Skip to main content

Grab Iron Posts

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

Written by Jeff Moorman
Leave a Comment

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.

Read More

Seattle-North Clinic

Attacking the grade

Written by Dale Kraus
Leave a Comment

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
Leave a Comment

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.

IMG_2118

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.

Read More

Layout Tour, Skagit Valley and Whidbey Island Clinic

Tacoma Clinic Report

Written by Al Babinsky
Leave a Comment

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.

Read More

Tacoma Clinic

Mount Vernon Clinic meets Nov 24

Written by John O'Connell
Leave a Comment

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.

Read More

Grab-Iron, Mt Vernon Clinic

Everything You Wanted To Know About 3D Printers

Written by Al Lowe
2 Comments

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.)

Read More

Eastside Get-Together (Redmond) Clinic

Help Needed, Volunteer Now!

Written by Al Lowe
Leave a Comment

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.

Read More

Grab-Iron, News

4D Railroad Video Tapes and Art Prints at BEMRRC Swap Meet

Written by Cliff Green
Leave a Comment

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.

Model Train Show

Training for Christmas, Model Railroading for the Very Young (and Young at Heart)

Written by Cliff Green
1 Comment

Tom Stephenson

All Things Train – Bridging the Gap Between Toy and Hobby

Training for Christmas Poster

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.

Read More

Model Train Show