Dan Kellogg has decided to sell his N scale portable layout which he has displayed at the last two MOHAI train shows. It is complete with a custom storage/transport case that he made for it. It includes a DC locomotive, power pack, and rolling stock.
The “Hot Chocolate Special” train is Micro Trains Line Part #489-99321310The EMD FT-A locomotive heads a train set consisting of a tank car (“Whole Milk”), a twin-bay hopper (“Cocoa Powder”), a gondola (“Marshmallows”), and a “Merry Christmas” caboose.Layout dimensions: 48” W x 24” D. The backdrop is 7.5” H. The layout consists of an outside track with an inner passing track and a siding. In the center of the layout is a little Christmas village with six houses and a model of the “Silent Night Chapel” (Vollmer #47612).
This is a very well done small display that kids love to watch and intrigues adults thinking of the hobby. Dan lives on the Eastside and is asking $200 for the entire package. Contact me for further information.
Hello members of the 4th Division—my name is William Messecar the Superintendent of 4D, and I am planning to attend the 2024 PNR convention next year in Surrey, BC.
The PNR convention Surrey Excursion 2024 is the annual convention of the Pacific Northwest Region of the NMRA. This year the 7th Division of the PNR is hosting the convention in lieu of the Railway Modelers Meet of BC. The Convention will take place May 22nd to 26th, 2024 and will have clinics, layout tours, operating sessions, displays and much more.
The 7th Division is looking for clinicians as speakers at next year’s convention. Marc Simpson is the Clinic Coordinator for the upcoming 2024 Surrey Excursion PNR Regional Convention. They have had an excellent response to their request for clinicians, however they wanted to spread the word that they are looking for clinicians for the program. They are looking for a broad range of topics that will appeal to convention attendees. Whether you are an experienced presenter or a new clinician, it doesn’t matter. All you need is an interesting topic that clinicians are interested in sharing with others.
In addition to the regular clinics, we are looking for people interested in presenting a tabletop clinic. This is a shorter time frame, more hands-on type of presentation for those who don’t want to prepare a full clinic presentation. Any assistance in making the Surrey Excursion clinic program a “can’t miss” event is greatly appreciated. If you have any questions, please contact Marc Simpson, his contact information is listed below.
The Mount Vernon Clinic for December will be on Monday December 18 at the Mount Vernon Senior Center, 1411 Cleveland Street. Mark Malmkar, MMR, will be presenting a clinic on “Passenger Car Interiors.” Doors open at 6:30 for socializing. Or come to Round Table Pizza, 115 East College Way in Mount Vernon at 5:00 pm for a bite to eat. They feature pizzas, sandwiches and a salad bar. Bring a tool or material for Tool Time, and a model (in progress is encouraged) for Modeler’s Showcase. Further information: Al Carter, tabooma10@gmail.com
Please join us for our December 2023 Tacoma Clinic this coming Thursday at 7pm. This will be a hybrid version with in-person and online participation. This month, George Bono will be presenting An Introduction into 3D Printing live at the in-person location.
For those of you wanting to attend the in-person meeting, the address is9402 47th St W, University Place, WA.
Those wishing to attend online can do so using the Zoom meeting invitation below.
In addition, anyone wanting to participate in the “bring and brag” portion of the meeting may send pictures of your subject matter to Kurt Laidlaw at ananas99@klaidlaw.net
Hope to see you then!
