Grab Iron Posts

By Emily Boersma, Volunteer & Program Coordinator

Here is a great opportunity to run trains in person at “Day Out With Thomas”.

Northwest Railway Museum in Snoqualmie is recovering from the COVID epidemic.

Their annual “Day Out With Thomas” event is back on, after a year hiatus. Come and help them celebrate, and satisfy your craving to run model trains, and to rub elbows with prototype trains, too.

Day out With Thomas is on July 9, 10, 11 and 16, 17, 18, 2021. We will want to have at least two volunteers each of those days who can monitor and run the O scale layout for visitors. ( This is not the Hi-Rail module layout. This is the layout and trains which were saved from the Bellingham Railway Museum. There is also an N scale layout, which visitors run themselves. ) If we have two volunteers each of those days, we can have at least one stationed at the O scale layout and the other can rove around the Train Shed Exhibit Hall to answer questions, keep an eye on things, and direct people through the hall.

Shifts would be from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. Half day shifts are also available.
Because of crowding, face masks are required while at the Museum, even if you are vaccinated.
Bring your own name tag. ( You probably have one, from other shows. )
Food and beverages are not available on-site. But there are picnic tables, an outdoor lounge area, and a refrigerator.
On-site parking is limited, so plan to get there early.

Anyone interested is welcome to contact the Museum directly.
Emily Boersma
Volunteer & Program Coordinator
425-888-3030 x 7203 or 425-772-8870
Emily@TrainMuseum.org

Here is a link to the volunteer application that you will need to fill out for background checks. ( Required by state law. )
https://trainmuseum.org/index.php/component/rsform/form/3-volunteer-application
This is very similar to the form we all fill out for the Pacific Science Center show.

By Ted Becker

This week we are taking a side trip through the realm of printed circuit boards and how you can design your own board and have it made at a very reasonable cost.

4dpnrOrganizer MountVernon is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Arduino Class
Time: May 31, 2021 04:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/98173181344?pwd=Vk82S3BjdCtCZUs5eFNUd1kybUdwQT09

Meeting ID: 981 7318 1344
Passcode: 165446

By Ted Becker

Topics this week will be design considerations for controlling a turntable and some basic information on driving stepper motors. Tentative topic for Session #10 is designing your own printed circuit boards and how to have them made at a reasonable cost.

4dpnrOrganizer MountVernon is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Arduino Class
Time: May 24, 2021 04:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/92305855295?pwd=OFhBSjlPa282azNEd0RnUkc0SFB2dz09

Meeting ID: 923 0585 5295
Passcode: 216344

Al Lowe

Clay Lemming passed away a few months ago and they’re holding his estate sale this weekend.

I just received a telephone call from Bob Barry, Clay’s next door neighbor, who informed me that Clay’s collection of HO equipment hasn’t sold yet, so they’re going to give everything away for free starting tomorrow, Sunday, May 23rd, at 11:00 AM at Clay’s home, 1913 22nd Street, Anacortes.

I don’t know any more about it. I just told him I’d pass along the information. Good luck.

For those of you who were not able to attend the 2021 Virtual Spring Meet today, were we fortunate to have new NMRA member, Jacob Wright, unveil the 4th Division’s new private Facebook group. He gave a short presentation on how to join and went over the many features that members can use to keep connected and to continue to build community among the 4th Division .

A 4th Division social media team has been formed to focus on enhancing the 4D’s social media presence. Facebook was the team’s first step thanks, in part, to Jacob reaching out to Russ Segner to volunteer.

Jacob led the Facebook effort and will be the main point of contact for ongoing questions. He can be reached at facebook_admin@4dpnr.com.

You can follow this link https://www.facebook.com/groups/4dpnr and request to join the Facebook group. You can also search in Facebook for “4D PNR” and select the private group.

Before you submit your request to be added to the group, you will be required to answer some basic questions and agree to the group rules. The goal is to keep all conversations and posts NMRA and train centric.

The current administrators for the Facebook group are Jacob Wright, Larry Sloan, and Lisa Murray.

Going forward, the team will be announcing other social media updates, like creating/maintaining an Instagram account and re-igniting the 4D’s Twitter account (which has been dormant since 2015).

If you would be interested in volunteering and helping with the social media effort, please contact Lisa Murray, Communications Chair, at communications@4dpnr.com.

Thanks!
Lisa Murray, Communications Chair

Link to Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/4dpnr
Contact for Facebook questions: facebook_admin@4dpnr.com

Al Lowe

This Saturday morning at 10:00 AM the 4th Division will host its annual Spring Meet. This includes our legally required annual meeting for all members, to be hosted by Superintendent Russ Segner.

There will be two clinics, by Gary Jordan and Di Voss, that you won’t want to miss, plus a short speech by 4D member Jim Sabol on “How to Get the Most Out of Being a Model Railroader.”

