Carol Enloe, Don Trettel, and I held a recent discussion on the future of Tom Enloe’s Pacific Northwestern Railway (located in Duvall, Washington). Carol and Jennifer (Tom’s daughter) have both expressed a strong interest in keeping the Pacific Northwestern “alive” for the immediate future. To that end, we have tentatively adopted the following schedule:
JJ Johnston at his Eastside Get Together clinic September 17, 2015
JJ Johnston welcomed everyone to the Eastside Get-Together clinic of the 4th Division of the Pacific Northwest Region of the National Model Railroad Association (insert applause here for not stumbling through that statement!). This was the first Eastside clinic after the usual summer break and JJ, as is his custom, introduced the members of the 4D Board of Directors and the MMRs (Master Model Railroaders) in attendance. Bob Rorabaugh introduced his guest Jacob Stearns, who was welcomed to the group.
When I and my wife Tina attended PDX 2015 in Portland, OR this summer, one of the tours we took was to the Oregon Rail Heritage Center. It’s definitely worthwhile! It’s not a large collection but certainly well represented. It’s one of the few places that one can get up close and personal with some the legends of Northwest rail history such as the SP X4449, the SP&S 700 and the Oregon Railroad and Navigation #197 (as well as other exhibits and restored railroad equipment). While we were there, they were in the process of overhauling #4449. Until I got fairly close to it, I simply didn’t realize how massive this locomotive really was! I hope you enjoy my photos!
Editors note: Alex loves to shoot black and white art photography, specially local jazz artists. Check out his website at http://alexbrikoff.com.
Date: Tuesday, October 27
Time: 7:00 PM
Where: Mount Vernon Senior Center, 1401 Cleveland Street, Mount Vernon
Program: “Getting a 1:1 Loco Cab into the Basement”
Have you ever wondered just how to park a real F-7 diesel cab in your basement? Dr. Nick Muff, MMR, will explain just how he did it. Not to be missed!
Seeing is believing!
Steve Depolo, owner of The Inside Gateway hobby store in Woodinville, will be the featured speaker at this week’s meeting on Thursday, October 15th, 7:30 p.m., in the Bellevue Foursquare Church. Steve’s hobby store has provided door prizes for the Eastside Get Together for several years. Steve is also a fantastic modeler so you won’t want to miss this presentation.
Steve will present a clinic on how he uses photos to generate plans for scratch building structures. Learn how to turn styrene into unique structures. Bring something of your own to share. We will have a report of last weekend’s OLY-Ops and the recent Lynden Train Show.
For Eastside Get Together location and other information, see the 4D Clinics page.
The next meeting of the Pennsylvania Railroad Technical & Historical Society Pacific Northwest Chapter is scheduled for October 17th, 1 pm, at the Pacific Northwest Railroad Archive, pnrarchive.org, in Burien. I can be contacted by e-mail at jetrunzo@gmail.com or by cell phone at 509-421-3111.
Last month’s clinic was interesting. We had only seven 4th Division modelers.
Jack Hamilton pulled last month’s clinic “Preparing Rolling Stock for Successful Operation” out of his back pocket.
Jack also talked about PSX 2015 in Portland. He said the Clinics were good. He also talked about the Command Control Initiative. He said although he was no longer a BoD member for the NMRA, he will continue his involvement as the the Chairman of the Membership and Retention Committee. Based on Jack’s track record, I’m sure positive changes will occur.
I opened the clinic as guest moderator since MMR Gene Swanson was not available due to an operation. We had 36 attendees with one newcomer Rachel who stated that she was modeling in Z scale. Dale Kraus, Rick Bacon, and I made an announcement that books, magazines, and modeling material are available on the back tables for the taking.
Bill Sandstrom from Tacoma Trains presented “What’s New at the Hobby Shop” which included items such as tank cars, a SW1 switcher, N scale hoppers, and a GP9 A and B from Walthers, Microtrains, and Athearn Genesis.
Normally I publish a “welcome” post once every three or four months and I published one just three weeks ago. But today I updated the Grab Iron subscriber list with the new and renewed 4th Division members and I noticed we have twenty three (23!) new subscribers, almost three times the usual amount. Is this due to signups at the NMRA National Convention in Portland in August?
Welcome!
Rather than reiterate what I wrote a few weeks ago, please click here to read an introduction to some of what the 4th Division has to offer.
This past September 9th clinic officially started our railroad modeling clinic season for the island dwellers way up north. We had 21 folks in attendance and welcomed some “mainlanders” – namely 4D Superintendent Russ Segner and 4D Membership Chair Bob Rorabaugh. After our usual clinic opening business, Rich Blake gave the floor to Bob who talked briefly about how we as NMRA members can help to share the hobby with “train curious” people at shows and hobby shops. There are many recruitment opportunities out there to help us grow the hobby and membership base but it takes everyone as a team to act on those opportunities to get folks to take the next step. Bob handed out some NMRA business cards that folks could fill out with their contact information. He also provided examples of using old modeling magazines as a vehicle to provide information by stapling an information brochure to it and giving it to someone who may be interested. Good ideas were shared and discussed and at a good time because if you haven’t noticed, most of our core membership is not getting any younger!