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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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Click to enlarge photo

 

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

Click photo for enlargement

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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Click to enlarge

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Achievement Program, Olympia Clinic

Olympia Clinic October Minutes

Written by Al Lowe
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Jim Sabol / Photo by Ed Liesse

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Robert and Sherry Grove graciously opened their beautiful home and Wyoming-themed model railroad to 24 happy modelers and guests at our regular third-Friday get-together. Distinguished guests included Ed Liesse, PNR board member; Walt Huston, PNR president; and Ken Liesse, 4th Division Superintendent. The executive trio was in attendance to present our own Jim Younkins with his NMRA Master Model Railroader, the 488th modeler ever to achieve that rank. (See related story.)

Olympia Coordinator Ted Eggleston had a full slate of activities for the evening including tips, favorite models, and clinic and door prizes (many donated by Charles Lundberg). Paul Vaughn showed his ingenious yet inexpensive homemade switch controllers and later added a mini-clinic on resin-casting tall pieces.

We heard a short report on Tom Murray’s plans for developing the Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad visitor center in three phases: first, a logging camp; second, a steam sawmill; and third, his 7½”-gauge railroad and a fully-rigged spar tree.

Beautifully crafted models were shown and described by Scott Groff,MikeVanderhoof, Jim Younkins, and Ryan Bates. Ryan’s kit-bashed and scratchbuilt Washington Iron Works mobile logging yarder won most popular model and will be a showpiece on Ry’s McCloud River Railroad. (See McCloud Railroad Progress Report for more details.)

Click photo for enlargement

Jim and Mary Sabol presented the clinic, based on the book “Clothshell Scenery.” Jim, Mary, and Tom Todd had three little modules covered with basic clothshell ground in about ten minutes, with nothing to clean up, nothing to drip, and nothing to spill.

Ron and Carol Beghin offered their home for the December social get-together on December 14, one week earlier than usual. Speaking of the holiday season, you’d be in for a treat if you drive by Greg Wright’s home on the way to the Olympia meeting in December. Greg and Susan go all out with decorations and their house and yard are a stunning Thurston County showplace of Christmas lights.

Once again everyone present held a winning door prize number and carried home some treasure. “Itza muracle!” exclaimed Jim Elder.

Olympia Clinic

Tacoma Clinic October Minutes

Written by Al Babinsky
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Al Babinsky

MMR Gene Swanson opened the clinic and welcomed all to the October clinic. Announcements were made for 4D Board of Directors Meeting on November 17th. November is National Model Railroad Month, the Boeing Model Railroad Club swap meet is on the 2nd Saturday in November, the 10th.

We had 35 modelers in attendance; three were newcomers. Bob McDuff is starting modeling in ON30 logging operations, Bill Gillespie and his friend Mike model in N scale.

George Bourcier presented what’s new in the Hobby Shop with books, 0-6-0 sound-equipped switcher from Mantua, and ready to use building from Woodland Scenics in N, HO, and O scale.

The Model of the Month contest had a number of models two of which were Dave Faussett’s entries in the Narrow Gauge Convention model contest. His black smith car won 2nd place and his other entry 3rd place. Dale Kraus had a substation and 15,000 volt transformers for catenary and a 760 mm scratchbuilt turntable. Scott Groff brought an O scale resin freight house kit slightly modified with individual planks on the loading platform. Jim Murrey had a Milwaukee Road Train shed built from three Walthers kits plus some extra parts; the shed featured scratchbuilt floodlight towers. Paul Vaughn showed some SN3 cars and a HO building converted into S scale. Patrick showed a planted field using corrugated cardboard as rows and green pipe cleaner as plants. Stew showed a 30-year-old work car kit and Walt Houston a 14-car reefer set. Chip had some old passenger cars he picked up at a swap meet that he was going to redo but found out that they were cardboard kits with the sides made of individual cardboard strips. The Model of the Month winner was Scott Groff’s O scale freight house.

The clinic was presented by Paul Vaughn on a three-color signal system originally designed in the 70s and updated for modern use with LEDs. The system was reasonable in cost and easy to build. The information for this system is online here.

Next month’s clinic will be at our usual place in the Pierce County Library Admin. Bldg. at the corner of 112th Street and Waller Rd. at 7:30 PM. The clinic will be presented by Paul Rising on scratch building. We will also present a check to NW Food Network from the donations that we have collected in the past year.

