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Grab Iron Posts

Nominations Needed for 2017 Golden Grab Iron Service Award

Written by Cliff Green
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By Jim Sabol

Go Ahead — Nominate Someone!

Do you know someone who has been beating his brains out promoting our hobby and helping modelers (which is the same thing). Holding open houses. Giving clinics. Writing articles. Helping kids become interested in our hobby. Please consider nominating him or her for the Golden GrabIron Service Award (click here to see previous awardees) for 2017. Send your nominations, and how we can reach you, to jimsabol@msn.com or give them personally to previous awardees Ted Becker or Jim Younkins.

Thank you.

Grab-Iron

Westside Clinic in Bremerton on Tuesday, Dec 13th, Home for Layout Needed

Written by Cliff Green
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Bill Hupé

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!

Tuesday December 13th is our Clinic. Subject for the clinic will be … Suggestions? Anyone from the Tacoma Clinic or the east side of the sound that can volunteer?

We will have a “Dirty Santa” gift exchange. Bring a wrapped gift. Something that has been hanging around and you no longer want. Or something new. Pass it on to one of your buddies. Value? Up to $15.

As usual there will be a “Show and Tell” and “Model of the Month”. Bring your family or a friend who is interested in Model railroading. Refreshments will be provided. Donations for the Kitsap Food bank will be collected.

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Westside Local Clinic

Mt Vernon NMRA Clinic Report – November 2016

Written by John O'Connell
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by John O’Connell, Photos by Ted Becker and John O’Connell

Ted Becker opened the Clinic with seventeen in attendance including guests David and Paulette Sitzenstock of Ferndale and Mark and Chris Malmkar from Oak Harbor. During the announcements, Ted asked how many in attendance joined the NMRA due to their participation in the Mt Vernon Clinic. The answer: Six!

Upcoming Programs and Events

December 8 – Mini-Clinics, a virtual dim sum of railroad and modeling topics in bite size doses, including Al Carter, “Yet Another Way to Make  Streets  and Roads;” John O’Connell, “Catenary Poles.” There is still room on the agenda so let Ted know if you have a 10-15 minute topic.

January 12 – Nick Muff, “It’s All in the Details,” a clinic on how to add those important final touches to your model scene that take realism to the next level.

February 9 – Bob Stafford, Retired BNSF Trainmaster will speak on Operations on the Bellingham Sub.

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Mt Vernon Clinic

Eastside Get Together South (Renton) Clinic Report for November 2016 – David Yadock Presentation

Written by Cliff Green
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Article and Photos by Syd Schofield

4th Division, Eastside Get Together South Branch (Renton) Clinic, Tuesday November 22, 2016

Attendees at the Renton Clinic November meeting

Attendees at the Renton Clinic November meeting

Due to the Thanksgiving holiday we moved the meeting night up from the usual fourth Thursday to the fourth Tuesday. Russ Segner convened the gathering at 6:30 pm as we were in the Renton Highlands library and they are rather set in their ways on available conference room hours. These are very nice KCLS (King County Library System) facilities for meetings, but due to scheduling difficulties, the location may change for future meetings. There will be a Grab Iron post when that happens.

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Burien Clinic

Eastside Get Together North (Redmond) Clinic Report for November – Elements of Layout Design

Written by Cliff Green
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Article and Photos by Cliff Green

Dave Enger's tugboat, a Revell 1:108 scale model

Dave Enger’s tugboat, a Revell 1:108 scale model

The carpool I rode in to the Redmond Clinic (“The Bothell Express”, Alex Brikoff driving) was full and lively, and I specially enjoyed meeting Mark Allen for the first time and chatting about his marine salvage company (Underwater Admiralty Sciences). Syd Schofield, the Eastside Get Together Clinic Reporter (both Redmond and Renton) was sick and unable to take notes, so I was happy to fill in as temporary clinic reporter.

The date was November 17th, 2016, and the clinic was well attended with 22 people, including one for the first time (welcome, Zack Newman!). After David Cook provided a clinic welcome and discussed events happening around the area, Alex Brikoff talked about the “Photo Contest of the Month” he will be organizing for the Redmond Clinic starting in January – click here for details.

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Eastside Get-Together (Redmond) Clinic

Seattle-North Next Meeting – December 1, 2016

Written by Jeff Moorman
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By Jeff Moorman

Next Clinic:

The next Seattle-North clinic is Thursday, December 1.

We’ll do another installment of our fallen flags mini-clinics, discuss things to consider if we are offered the chance to acquire someone else’s model railroad, and maybe view a little video on winter railroading.

Last Clinic:

Dennis T presented a mini-clinic on the Spokane, Portland, and Seattle Railway (or SP&S, reporting marks SPS). Interestingly the railroad was chartered in 1905 by James J Hill and never laid tracks anywhere near Seattle. The line mostly ran between Portland and Spokane, following the north shore of the Columbia River for a good part of the way. The story goes that Hill added the name “Seattle” to confuse his business rivals.

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Seattle-North Clinic

Skagit Valley and Whidbey Clinic November 2016 Report – UK Railfanning, Nebraska Layouts, and the Palace Car Co

Written by Cliff Green
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Article and Photos by Rich Thom

Fig 1 - Dave Clarke's GN Class F8 2-8-0

Fig 1 – Dave Clarke’s GN Class F8 2-8-0

The Skagit Valley & Whidbey (SV&W) NMRA Clinic’s November meeting, held on Nov. 9th at the group’s Summerhill venue in Oak Harbor, attracted 24 participants and rewarded all with a diverse evening of both prototype and model railroading. The clinic included a detailed look at the products of new clinic member Mark Malmkar, who with wife Chris recently moved from Nebraska to the Pacific Northwest – quite a transition for sure! – to be closer to family who had gravitated to this corner of the country.

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Skagit Valley and Whidbey Island Clinic

Eastside Get Together South (Renton) Clinic on Tue, Nov 22

Written by Russ Segner
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Russ Segner

The next meeting of the Renton (Eastside Get Together South) Clinic will be Tue, November 22 at the Renton Highlands Library (versus the usual Thursday, due to the Thanksgiving holiday). The evening begins at 6:30 PM with getting acquainted, with the presentation starting at 7 pm or so. Parking is under the library. Additional details including a map can be viewed by clicking here.

Our program will feature David Yadock. His HO scale layout, the “Dry Gulch & Western”, is very large and reminiscent of John Allen’s Gorre & Daphetid. David says “The presentation will explain techniques I use on my layout to hide unwanted items as well as making the layout room appear larger. I will also discuss how sections of the layout can be used for two purposes. Through the use of photos I will show some techniques that have worked on my layout and some that have failed. It should be of interest for both the experienced modeler as well as the newbie modeler.”

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Burien Clinic