closing this week. The Clinic sent flowers and a card is circulating to wish Suzie well in her retirement. She offered a variety of odds and ends she still had on hand to the Clinic and they are free for the taking. She will be missed.

Roger Johnson has been working hard to prepare the last stages of his layout for an open house December 11-13, Friday (7-9 PM), Saturday (1-4 PM) and Sunday (1-4 PM). If you need directions, email Roger at skagitrailbird@gmail.com.

The December 22 Clinic will feature a “Super Show and Tell” along with “Diorama Build Status” and “Mini-Clinics”.

Note: The January Clinic begins our new day and date: on January 14 (the second Thursday of the month) Mike O’Brien will share his tree building process.

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Mt Vernon Clinic

A Look at Winter Railroading at Seattle North on December 3, 2015

Written by Jeff Moorman
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By Jeff Moorman

Next Clinic:

The last Seattle-North clinic of the calendar year is this Thursday, December 3. The general topic will be winter railroading.

Everyone is reminded that construction work at the church continues. You must now enter the property from Aurora Avenue N. The back entrance off Linden Avenue, which many found so convenient, is fenced off.

Old Business:

Before I forget I want to acknowledge that we had one “Show and Tell” entry at October’s clinic. Dennis T brought a N scale diesel. Said locomotive was brass, which made it a bit unusual since we don’t see much brass in N. Dennis acquired this diesel in the auction held during last summer’s NMRA convention in Portland.

Prior Clinic:

The start of November’s clinic was different. Jack Hamilton, the NMRA’s Western Region Director, was on hand to present a “Fellow of the NMRA” award to long time Seattle-North clinic supporter and attendee, Roger Ferris. Roger has been a model railroading advocate for decades at the local, regional, and national levels. It was nice to see his efforts rewarded with this prestigious award. Click here to see the award presentation in more detail.

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Seattle-North Clinic

Attacking the grade

Written by Dale Kraus
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Dale G. Kraus / Photo by Dale

Emerging from the first of two spiral tunnels and trailing a ballast train, the fireman of SDEV heavy 2-8-2 41 033 sands the flues as the engineer "grabs a handful" of throttle as he attacks the 2.7% grade at kilometer post 35.5 above Triberg.

Emerging from the first of two spiral tunnels and trailing a ballast train, the fireman of SDEV heavy 2-8-2 41 033 sands the flues as the engineer “grabs a handful” of throttle as he attacks the 2.7% grade at kilometer post 35.5 above Triberg.

Articles

Cloud City and Western Annual Open House

Written by Rich Blake
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Rich Blake

This weekend Nov 28th and 29th marks the 15th public open house of Jack Tingstad’s “Cloud City and Western” HO scale layout in Coupeville on beautiful Whidbey Island. This event has been a local favorite every weekend after Thanksgiving and can also be a great opportunity for local 4D modelers to stop by and have a visit.

Class C Shay crossing the high trestle at Cloud City.

Class C Shay crossing the high trestle at Cloud City.

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Miners awaiting the work train at Tennessee Pass Station. Small scenes like this are all over the highly detailed Cloud City and Western.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Over the years Jack’s HO scale layout has received regional and national recognition. It has appeared twice in Railroad Model Craftsman and the May 2011 issue of Model Railroad Hobbyist. Jack has also been recognized for his excellence in scenery, structures, rolling stock and electrical wiring through several NMRA AP Certificates. The layout has been featured on National Convention tours and is frequently operated among local operators. During national OPSIG events such as Sound Rail the CC&W is part of some of the best operating layouts in the Northwest hosting operators from all over the country.

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Layout Tour, Skagit Valley and Whidbey Island Clinic

Tacoma Clinic Report

Written by Al Babinsky
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By Al Babinsky / All Photos by Chip Van Gilder

MMR Gene Swanson opened the clinic and welcomed the 38 attendees including newcomer Richard who said he models in all scales. Gene also thanked all the Vets in our group for serving. Leo presented Helen McGovern from the Emergency Food Network with a $1760.00 check from donations which our group collected since last November. Helen explained that the money is being used to pay for Break Bags which are given to low income families to provide food for them for weekends and school holidays.

Scratch built weed control train by Kevin Klettke Model of the Month Winner

Scratch built weed control train by Kevin Klettke
Model of the Month Winner

Under announcements it was stated that a long time clinic attendee and great modeler Tony Bentley passed away. Tony’s excellent models were never weathered because Tony did not believe in it. Kurt Laidlaw stated that the Spring Meet would be in May 2016 possibly in Everett. Jack Hamilton announced that he inherited 2000 car bodies to be used in clinics. Wayne Miller mentioned that the Clinic Layout book was up front to be looked at. Anyone willing to have his layout included in the book please bring a description and photos. Wayne also said that his 4′ x 9′ layout will be given away to someone that wants to give it a good home. Our video librarian Mike Shaw reported that the Video library is going away and the Videos and VHS tapes will be given away or sold.

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Tacoma Clinic

Mount Vernon Clinic meets Nov 24

Written by John O'Connell
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By John O’Connell / Photos by Al Carter

Amtrak AMD-103 — at Vancouver, Washington (Amtrak station).

Amtrak AMD-103 — at Vancouver, Washington

(Editor’s note – in 2016 the Mt. Vernon clinic is moving to the second Thursday of the month.)

Date: Tuesday, November 24
Time: 7:00 PM
Where: Mount Vernon Senior Center, 1401 Cleveland Street, Mount Vernon (the Clinics page has a map link)

Program:
George Stephenson, owner and operator of the Mt. Vernon Terminal Railway, will tell us about the business and operations of this local rail line.

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Grab-Iron, Mt Vernon Clinic