The next session will be held Tuesday, September 28, 2021 at 4:00pm via Zoom. Topic this week will be an overview of various types of optical detection and discussion of pros and cons.
We’re Loco for Locos – Open Forum on Locomotive Kitbashing, Superdetailing and Scratchbuilding!
Superdetailed Bay Lumber Company No. 2 15 ton “Tee” boiler shay. (Model by Rich Blake)
Our last clinic of the last season was on the last thing on the tail end of the train – the Caboose. It was a very successful clinic with many volunteers to describe and share their work. Just incase you missed it, YouTube link here https://youtu.be/fTJzl5ZYfrM
We are kicking off the beginning of the virtual season with the Front End of the train – the LOCOMOTIVE!
Volunteers are needed – keep reading.
The locomotive is arguably (and because physics) the most important part of the train – Motive Power is needed to move goods and passengers to their destinations, without which we would not have railroads!
What have you built or detailed? There are endless subjects out there from steam to diesel to electrics. We want to see those superdetailed and kitbashed locos that are the stars of the model railroading show.
NMRA AP for Master Builder Motive Power (MBMP) requires three locomotives – two kitbashed/superdetailed and at least one that is scratchbuilt. If you have achieved MBMP merit awards or hold the Master Builder – Motive Power certificate – we would all be interested in seeing your work for this clinic. The MBMP is one of the most challenging NMRA achievements. https://www.nmra.org/master-builder-motive-power
Many regional and national “Best of Show” models fall into this category. This is a great opportunity to show off your work!
All you need to be able to do to share your work is participate in zoom with a web cam or share pictures/Powerpoint slides from your computer with screen share. You could simply hold up your project and talk about your work. Alternatively, if you have an external webcam or phone/tablet you could show off your model on your layout or workbench. Whatever the case, we need volunteers to make this work so please RSVP via email and I will put you on the crew list for this clinic. Looking for 5-10 minute presentations and up to 10 volunteers. First come first serve, THANK YOU in Advance!!! Let’s make this happen.
The Maple Valley train show started by Henry Holwedell, a local resident and NMRA member, has run continuously for over 20 years, except in 2020. Henry is long gone and we need to keep this show moving if not in his memory. The show is quite small with about 10 layouts located in the Gracie Hansen Center, a gymnasium located in Ravensdale.
Volunteers Needed
The organizer, Steve Hiester has requested us to help and provide 2 or 3 volunteers for the event this year as follows:
Friday 10/15 – Provide security in keeping the public out (usually not a problem) during set up, helping participants find their location on the site map and assisting the one man participants unload their vehicle.
Saturday and Sunday 10/16 & 17 – Maybe collect donations at the door; count the public entering the show; assure public safety that electrical cords etc. remain taped to the floor.
Sunday 10/17 – After closing, provide security in keeping the public out of the building and assist where required in getting the participants and their displays out of the building and loaded in their vehicles.
Please volunteer to help one day; two days or three, every bit helps.
The next session will be held Tuesday, September 21, 2021 at 4:00pm via Zoom. Topic this week will be controlling servos with two pushbuttons per servo.
The Mount Vernon Clinic for Sept. 2021 will be held VIA Zoom at 7:00pm, Monday September 20, 2021. Topic this month will be Nick Muff showing us how he put a F7 Diesel cab in his basement. Meeting will start sometime between 6:30 and 6:45.
Topic for October is TBD. Anyone who wants to share what they have been doing in the hobby is welcome to do so. Contact Ted Becker at rail.bird@att.net to let him know you have something to share.
4dpnrOrganizer MountVernon is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: September Mount Vernon Clinic Time: Sep 20, 2021 06:30 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Eastside Virtual Clinic will be held on THURSDAY, September 16, 2021 at 7:00 PM (lobby opens at 6:45 PM ) PDT
With the cooler days of fall beckoning, it’s time to return to our train rooms as well as the fall and winter line up of 4D sponsored Clinics. So, I’d like to invite everyone to the first Eastside Clinic of the 2021 – 22 season to be held virtually on ZOOM this Thursday, September 16, starting at 7:00 PM with our virtual lobby opening at 6:45 PM. Be sure and save the date for the September Eastside Clinic this Thursday! The log in info for the clinic is below.
Topic: Eastside Clinic for September 2021 Time: September 16, 2021, 06:45 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Our Clinic this month will be “Comparing HO and OO Scales” presented by Robin Peel. Robin will be discussing and comparing the similarities and differences between HO and OO scales. I’m sure that if you’ve ever wondered what the differences are between the two scales (because they are similar), then Robin will be able to clear up any confusion you might have.
After the Clinic, there will be an opportunity for everyone to show off their latest model work that they’ve been working on over the summer in our “Show and Brag” event.
The next session will be held Tuesday, September 14, 2021 at 4:00pm via Zoom. Topic for this week is controlling servos with toggle switches for throwing turnouts.
Subscribe to the group at: https://groups.io/g/MR-Duino. Most communication concerning the sessions will be conducted via that group. Links to the sessions will still be posted here in the GrabIron.
4dpnrOrganizer MountVernon is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Arduino Session Time: Sep 14, 2021 04:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
September’s 4DPNR Zoom layout tours will be presented by Dave Yaddock MMR and Gary Jordan MMR. Dave has been building a large scenery-oriented HO layout modeling a mountain section of the west, based loosely on John Allen’s famous layout, and Gary’s layout is a relatively small O scale layout in which he managed to fit three different track gauges while modeling the Gilpin Tram in the Colorado Rockies. Gary’s presentation will focus on how he has set up his layout for virtual operators running his trains remotely from their home computers.
The link for joining the Zoom meeting on Saturday morning is:
Dave Yaddock MMR and Gary Jordan MMR kick off this fall’s modeling season for the fourth division with tours of their layouts on Zoom, on Saturday September 11 at 10:00am. As usual, the meeting will open about 9:30 for casual conversation, and then their layout tours will begin at 10am and approximately 10:45am. The Zoom info for attending the meeting will be posted in the Grab-Iron a few days before the meeting.
Dave’s HO layout has been featured in a series of Grab-Iron posts in recent months, and is called the “Dry Gulch and Western”. Gary’s layout is in O scale, and features interchanges between standard gauge, 3-foot gauge and 30 inch gauge trains, and he models the Gilpin Tram in the Colorado Rockies. Gary’s presentation will focus on how he had configured his layout for virtual operations during Covid times.
The Arduino sessions are starting up again. A dozen people have shown interest by subscribing to the IO Group set up for these sessions so I am going forward with them. Subscribe to the group at: https://groups.io/g/MR-Duino. Most communication concerning the sessions will be conducted via that group. Links to the sessions will still be posted here in the GrabIron.
The first session of the new season will be held Tuesday, September 7, 2021 at 4:00pm via Zoom. Topic this session will primarily a discussion of what topics to cover in the future.
4dpnrOrganizer MountVernon is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Arduino Session, Sept. 7, 2021 Time: Sep 7, 2021 04:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