Burr Stewart will open the meeting around 9:30 for those who like to drink coffee and chat. (Coffee provided by you, at home, of course.) You’ll be home on time – since you’ll never leave home!

Here’s the Zoom information you need to log in. To eliminate zoom-bombers, you will have to be admitted to the meeting so be sure your real first and last names are displayed in Zoom.

See you Saturday!

Topic: 4DPNR Spring Meet 2021

Time: May 22, 2021 10:00 AM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86490912590?pwd=ZGR6OHo0Z1VHRXQzMXQva3MwME1KUT09

Meeting ID: 864 9091 2590

Passcode: 896122

One tap mobile

+12532158782,,86490912590# US (Tacoma)

+13462487799,,86490912590# US (Houston)

Dial by your location

+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)

+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)

+1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose)

+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)

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+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)

Meeting ID: 864 9091 2590

Eastside Virtual Clinic will be held on THURSDAY, May 20, 2021 at 7:00 PM (lobby opens at 6:45 PM ) PDT

Our next Eastside Clinic will be held virtually on ZOOM this Thursday, May 20, starting at 7:00 PM with our virtual lobby opening at 6:45 PM.  I would like to extend an invitation to all the 4^th Division to virtually attend this Thursday.  So be sure and save the date for the May Eastside Clinic this Thursday, May 20 at 6:45 PM!  The log in info for the clinic is below.   

The Eastside Clinic is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting:

Topic: Eastside Virtual Clinic for May 2021
Time: May 20, 2021, 06:45 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting at:
https://zoom.us/j/93259679083?pwd=YnJoOCs5Z2lraTcrYnJKZUhZbUFjUT09
Meeting ID: 932 5967 9083
Passcode: 133559

Our Clinic this month is titled “Robin Explains What LCC Means”.  Our clinician will be, Robin Peel, an outstanding modeler in the 4^th Division.  He will explain what “Layout Command Control” is.  How is LCC different from DCC? Robin will explain the basics of LCC and show how he built a simple LCC demonstration module.  Questions are encouraged!

After the Clinic, there will be an opportunity for other folks to show off their latest model work in our “Show and Brag” event. 

Alex Brikoff, 05/18/2021    

By Ted Becker

Mount Vernon Virtual Clinic will be held on Monday, May 17, 2021 at 7:00pm. Meeting opens at 6:30ish.

Topic this month is David Sherwood on improving Bachmann Spectrum HO heavyweight passenger cars. David’s coverage is thorough and many of his ideas are applicable to other cars.

4dpnrOrganizer MountVernon is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Mount Vernon Clinic, May 2021
Time: May 17, 2021 06:30 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/91063944689?pwd=TTYwdTM5YXRqQ1ZIeFNUQzNTNTRoQT09

Meeting ID: 910 6394 4689
Passcode: 842506

Al Lowe

Don’t forget: this Saturday morning, May 22nd, your 4th Division will hold its annual Spring Meet. I hope you can join us. Complete Zoom details are below. This year’s theme is utilizing new technology in our hobby.

Burr Stewart will open the Zoom session at 9:30 AM for chat, help with logging in, and general assistance. Please provide your own coffee and donuts. I may even ask for video evidence!

At 10:00 AM, we’ll begin with a clinic by new MMR #626, Gary Jordan on how he set up operations on his Gilpin Tram Railway during the pandemic using Zoom. Utilizing old cell phones for video, it didn’t cost a lot but allowed operators from across the U.S.

After Gary’s clinic, Superintendent Russ Segner will host our annual 4D business meeting. Since the division is a non-profit, tax law requires us to hold at least one annual meeting. This is it! Russ has some important announcements, including our new social media offering.

Then, MMR #325 Di Voss will show you how he built a virtual Everett & Monte Cristo in Trainz to go along with his “real” E&MC. I’m really looking forward to this one.

Then Russ will present a few awards to deserving 4D members, including the 2021 Golden Grab Iron Award.

Finally, our guest speaker, Jim Sabol, will present “Some Thoughts on the NMRA.”

We should be done around noon; we all know how model railroaders hate to miss a meal!

Here’s the Zoom information you need to log in. To eliminate zoom-bombers, you will have to be admitted to the meeting so be sure your real first and last names are displayed in Zoom

Topic: 4DPNR Spring Meet 2021

Time: May 22, 2021 10:00 AM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86490912590?pwd=ZGR6OHo0Z1VHRXQzMXQva3MwME1KUT09

Meeting ID: 864 9091 2590

Passcode: 896122

One tap mobile

+12532158782,,86490912590# US (Tacoma)

+13462487799,,86490912590# US (Houston)

Dial by your location

        +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)

        +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)

        +1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose)

        +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)

        +1 646 558 8656 US (New York)

        +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)

Meeting ID: 864 9091 2590