Tacoma Clinic

Eastside Gets Wet

Written by Ken Liesse
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Ken Liesse

It would probably be a good idea to get the report of last month’s meeting out before this month’s takes place.

JJ Johnston welcomed everyone back from summer break and gave us a recap of the Narrow Gauge Convention that was just ended. There were about 1,700 folks who attended, representing 17 different countries and 41 states. Dave Woodrell did a tribute to Brian Ellerby, which JJ will try to get for one of our clinics. Thanks to the core group of about 20 people who came together to put the convention on.

In our gathering were brothers Walt and Allan Scotson, who were in the area visiting. Allan is from Finland and was having a grand time touring railroad attractions in the area. Both brothers are also ministers, so they felt right at home sitting in front of Pastor Bob Rorabaugh.

Roger Ferris and Bobj Berger presented the Mart and Stu Rogers provided the video library. Di Voss won Model of the Month by default, since he was the only one who brought anything. Guess folks were having too much fun in all the sun we had over the summer to do any modeling. For the tip of the month, Mike Murray showed us the Pricom Dreamplayer, a sound playing device that works off an ordinary SD memory card.

After the break, Eastside favorite Dave Hikel gave us a wonderful clinic on making water using Envirotex. Envirotex is a commercial product that can be found at Ace Hardware, TruValue or on the Internet. The product is a two-part epoxy that cures clear in about three days with zero shrinkage. It is a sensitizer, so gloves, a respirator and a well-ventilated area are a must when working with Envirotex. Dave showed us how to mix the parts together and how they self-level once poured. Special effects can be done by agitating the mixture at various times during the curing process, including forming waves or ripples on the water. The water can also be colored by adding plastic coloring during mixing. Another option is to paint the river (or lake) bed before hand as the water does dry clear. All in all a very neat product for making realistic water for your layout.

Eastside’s next meeting will be held October 18th.

Eastside Get-Together (Redmond) Clinic

NMRA InfoNet News for October

Written by Al Lowe
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Gerry Leone, NMRA Communications Director

About half of the money needed to meet the “matching gift” to the Magic of Scale Model Railroading exhibit at the California State Railroad Museum has been raised. An anonymous donor has offered $250,000 if we can raise a matching amount. In addition to NMRA member donations, manufacturers have made substantial donations. No NMRA dues are used to fund this project. Watch for an article in the November issue of NMRA Magazine for more details on the exhibit and fund raising efforts.

The newly formed NMRA Marketing Department is working with Amtrak stations in major cities to get modular layouts placed there in an effort to raise awareness of our hobby.

  • The NMRA website is undergoing a facelift and update under the direction of our new IT Director, Ben Sevier, and his web team. Members should see the changes within the year.
  • As part of an effort to improve communications with members, and specifically those who don’t receive NMRA Magazine, the NMRA leadership team is discussing adding an “eBulletin,”  a short, concise emailed newsletter which will list NMRA news, announcements, and other important information. It won’t replace NMRA Magazine, but instead will be an adjunct to it and will be available free to those members with email. A proposal will be made to the Board of Directors in February.
  • The Executive Handbook and By-Laws Committee is currently working diligently to simplify and shorten both documents, making it easier to understand our organization and how it’s run.
  • The Winter Board of Directors Meeting will be held inAtlanta,Georgia, February 8-10, 2013. All NMRA members are welcome to attend. Times and location to be announced.
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Eastside Get-Together scheduled for Thursday, October 18

Written by Al Lowe
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JJ Johnston

The Eastside Get-Together will be this Thursday, October 18 at 7:30 p.m., at the Bellevue Four Square Church. Don’t miss this meeting featuring our very own Russ Segner with a slideshow presentation about the work he and others are doing on the DuPont Railroad. As Russ says, “We’re model building at 12 inches to the foot, restoring a narrow gauge flatcar from rotten boards and rusty steel to brand new.”

Also lots of stuff for sale, the video library, the Model of the Month, free coffee & donuts (donations accepted) and our great array of door prizes donated from The Inside Gateway, plus lots to talk about and new friends to make.

See you down the track!

Eastside Get-Together (Redmond) Clinic