Bobj Berger
Massive HO Model Railroad Collection Estate Sale, everything goes! (This is from the Brent Carlson estate.)
Friday Nov 20th from 2 pm to 6 pm and Saturday Nov 21st from 10 am to 2 pm.
Grab Iron Posts
Everything You Wanted To Know About 3D Printers
JJ Johnston
Join us this coming Thursday, November 19th at 7:30 for an information loaded presentation on 3D printers from one of our favorite instructors, Dave Hikel.
Payback Donations
Every year at this time we offer you the opportunity to donate funds to assist someone financially who is a member of the Church where we meet. This is our way of paying back the Church for providing us with a large room for our meetings including staff to set up chairs and tables and then put them away when we are done. The Church also lets us use their kitchen, coffee makers and provides us with coffee, napkins, condiments and cups. (The average donation over the years is about $20 per person.)
Help Needed, Volunteer Now!
Kurt Laidlaw
I am the clinic chairman for the 4th Division’s Spring Meet, to be held next May. While that seems a long time away, from a planning perspective it’s just around the corner. And I need your help.
Hands-On Clinics
We are going to offer two hands-on clinic sessions this year. These will be 3-hour sessions teaching you about some area of interest. I need suggestions from you on what you want to learn. Email me here.
4D Railroad Video Tapes and Art Prints at BEMRRC Swap Meet
Russ Segner
The surplus railroad VHS tapes and digital video discs from the 4th Division Video Library will be available at Saturday’s BEMRRC Swap Meet for a small (nominal) cost. They will be at the membership table. Many are of specialized rail lines and topics. A list of titles is available here (although some of these are already gone).
NMRA members will receive a discount on the videos.
There will also be railroad art prints for sale, some mounted or framed, from a collection recently donated to the 4th Division. Money raised from sales of these items will go into a fund for special projects.
Training for Christmas, Model Railroading for the Very Young (and Young at Heart)
Tom Stephenson
All Things Train – Bridging the Gap Between Toy and Hobby
Training for Christmas Poster
This is a free event on Saturday, November 14th from 3 pm to 7 pm at Inglewood Presbyterian Church, 7718 NE 141st Street, Kirkland, WA, 98034 (near St. Edwards Park & Bastyr University). It is of special interest for children age 1 to 11 (or 111). There will be boxes of wooden track for layout building, Lego trains and track, railroad games, and train puzzles. This is an event to introduce model railroading to a new generation in an engaging way.
Mt. Vernon Clinic Report for October 27
By John O’Connell / Photos by Nick Muff and John O’Connell
Twenty four were in attendance when Ted Becker opened the Clinic. Ted advised that this is an NMRA, Pacific Northwest Region, 4th Division, sponsored event.
Announcements:
Ted welcomed two guests – George Stephenson, owner of the Mount Vernon Terminal Railway, and Rich Blake from the Skagit Valley and Whidbey Island Clinic.
Regarding upcoming Clinics:
- November – George will talk about his Mt Vernon Terminal Railway and its operations
- December – we’ll have a “Super” Show and Tell evening with possible mini-clinics but forego a presenter as it will be so close to Christmas
Al Carter proposed, for a number of sound reasons, to change the timing of our Clinics to a Thursday earlier in the month. While the first Thursday was agreeable to those present at the Clinic, the inevitable conflict with holidays falling early in a month was further considered and it has been determined that beginning in January 2016, the Mt. Vernon Clinic will be at 7PM on Thursday, January 14 and on the second Thursday thereafter.
Westside November Clinic is Tuesday the 10th
Bill Hupé
This month’s clinic is the first of many designed to help you on your way to being a Master Model Railroader. It will be “Basic Wiring”, lead by Jack Hamilton, MMR.
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.
For those 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.
A Narrower View – Common Carriers
Syd Schofield
Editors note: Welcome to the ninth 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.
In the early days of railroading the track gauge was still up for grabs in many areas and the idea of rolling stock interchange was a question of common track gauge. The typical accommodation is to install dual gauge track. While there were a few exceptions where some lines actually had provisions for swapping the undercarriage on rolling stock to accommodate the gauge change, the Russians and Chinese actually still do that on the Trans-Siberian Railway. Then, too, they have more serious cultural and political problems than did the North American lines where the typical accommodation was a dual gauge track. There were a few lines in the Colorado neighborhood that did exchange equipment on cooperative business arrangements too complex for this discussion.
BEMRRC Annual Swap Meet This Saturday
The Boeing Employees Model Railroad Club Annual Swap Meet is this Saturday, November 14th from 9 am to 4 pm at the Kent Commons Community Center, 525 4th Ave. N, Kent, WA. Admission is $8 with under 16 free. For additional info contact Ed Sherry at swapmeet@bemrrc.com or 206-244-3884.
Santa Train at the Northwest Railway Museum, Two More Steam Trains Added on Dec 18
Peggy Barchi, Marketing/Events Manager
Santa Train at the Northwest Railway Museum
Santa Train® tickets are selling fast at the Northwest Railway Museum with more than 12 trains sold out. Two additional trains have been added on Friday, December 18 (which is the Steam Train excursion day) due to the increase of visitors wanting tickets. For those wanting to experience more of the late afternoon ambiance of holiday lights displays around the Upper Snoqualmie Valley, the later afternoon trains will give a clearer view. Don’t miss your chance to experience this unique holiday tradition that has been going on in Snoqualmie for 46 years. For eight days, beginning November 28, families can take a holiday train excursion aboard Santa Train to visit Santa Claus at the historic Snoqualmie Depot. Children and their families will enjoy music, fresh-baked cookies from coal-fired ovens, hot cocoa and fresh coffee, and a small gift for each child. The two-hour Santa Train® holiday celebration takes place November 28-29, December 5-6, December 12-13, and December 18-19.