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The 4th Division’s very own JJ Johnston was recently honored in the August issue of the national NMRA Magazine, in the Division Business Car section. In case you missed it, here’s a scan of the article.
Remember: when you’re traveling, check the Magazine’s Club Car section for clinics to attend. This month’s Eastside Get-Together will include an NMRA member from Texas who is traveling in this area!
The 30th Annual Sn3 Symposium will be held in Bellevue, Washington next April 16 – 19, 2015. If you REGISTER TODAY, you’ll save big bucks!
It will be hosted by the same bunch that brought you the great 2012 National Narrow Gauge Convention. With over 15 narrow gauge layouts, 16 great clinics, and lots of time with fellow narrow-gaugers. At least seven Sn3 layouts will be open for operating sessions, with slots filled first-come, first-served.
Held at the excellent Bellevue Sheraton, there will be plenty of room for clinics and contest entries. 75 rooms have been reserved at very good rates for attendees.
For more information, see sn3symposium-2015.com, or email Registrar Robin Peel.
Today is the last day to get the early registration rate!
Wain Miller ended up having a quadruple by-pass and was in surgery for nearly 6 hours. He came out of it very well and will be in ICU for at least 24 hours. He reports a sore throat but is able to speak and the doctors are very pleased with how things have gone. The family wishes to thank the railroad community for its kind words, thoughts and prayers.
I’d like to invite all 4th Division members to the annual Anacortes Antique Machinery Show this Saturday, September 13, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., at 6th and Market, near the old Great Northern depot and the sternwheel steamer “W T Preston.”
Keith Sternberg’s model 4-6-0
There will be exhibits of steam power (both stationary and marine), antique tractors, model builders with engine models, and a handcar operating on the old Great Northern track along Market Street. I will have a temporary short-line railroad of 7-1/2″ gauge track alongside of the steamboat “W T Preston.” My coal-fired ten-wheeler will be in steam with a single-car train. There will be several steam launches on display, wood-fired and oil-fired boats of 18 – 25 foot length. The “W T Preston,” a fine old steamboat built for the Army Corps of Engineers in 1914, will be open for visitors. She has cylinders about 14″ bore and 6-foot stroke, and a locomotive-type boiler.
Admission to the show is free. Admission to board the “W T Preston” is $3.
I built the locomotive using castings from Allen Models. It is 9′ long overall and weighs about 600 pounds. The boiler is state-inspected and allowed 150 psi. Cylinders are 1-3/4″ bore and 3-1/4″ stroke. I often pull a passenger train at the Great Northern & Cascade Railway at Skykomish. I have fired with several types of coal, lately a mix of Pennsylvania anthracite and Utah bituminous. A full head of steam is easily maintained all day, no matter how heavy the load.
I hope you come by Saturday for some really large-scale model railroading!
One of the 4th Division’s best friends and most active members, Wain Miller is facing at least triple by-pass surgery Monday morning at Swedish. Many of us have friends and family who’ve gone through this and know the road ahead. Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family at this time. I will update you on his progress.
Rumors have swirled recently that the long-time publisher of Railroad Model Craftsman was in financial difficulties and would cease operations. Good news! Carsten Publications announced that they have been purchased by White River Productions, which will honor all current subscriptions.
Complete details are on their website.
Eugene (Gene) R. Methven, 92, passed away early in the morning of August 10, 2014. He lived in Maple Valley and attended the Tacoma Clinic often and occasionally the Eastside Get-Together. He rode with Henry Holowedel and, after Henry’s passing, stopped attending because of not driving at night.
There will be a celebration of Gene’s life on Sunday, September 7 from 1:00–3:30 p.m. at the Wilderness Villa Clubhouse, 24100 221st Place, Maple Valley, WA 98038.
See Gene’s complete Seattle Times Obituary here.
Hope you all had a good summer. For a couple of reasons we will forego our September meeting this year and start up the clinic season on October 2, 2014.
Unfortunately this summer we lost our long time liaison with the church. It has taken some time to reach a new understanding of our meeting needs. We’ll still be meeting the first Thursday of the month, but will be moving up to the main floor. In fact, please check the meeting notices carefully for the next several months. We may need to make further temporary changes to accommodate some scheduled renovations in the building.
Also, traffic and travel is expected to be cumbersome throughout the Seattle area on September 4 due to the Seahawk’s home opener.
We meet at the Ronald United Methodist Church, 17839 Aurora Avenue North, Shoreline, WA. That is on the west side of Aurora (State Route 99) between 175th and 185th Streets and more specifically, between the Cadillac dealer on the south and Deseret Industries to the north. Going southbound on Aurora, make a right-hand turn into the church driveway immediately after passing the Deseret location. The parking lot is at the rear of the church. For regular meetings go up the steps to the entrance and go to the Fireside room which is immediately to the left inside the door.
Meetings are the first Thursday of each month, usually September through June. However in June we often do something different, so there may be no “regular” meeting. Doors open at 7:00 PM and the program starts at 7:30.
Remember that there is no meeting this September. The next regular evening meeting is October 2. Hope to see you there or at least sometime on down the line.
The Skagit Valley & Whidbey Model Railroading Clinic will meet in Oak Harbor on Wednesday, September 10th at 7:00 p.m. to begin the new model railroading season.
Rich Blake and team have some great clinics scheduled for your enjoyment and edification this year, beginning with this month’s clinic by Rich himself.
In preparation for the upcoming OPS season (a.k.a. Model Railroad Operations), get a primer on train operations and how to make your ops participation more fun and realistic. This is not a how-to for setting up an operating session, we will focus on how to participate as guest or owner.
We spend considerable time modeling and developing our own operating method for our layouts but, when it comes time to operate on another’s layout, it can be confusing and difficult. We will show how to make life easier during an ops session while emulating the prototype. If time allows, we will also cover car forwarding methods using JMRI.
Remember: come to Summer Hill in OakHarbor on September 10 by 7:00. We will have our customary pre-clinic get-together at 5:15 at the San Remo restaurant, 421 NE Midway Blvd, OakHarbor. Come early and enjoy some great pizza and conversation.
Do you have a fondness for narrow gauge trains or just admire fine modeling? Then you can’t miss the annual 2015 Sn3 Symposium to be held in Bellevue next April 16! This is a national event with participants from all over the world.
The Symposium committee has lined up 16 layouts in several scales, most of which are not usually open. There will be several operating sessions available; clinics by nationally-recognized modelers; a model and photo contest; and vendors from across the nation. The Bellevue Sheraton has been selected as the convention hotel, with easy access to freeways and free parking.
Take advantage of the early registration rate of just $45 until September 10! Check out our website to see all that we have in store for you.