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October Tacoma Clinic Report

Written by Al Babinsky
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Al Babinsky / Photo by Chip

MMR Gene Swanson opened the clinic and asked Leon to come forward to make a presentation. Leon presented the NW Emergency Food Network with a check of $1,250.00 which was collected during the last year of clinics.

An announcement about last Saturdays Boeing swap meet was made. Another announcement concerning a donation can at Tacoma Trains Hobby store was made asking that anyone who stops by to ask for the can and make a donation. These donations are to be used by the Hobby Store owner to help youngsters to buy a model train that they otherwise could not afford.

It was mentioned that Tony Bentley is at Manor Care in Tacoma due to a mishap and would be glad for anyone to stop by.

Next month is Dirty Santa, so don’t forget to bring a wrapped gift marked as to the scale and the price to be at your discretion?

Bill Deutscher from Tacoma Trains presented what’s new at the Hobby Shop. He had a number of new items from Lionel, Atlas, Micro-Trains and some calendars and books.

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Model of the Month or as we like to call it, Bring ‘n Brag produced a number of fine models Chris brought a couple of locomotives one with a custom paint job. Scott Croft a kit bashed kit of the Crystal Springs Creamery, Jim Murrey with a building flat of the Milwaukee Road Railroad Express bldg., Dale Kraus a 3 stall engine house for his 760mm narrow gage railroad, Jim Cobb 2 model A trucks, Patrick several hopper cars with loads, and Paul Rising a model of Barnacle Bills Tavern which was the subject of our clinic. The winner was Scott Croft with his creamery.

After the break Paul gave a clinic entitled, “A Case Study in Model Development  and Construction.” The subject was Barnacle Bills Tavern and how it came to be built. The tavern is part of the PSMRE display layout at the Washington State History Museum. The problem was that the building is not there anymore and no pictures exist to our knowledge. Paul was able to find someone that had worked at the tavern and by asking question about the building he was able to come up with a general idea of the building and being an architect was able to convert that information into a plan of the building from which he could construct the model.

An excellent clinic with a couple of great handouts for those who might want to try such an endeavor.

As mentioned next month clinic will be given by Dirty Santa and we hope you can attend and enjoy the evening of fun and food. We will meet at our usual place at the Pierce County Library Admin. Bldg. at the corner of 112th Street and Waller Road at 7:30 PM.

Tacoma Clinic

Eastside Get Together this Thursday

Written by Al Lowe
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JJ Johnston

Reminder: The Eastside Get Together meets this coming Thursday, November 15, 7:30 PM, Bellevue Four Square Church. An exciting evening is planned with a presentation from one our most popular clinicians, Jim Sabol. Jim will present his new clinic on “Plaster-Less Cloth-Shell Scenery” and as always his information, humor and displays are always entertaining.

We always ask this time of year for you to bring a small donation for our annual Christmas Donation Fund to assist in modest financial assistance for a member or two of the Church where we meet. This is in consideration for the Church providing us rent-free space for our meetings, room set-up and the free use of their coffee supplies. Over the past years we have been able to positively impact the lives of several less fortunate people who attend the Church and who have been recommended to us by the Church Pastor. We appreciate your consideration and gifts.

Bobj tells me he will be bringing some built European buildings for sale at the Mart. I have seen these structures and they are extremely well done. As always, video library, model of the month, free coffee, donuts and good times.

Eastside Get-Together (Redmond) Clinic

Eastside Get-Together October report

Written by Al Lowe
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Ed Liesse / Photos by Ed Liesse

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JJ Johnston welcomed a smaller than usual group of attendees this month (Presidential debate? Seahawks game?). Announcements included the Ravensdale Train Show, October 20–21, the 33rd Boeing Club Swap Meet in Kent, November 10, and the next 4th Division Board of Directors meeting, November 17 at Mitzel’s Restaurant in Kent.

There was no video library or Mart this month. There were three Model of the Month entries. David Yadock won (again) with his scratchbuilt King Truss trestle.

After a short break, Russ Segner gave a presentation on the DuPont Museum and the restoration work being done there. He said Fred Foreman, head of Public Works for DuPont, is leading the rehabilitation effort at the museum. The townspeople are also getting behind the effort and have provided a covered shelter and electricity for the on-going work. The current work is the rebuilding of a 3-foot, narrow gauge flatcar. There is a sibling car at Ft. Lewis that provides an overview of the finished product. Pictures of the DuPont car before reconstruction started revealed the extent of work to be done! The work crew is usually 4–5 people but more are welcome. It’s full scale, 12″ to the foot modeling! If you’re interested in helping out and getting experience rebuilding full-size railroad cars, give Russ a call at 425-228-7327 for more information.

The next meeting will be Thursday, November 15. This will also be our chance to make donations for our annual gift to the church for the support of those in need.

Eastside Get-Together (Redmond) Clinic

4D Board Meeting Set

Written by Ken Liesse
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Ken Liesse

The next Board of Director’s meeting of the 4D will be held at 1:00 on Saturday, Nov. 17th. However, the location has changed from our normal spot. We will be meeting at Mitzel’s on 84th in Kent. From Hwy 167, take the Central Ave./84th exit and go north one stoplight. Mitzel’s is on the right.

