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Mt. Vernon Clinic Report for October 27

Written by John O'Connell
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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.

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Mt Vernon Clinic, ,

Westside November Clinic is Tuesday the 10th

Written by Cliff Green
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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.

Westside Local Clinic

A Narrower View – Common Carriers

Written by Cliff Green
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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.

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Articles, Narrow Gauge

Santa Train at the Northwest Railway Museum, Two More Steam Trains Added on Dec 18

Written by Cliff Green
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Peggy Barchi, Marketing/Events Manager

Photo courtesy of NWRM

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.

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Northwest Railway Museum

Skagit Valley and Whidbey Island Clinic Oct 2015 Report, Mini-Clinics

Written by Cliff Green
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Rich Thom / Photos by Rich (unless noted)

Clinic Chair Rich Blake welcomed 25 folks to the Skagit Valley & Whidbey Island Clinic’s October meeting at the Summer Hill facility in Oak Harbor, especially welcoming new guests Glen Sherwood, Doug Seward, and James Golder. Jim has acquired two second-hand HO layouts and is busy planning how to combine them in the available space offered by a three-car garage. Rich reviewed the calendar of upcoming events, highlighting the 42nd annual Pacific Science Center Model Railroad Show, 16-18 January 2016. SV & W clinic members have supported this popular show for years and continued volunteering was encouraged. Susan Gonzales, our energetic program chair, first mentioned the Oct. 24th self-drive visit to the Northwest Railway Museum, Snoqualmie for a personalized tour of the Conservation & Restoration Center and other facilities, and train ride. (As this is written, a successful outing completed.) Susan then reviewed the season’s line-up of clinics. On November 11th a brand new program by Bob Stafford, retired BNSF trainmaster, will describe prototype operations in Bellingham, Everett’s Delta Yard, and other places. In December, Dick Haines tackles a weighty question which many of us of a certain age ponder: “just what exactly will become of my treasures when I no longer need them?” In January, a “make and take” is on the program (item to be “made and taken” still undecided).

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Skagit Valley and Whidbey Island Clinic

Pacific Science Center Train Show Volunteers Needed

Written by Cliff Green
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David Yadock

Volunteers Needed??

You bet! Yes, the Pacific Science Center Show is not very far away. We will be requiring lots of volunteers this year to help during the 3-day event. So, please mark your calendars for January 16-18, 2016 (MLK weekend) and be ready to help out the 4D model railroad community. Please don’t forget that some assistance will be needed on Friday evening January 15th for exhibit set-up. This train show is a great way to promote the hobby to a diverse audience. The Pacific Science Center provides the perfect venue to give non-model railroaders a chance to see trains up close. Let those folks experience the fun in model railroading as well as learn about our hobby.

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Model Train Show

Dr. Roger Ferris Honored as NMRA Fellow

Written by Cliff Green
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Jack Hamilton / Photos by Jeff Moorman

(Editors note: Jack presented this award to Dr. Ferris at the Seattle North Clinic on November 5, 2015.)

Photo by Jeff Moorman

Three Fellow of the NMRA award winners; from L to R: Gay Liesse, Dr. Roger Ferris, and Ed Liesse

From time to time, the National Model Railroad Association takes special notice of the service and contributions of members and recognizes that contribution through one or more of several special awards. Tonight, on behalf of the NMRA president Charlie Getz, the Board of Directors, and the membership association, I have the honor of recognizing one of our own. Tonight’s honoree is well known to all of us in the Pacific Northwest Region for his years of dedicated service and his boundless energy and willingness to undertake any challenge. His personal leadership has been a mainstay in the success we all enjoy in our hobby and through our membership in the NMRA. He has served as a personal role model for all of us in our dealings with each other and in finding the ways to get the most out of our NMRA fellowship.

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Grab-Iron, News

Mining Continues at Seattle North in November

Written by Jeff Moorman
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By Jeff Moorman

Next Clinic:

Our next clinic is this Thursday, November 5. Our general topic will be mining, continuing the theme started last month.

Important Warning: 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 currently fenced off.

Prior Clinic:

October’s clinic was about coal mining in the Pacific Northwest presented by our 4D Superintendent, Russ Segner. This was an expansion (with some new material) of Russ’ clinic about coal mining in Newcastle, WA, which some of us may have seen previously. It seems like no matter how much you think you know, someone will dig up (pun intended) something new and interesting.

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Seattle-North Clinic

Skagit Valley & Whidbey Ridin’ with the Chiggen at Snoqualmie

Written by Rich Blake
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Rich Blake / Photos by Rich unless otherwise indicated

Former Santa Cruz Portland Cement #2 0-4-0T AKA "The Chiggen" under steam at the Northwest Railway Museum

Former Santa Cruz Portland Cement #2 0-4-0T AKA “The Chiggen” under steam at the Northwest Railway Museum.

SV&W members, friends and family were treated to a special shop tour October 24th at the Northwest Railway Museum in Snoqualmie, WA. This event was set up by our own Susan Gonzales, SV&W Program Coordinator with Northwest Railway Museum Curator Stathi Pappas. Stathi is also owner of the now famous Porter 0-4-0T locomotive affectionately named the “Chiggen” which is being used by the NWRM for their special steam excursion weekends. This locomotive started its service for the NWRM in 2014 and is the first steam operation that the museum has had since 1989.

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Skagit Valley and Whidbey Island Clinic