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Grab Iron Posts

Tell Your Model Train or Railroad Story

Written by Cliff Green
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Cliff Green, Grab Iron Editor

If you’re a new 4th Division (PNR) NMRA member (or a former member that has recently renewed), welcome! Every time a new Grab Iron post is made, e-mail notifications are sent out to those on the notification list. We have a lot of information and some great model train photos on the 4D web site (including all Grab Iron posts) – click here to navigate to the front page.

Photo by Cliff Green

Ron Hopkins On30 layout, under construction with mock-up buildings, in Edmonds, WA.

My job as Grab Iron editor is to publicize info relating to model and prototype railroading in the 4th Division and surrounding areas. I get paid well for this. Not in money (definitely not, hah!), but in the hobby relationships I’ve made and in the personal satisfaction of helping this organization. And I’m guessing that every 4D volunteer would say something similar.

But I don’t produce the content for the Grab Iron and the 4D web site – the articles and posts and web page content (mostly) come from other people. I may organize and edit and manage it, but I don’t originate it. For that I rely on our 4D members and Grab Iron subscribers.

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Grab-Iron, News

Mount Vernon NMRA Clinic Report February 11, 2016

Written by John O'Connell
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By John O’Connell, Photos by Kevin Klettke, Nick Muff and John O’Connell

Eighteen members and one visitor were in attendance at the Mt. Vernon Senior Center when Ted Becker opened the Clinic with welcoming comments and announcements.

Announcements

February 27, 28, Monroe Model Railroad Show and Swap Meet. Visit http://www.unwclub.org/unwshow.html for details.
March 5, Milwaukee Road Meet. Burien, WA. Visit http://www.milwelectric.org/2016-march-milwaukee-meet-march-5-burien-wa/ for updates.
March 10, Mt. Vernon Clinic. Ted Becker, “Steam Locomotive Appliances”
March 19, Santa Fe Mini-Meet, Burien. Visit http://www.atsfrr.com/convention/MiniMeets/17th%20Northwest%20Santa%20Fe%20Mini.pdf for more information.
April 2, Pennsylvania Rail Road Meet, Burien.
April 14, Mt. Vernon Clinic. Dioramas and Mini-Clinics.
May 12, Mt. Vernon Clinic. Kevin Klettke “Fleet Weathering.” This is a reprise of his well-received Clinic at PDX 2015 on efficiently weathering large fleets of rolling stock. Not to be missed. Visit his website at http://wnrr.net.

SONY DSC

Here’s a sample of Kevin’s work. Weathering a truck.

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Mt Vernon Clinic

Eastside Get Together February 18

Written by Russ Segner
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Russ Segner

This month at the Eastside Get Together clinic Burr Stewart will present his program “The 1970 merger of the NP, GN, CB&Q and SP&S into the BN”.

Burr has been railfanning around the Puget Sound area since 1976. One of his motivations for railfanning is for quick and easy ways to incorporate what he sees into his 800 square foot basement HO layout. In this clinic he shares how much fun this has been, and many of the easy ways you can copy the prototype in your model railroading, including rolling stock, right of way, and operations. There will be many pictures of those old paint schemes before they disappeared.

The meeting is at the Redmond Library located at 15990 NE 85th Street (click here for a map). We will start the meeting at 6:45 and end at 8:45. Bring a model or railroad item to share.

Thanks to Dave Cook for leading the meeting and CJ Turner for bringing the refreshments.

Eastside Get-Together (Redmond) Clinic

Opportunity Knocks in Snoqualmie at the NW Railway Museum

Written by Russ Segner
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Russ Segner, 4D Superintendent

There is a lot going on at the Northwest Railway Museum even though it is the off-season. There is exciting and big work happening and this is an opportunity to get involved. Several of us in the 4th Division are already involved – in particular Ken Liesse and Mike Donnelly.

The Museum is going to start construction on the Railway Education Center this spring. We are restoring the Combination Coach 272 giving it a water tight roof and a new floor section. We are switching to a 2-hour train schedule for the upcoming season and excursions will include stops at the Train Shed for all passengers to wander through.

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Northwest Railway Museum

Westside Clinic is Tuesday the 9th

Written by Cliff Green
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Bill Hupé

The next Westside Clinic (in Bremerton, WA) is Tuesday, February 9th, 2016. This month’s clinic is “Basic DCC Programing” and Tom Barrett is presenting.

Please bring a model railroad friend and an item you’ve been working on. As always we will have a “Model Contest” and “Show And Tell.” Coffee and cookies will be provided.

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

HO Layout Moving Sale in Sedro-Woolley

Written by Cliff Green
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Roger Johnson

A hoped for move to smaller quarters this spring meant dismantling a moderately large HO scale layout and I’m now selling thirty plus years’ accumulation of model railroad gear. This includes locomotives, freight cars (RTR and kits), structures (complete and kits), passenger cars, cabooses (RTR and kits), vehicles, decoders, electronics, and track. Please email me (Roger Johnson) at skagitrailbird@gmail.com for a detailed listing.

In the spreadsheet list you will see there are far too many items to photograph everything but I will be happy to provide pictures of specific items upon request. If you are unable to come to the Sedro Woolley area I will ship via a mutually agreed upon method at buyer’s expense (actual cost). Payment may be made by check or cash. What doesn’t sell before February 26th will be going to the United Northwest Monroe train show and swap meet on February 27th and 28th.

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