Skip to main content

Grab Iron Posts

Custom Train Table Donation in Greater Seattle Area

Written by Cliff Green
Leave a Comment

Michael Highsmith

The following is from G. Deo. Please e-mail him at rigs2011@gmail.com for details, including a specific location:

We live in the greater Seattle area. We have a custom built train table that never got used for creating the layouts that it was meant for. Now we are downsizing and moving away. We would like to donate it. It is pretty big 8’L x 4’W x 3’H. Please see the picture below.

They will need to come pick it up since we do not have a big enough vehicle to transport it.

Custom train table available as a donation.

Custom train table available as a donation.

Member Ads,

Have a JAM Breakfast on Thursday, July 2nd

Written by Cliff Green
2 Comments

David Yadock

Thursday, July 2nd marks the birthday of John Allen. He constructed the famous Gorre and Daphetid Railroad (pronounced “gory & defeated”). It was a true model railroading marvel. The Gorre & Daphetid Yahoo group usually celebrates with a JAM (John Allen Memorial) breakfast. John Allen was a real pioneer in model railroading. Just like Frank Ellison, Whit Towers, and many others, he promoted many of the things we now take for granted in our model railroading hobby. So help celebrate his birthday by having a hearty breakfast!

Layout Tour, News, Operations, , ,

Eastside Get-Together on Thursday, Ted Becker Presenting Servos for Switches

Written by Cliff Green
Leave a Comment

JJ Johnston

Reminder: The Eastside Get-Together meets Thursday (tomorrow), June 18st at 7:30 pm at the Bellevue FourSquare Church. Our speaker will be our own Ted Becker presenting his special clinic on servos for switches. This program has been ranked as outstanding by those who have heard Ted. This will be our last meeting before the summer break so please plan to attend.

For Eastside Get-Together location and other information, see the 4D Clinics page.

Eastside Get-Together (Redmond) Clinic,

Mooselips Model Railroad Display at Palmer, Alaska Colony Days

Written by Marty Quaas
Leave a Comment

Marty Quaas

This weekend, June 12-14, the City of Palmer, Alaska will be celebrating its heritage with the annual Colony Days celebration. Along with a parade, antique cars, fire trucks, and tractor pull, the HO scale Mooselip Model Railroad will be on display Saturday, June 13 from 10 AM until 3 PM in the old Palmer depot.

All are invited to stop by and visit the imaginary town of Mooselip and see how much fun model railroading can be.

The Alaska Section, , ,

Westside Clinic in Bremerton Tuesday, June 9, 7 pm

Written by Cliff Green
Leave a Comment

Bill Hupé

This coming Tuesday, June 9th, is our next Westside Clinic in Bremerton. Steve Hauff has stepped forward and will present one of his excellent clinics.

Please bring an item you worked on this past winter. We will have our usual “Model Contest” and “Show And Tell.” Coffee and cookies will be provided. Please come and bring a friend.

For those visiting us for the first time our clinics are held at the United Way of Kitsap Building, 647 4th Street, Bremerton, WA.

See you at 7 pm.

Westside Local Clinic

Paul Scoles Layout on PBS Tracks Ahead

Written by Cliff Green
1 Comment

Cliff Green

According to a reliable source (Russ! As forwarded to him from Fred …) Paul Scoles’ Sn3 scale Pelican Bay & Railway Navigation Company layout will be featured on the Tracks Ahead program on PBS Channel 8 (Seattle area – 108 hi-def on many of the cable channels) at 8:30 am this morning (June 7, 2015). Yes, this is late notice, so you may be able to catch it on a re-broadcast.

Layout Tour,

Return to the White Pass & Yukon Railroad

Written by Cliff Green
1 Comment

By Lee Bishop

Heading up the grade, halfway to Fraser.

Heading up the grade, halfway to Fraser.

Early in the morning on May 27, 2015, my wife and I arrived at Skagway, Alaska to ride the 3-foot gauge White Pass & Yukon Railroad. We had arrived on the cruise ship Norwegian Jewel out of Seattle for a round trip to Skagway and stops in between. For me, the White Pass was the highlight of the trip for the activities ashore.

Read More

Articles, Railroad History, , ,

Last Call for MAKING TRACKS

Written by Al Lowe
Leave a Comment

Russ Segner, 4D Superintendent

“How and why we build our layouts”

Our Spring Meet is tomorrow, Saturday, June 6, at the Bellevue Sheraton.

We have designed a program to give insights and ideas on building layouts.  Lots of questions will be answered, such as how big to build? Or what era and prototype to use for ideas? What about operations? Do you build alone or with others in a group or club?

Several MMRs and others will share their experiences and what inspires them in the hobby.  So, come with your questions.  Meet and share ideas with model railroaders from across the Fourth Division.

A bonus is your chance to see several layouts on Sunday afternoon.  Descriptions and locations will only be available to those attending Saturday.

During the lunch break, the Division will hold its Annual Meeting. Several awards will be presented, including The Golden Grab Iron Award.  You will also get to see our redesigned website and Grab Iron.

We sincerely hope you will attend. If you’re not already registered, you can register at the door. See you tomorrow!

 

SPRING MEET SCHEDULE

Sheraton Bellevue

Registration Opens 8:00

 

Session Room

Session Room
 

Snoqualmie North

Snoqualmie South
Session One

0900

to

1000

 Fast Tracks

Mike Shaw

 A Prototype Layout

Bill Messecar, MMR
Session Two

1030

to

1130

 Modular Operations

Rich Blake
Thomas Dye

 Prototype Panel

Di Voss, MMR

Burr Stewart

Jim Younkins, MMR
Luncheon

 

Annual Report

Grab Iron Presentation

Awards
Session Three

1400

to

1500

 Freelancing

JJ Johnston

Ron Hopkins

David Yadock

 Large Layout Panel

Al Frasch

Mike Highsmith

Jim Sabol
Session Four

1530

to

1630

 Trackside Details

Tom Beaton

 Bridge Design

Max Maginness, MMR

Sunday’s layout information distributed at close of meeting

 

Convention or Meet, Superintendent’s Message

Brent Carlson HO Model Railroad Estate Sale

Written by Cliff Green
Leave a Comment

Bobj Berger

After the Thursday night Seattle-North Clinic Annual Trainroom Tour we will be having a giant HO model railroad estate sale of the Brent Carlson collection! There are hundreds of vehicles and hundreds of structures ranging from small outbuildings to multi-story factories, apartments and commercial buildings, in plastic, plaster and wooden laser cut. There are scenery supplies, ceramic Christmas building collections, billboard car collection, rolling stock, locomotives, power supplies, tools and a complete multi-level railroad for sale. Prices begin at $1.00, make a pile, make a deal! Reasonable offers entertained.

Read More

Member Ads,

Pan Am Railways Shop Tour, Waterville, Maine

Written by Cliff Green
2 Comments

George Chambers

The Pan Am Railways began in 1981 as the Guilford Transportation Industries and consists of the former Boston and Maine, Maine Central, Portland Terminal Co. and the Springfield Terminal Railway. The railroad runs from Mattawamkeag, Maine to Rotterdam Jct. New York. The name was changed to Pan Am Railways in 2006 when owner Tim Mellon bought the “Pan Am” trademark name from the defunct airline. The railway HQ is in North Billerica, MA.

While on a vacation trip on May 19, 2015, my wife Sally and I toured the locomotive and car shop of the Pan Am Railways. Sally’s brother Dick is on the board of directors for the railway and set up the tour for us.

Read More

Articles, Railroad History