Any member of 4D is welcome to attend the BOD meeting. If you have business you’d like to bring before the Board, send an agenda item to either Secretary Jean Melvin or myself by the Wednesday before the 17th.

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Skagit Valley and Whidbey Clinic

Written by Gordon Garnhart
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Gordon Garnhart

There were 30 people gathered at the Summer Hill Retirement Facility on Wednesday, October 10th. The program for the evening consisted of a series of mini-clinics on a variety of topics pertinent to model railroading. All of the presentations were enhanced by the use of a small television camera focused on the model being discussed and the hands of the presenter. The signal from the camera was fed into a laptop computer and from there to a digital slide projector which projected the action onto the wall. This arrangement enabled people in the back of the room to see the activity as well as those in the front row. Rich got the ball rolling with a demonstration on how to simulate a rusty surface on a model. The prototype surface would be iron or steel, of course. But the technique can be applied to any kind of surface on a model, such as the plastic body of an automobile.

Steve Jaffray explained how to apply special texture details to a model by using MicroMark’s rivet decals. Then Phil Gonzales covered several aspects of fine tuning freight car trucks. Rich Blake showed and discussed several kinds of switch stands.

Skagit Valley and Whidbey Island Clinic

Seattle-North Clinic Get First Look at Mart

Written by Jeff Moorman
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Bobj Berger

The first Thursday in November is Seattle-North Clinic night. And if you attend tomorrow night, you will be among the first to view two new collections.

First, this will be this clinic’s first look at Roger Ferris’ personal collection, now that he and Ida have relocated to a much smaller home. Much brass, and quality train items collected over the past 50+ years.

Secondly, this will be the first viewing ever of a collection of around 150 quality-built HO structures from a local museum collection. This was part of an annual Christmas display for many years and has been in storage for some years. There were 18 large cardboard boxes of built plastic structures. Homes, stores, city buildings, churches, HUGE Baden depot (list price over $140 in Walthers). We have been told the structures are Faller, Heljan, Pola, etc. The boxes have been opened, but the structures will be removed for the first time at the Seattle-North Clinic on November 1st.

A couple of photos follow. Be there or be an even sided rectangle.

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Seattle-North Clinic

Next Seattle North Clinic is the Day after Halloween

Written by Jeff Moorman
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By Jeff Moorman

Please come join us this Thursday (November 1) for our next clinic.

I am not yet 100% sure, but I anticipate will be talking stripwood – weathering and using it for simple projects around the layout.

Last month Rob J gave us an update on the new OmNi-Rail N scale module standards, but since I couldn’t be there, I do not have any more details.

I do owe you an update on September’s activities, though. There was no clinic presentation per se, but rather a round robin on attendee’s railroad related adventures over the summer. The stories were numerous and varied.

Show and tell was also varied. I had an Enkay brand “Helping Hands” soldering station. As a soldering station it was OK, but it had a very nice battery powered, lighted magnifying glass with excellent depth of field. Dennis T had three nice N scale flats with lumber loads. Stu had an N scale transfer caboose he had made. A most amazing thing happened with that display. A ladder had come off the caboose sometime between when Stu arrived and when it was placed on the show and tell table. And, later on we actually found that ladder. I cannot always find a pair of pliers I lay down on my own workbench, yet` this N scale ladder was discovered on the other side of a large meeting room. Like I said – amazing!

Bob (I think) had a very nicely done HO pump house kit he had built. And Rob J had some old time HO cars he had come across. They sure brought back memories for some in attendance. One was an Ideal wrecking crane and the other an Ambroid snow plow. By the way, that is not a typo – Rob actually brought some “HO” equipment.

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 enter the lower, left side of the church from the rear lot.

Meetings are the first Thursday of each month, except July and August. In June we usually do a tour. Doors open around 7:00 PM and the program starts at 7:30.

Remember the next meeting is November 1.

Hope to see you there or at least sometime on down the line.

Seattle-North Clinic

Jim Younkins Named MMR #488

Written by Al Lowe
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Ken Liesse / Photos by Ed Liesse

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On October 19th, PNR President Walt Huston and I presented Jim Younkins with his Master Model Railroader award #488. A lot of hardware is involved with becoming an MMR and it took both of us to give it all to Jim.

If you’ve ever seen Jim’s “Mud Bay & Southern” layout, you know how Jim earned his MMR. If you haven’t, it’s received plenty of press. Jim routinely opens his home during the Olympia Layout Tour, and is part of the Oly Ops operating sessions every November. Jim also schedules operating sessions throughout the year.

The Achievement Program, of which the Master Model Railroader is part, challenges model railroaders to better their skills through different disciplines in the model railroading hobby. There are 11 areas of work and, when a modeler earns Certificates of Merit in 7 of the 11 areas, he has his MMR. Jim earned his certificates in Electrical, Volunteer, Scenery, Structures, Civil, Author, and Cars. Jim has also earned his Golden Spike Award, often the first step in the A.P. program.

Jim joins other 4D’s other MMRs: Jack Hamilton, Dale Kraus, Max Maginness, Roger Nulton, C.J. Riley, Paul Scoles, Gene Swanson, Di Voss, and David Woodrell. Congratulations, Jim!

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Achievement Program, Olympia Clinic