Topic: December 2023 4D Tacoma Clinic Time: Dec 14, 2023 07:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Rich Thom will present a “Two-Fer,” beginning with a brief description of a method he tried on his layout, “Coloring Scenery Using Alcohol-Based Solutions,” followed by the main program:
RAILS TO THE TOP OF THE WORLD Appropriate to the season, we’ll begin this journey to South America in Cuenca, Ecuador, where each Christmas Eve the children of this Andean city dazzle in the Pase del Nino—procession of the Baby Jesus. Cuenca is charming enough on its own account, but for rail enthusiasts getting there on the Cuenca Branch of the Guayaquil & Quito Railway was the real attraction: a 2-6-0 steam loco which emerged from Baldwin’s shops in 1900 was usually up front. We’ll look at the G & Q’s assault on the Andes—with gradients up to 5.6%–and the railroad’s entirely-American equipment and operations. But higher summits of the Andes were found further south in new destinations not previously shown at SV&W clinics. The best-known crossing of the mountain range was by the Central Railway of Peru, another American-built railroad which climbed from sea level near Lima to 15,694 feet at Galera in just 108 miles. For decades it was credited to be the highest railway in the world—but in fact wasn’t. It was the highest standard-gauge one, but you had to go south to the Bolivian Altiplano for the truly highest: the Potosi Branch of the Bolivian National Railways reached no less than 15,705 feet at a lonely, windswept and cold spot called Condor. The track gauge was one meter, though, and the remote branch was far more difficult to reach as well, and simply didn’t get the press of Peru’s summit. Your presenter convinced his wife that this was a “must do,” and after reaching Condor together in 1978, she never let him forget the journey, as only wives can.
This is an in-person clinic. December 13th @7PM, at the Oak Harbor Senior Center at 51 SE Jerome St, Oak Harbor, WA 98277.
Our plan for the Layout Tour Zoom to be held on December 9 fell through, so please enjoy your holidays with family and friends (and trains!), and we hope to see you back for another inspiring layout tour in January 2024, on Saturday, January 13, at 10:00am PST, to be exact! Happy Holidays!
Just in time for Christmas… an original LGB Christmas Train set, complete, about 15 years old, but unused the last 13 years, and hardly run in the first 2 years. Includes 4 additional LGB Christmas cars plus lots, and I mean lots, of extra track. Also available separately is an Aristocraft Howe Truss bridge (G scale, assembled), and also available separately are 7 G scale turnouts, two of which are “wide radius”. $300 for the train set and extra cars – that is a great deal (check eBay prices). Package deal for the set, cars, track, bridge, and turnouts is possible. Contact Al Carter at: tabooma10@gmail.com or leave a message at: 425-577-1570. I’m in Mount Vernon; prefer pickup in person or I’ll go a short distance to meet the buyer. I can’t figure out how to post photos, so if interested, I can email photos.
Jeff Moorman passed away peacefully in his sleep on August 9, 2023, in his home in Ferndale, WA. He had recently celebrated his 75th birthday.
Jeff Moorman
Jeff was a friend to many within the Fourth Division. He was the leader of the Seattle-North Clinic. He was co-leader of the Pacific Center Science Train Show for more than thirty years. He was the 2007 recipient of the 4D Golden Grab Iron Award. We will always remember Jeff with his positive attitude and vibrant personality. For the last few years, he was a member of the 4D-NTrak Modular group. Jeff was a great gentleman to all.
Jeff’s participation in the 4D began before 1990. He served as the first 4D modular program coordinator for many years. He, along with Frank Dekker, Co-Chaired the Pacific Science Center Train Show from 1998 until 2017, with his last seven years Co-Chairing with David Yaddock.
Jeff was instrumental in getting me involved in 4D initially as a volunteer at the Pacific Science Center show and then with me helping him in the Seattle-North clinic. He traveled with me to two National NMRA conventions, the last in Salt Lake City in 2019. He was always helpful in answering my many railroad questions – some more than once. We were good friends and got along well together.
Ron Hopkins who presented his beautiful On30 layout last month will share how he builds those terrific O scale structures this Friday at a joint meeting with the Olympia Clinic. Our regular Thursday meeting of the Eastside Clinic has been invited to join the Friday evening Olympiia Clinic. So, all on our Eastside list have received that notice together with the zoom link. If you do not have the link, contact me at russseg@gmail.com
Many of you know that I am a S scale narrow gauge modeler. My layout is finished and so, I have a large number of unbuilt structure and rolling stock kits I will never use. So, I am bringing them to the Boeing Swap meet this Saturday.
These kits are from manufacturers you will not normally see unless you have been working in S scale for awhile. So, now is your chance to build one of these very fine models in a scale you may have wanted to try. Build a contest model or start a small diorama as a break from what you have been doing.
The models are appropriate for any S scale layout or display, not just narrow gauge. I will even have some narrow gauge trees and vehicles. Stop by and chat for awhile and take a chance on something new, or should I say different.
