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Grab Iron Posts

Special Labor Day Steam at the NW Railway Museum, Santa Tickets on Sale

Written by Cliff Green
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Peggy Barchi, Marketing/Events Manager

A reminder – Snoqualmie Railroad Days is coming soon (19th thru 21st), click here to see the previous Grab Iron post.

Take it Easy and Ride the Steam Train this Labor Day!

The Northwest Railway Museum pays tribute to America’s workers this Labor Day with a special weekday steam train run of the Museum’s antique train on Monday, September 5th (as well as all of Labor Day weekend.) This is in addition to the railroad’s usual weekend steam train schedule. The Northwest Railway Museum offers scenic train excursions through the Cascade foothills of the Upper Snoqualmie Valley, including a ride past the top of Snoqualmie Falls and a splendid view of the valley below.

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Northwest Railway Museum

Operating Sessions and Work Sessions on the PNWRR and Cherry Valley RR

Written by Cliff Green
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Steve Haas

Operating sessions are continuing on (the late) Tom Enloe’s Pacific Northwestern Railroad and Cherry Valley Railroad (located in Duvall, Washington), although our remaining time to take advantage of the layout is limited. Carol Enloe will be placing the property on the real estate market in late August or early September.

As a result, we will have an Ops Session on the second Saturday in September, the 10th. This is of course subject to an early sale and closing on the property. Doors will open at 10 AM, we will try and start the clock at 11 AM. Beyond that, operations will tentatively continue on a month to month basis, subject to the sale of the property and the closing of the sale. Please be aware that any given Ops Session on the layout could become the last, with very short notice. Come on out and enjoy the layout one, two, or a few more times – Tom would have wanted that!

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Operations

Westside Clinic in Bremerton on Tuesday, Aug 9th

Written by Cliff Green
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Bill Hupé

Tuesday August 9th is our next 4th Division Westside Clinic.

For our newcomers the clinic is held at the United Way of Kitsap Building in downtown Bremerton (647 4th Street) at 7:00 PM. Additional details (including a map and contact info) are on the Clinics Page.

We may have two clinic presentations this month. First clinician is Steve Hauff. He will be presenting his clinic on “Making Your Own Decals”. Steve presented this at this year’s NMRA National Convention. Second clinician is Jack Hamilton. Jack said he will give us his “How a Steam Engine Operates”. He wasn’t sure if he would have it ready or not.

Bring a friend!

As always bring in your latest project to share and refreshments will be provided.

Please contact me if you have any related question at whopay@tscnet.com or 360-621-5041.

Westside Local Clinic

Web Site for Narrow Gauge Railroads of Western North America

Written by Cliff Green
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Syd Schofield

For narrow gauge fans, check out the information at http://www.pacificng.org/. From the web site home page:

“Welcome to PacificNG.com, dedicated to the history of narrow gauge railroading in western North America. Our goal is to create a central hub for accurate data, history, imagery, and reference materials relevant to fans of narrow gauge railroading west of the Great Divide.”

If any of these are within road trip distance, check out museums and visitor centers along the way. They have more information (maps, books, pictures, displays, etc) of interest.

Narrow Gauge

Clinicians Wanted for 4D Clinics

Written by Russ Segner
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Russ Segner

The 4th Division fall clinic season will soon begin. While most of our area clinics already have their lineups set, there is always a need for additional clinics ready to present.

If you have a topic you think would be of interest to model railroaders and would like to share it, please let me know. We definitely have openings for the Eastside Get Together (both the North Branch in Redmond, and the South Branch, currently in Renton).

Topics of interest: Prototypes, building structures, scenery, trackwork, interesting and special tools, electronics, track planning, and operations. These are just a few. Let me know if you are willing to share. Presentations are about 45 minutes and we supply the projectors at all locations. I can be contacted at russseg@gmail.com or 425-228-7327.

Burien Clinic, Eastside Get-Together (Redmond) Clinic, Superintendent’s Message

Background Buildings for the Dry Gulch & Western

Written by Cliff Green
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By David Yadock

Photo 1 - Background needing buildings

Photo 1 – Background needing buildings

I was needing to make background buildings for a section of my HO scale layout. (See Photo 1.) I had placed some of the Walthers paper cutout buildings but I found them unacceptable. They looked unrealistic where they were located and how they were positioned. The scene really needs depth and detail! The major issue is that the area only has approximately an inch of space between the wall and the railroad track right-of-way. Additionally, there are several lineal feet of wall to cover with the appropriate background/backdrop. I envisioned the scene to be a gritty industrial area with the foreground containing my steam engine facilities.

Photo 2 - Cardboard cut to size with a straightedge and sharp knife

Photo 2 – Cardboard cut to size with a straightedge and sharp knife

Please note, with background construction one must remember that the buildings are just that, a general background (building or otherwise) to be used to direct the observer’s attention away from a blank wall or other offending item. Modelers need to be sneaky when constructing their layout since every standard layout room has many offending characteristics to it. The trick is hiding the problem areas while creating a functional scene. This process makes for some interesting challenges for scenery construction.

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Articles

Steamy Season and Railroad Days Festival in Snoqualmie at the NW Railway Museum

Written by Cliff Green
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Peggy Barchi, Marketing/Events Manager

Snoqualmie Railroad Days – August 19, 20, 21, 2016
Northwest Railway Museum Snoqualmie Depot 125th anniversary celebration

Northwest Railway Museum Snoqualmie Depot 125th anniversary celebration

It’s “steamy” again in Snoqualmie – steam train season, that is! Guests can step back in time to experience firsthand what Edwardian era train travel was like in the Pacific Northwest at the Northwest Railway Museum. The steam train will be running every weekend through Labor Day on September 5. Just as those early steam trains did in the 1890s, the steam train rides include a trip to view Snoqualmie Falls – from opposite the usual viewing side. New for 2016 – most steam train excursions include a stop at the Train Shed Exhibit Building to view more of the collection “up close and personal”!

The 78th Snoqualmie Railroad Days festival showcases Snoqualmie’s “Trains, Timber, Traditions” on August 19, 20, and 21, 2016! Join the fun with a ride on a steam train as the Santa Cruz and Portland Cement locomotive 2 pulls the trains during the Railroad Days festival. Railroad Days highlights the uniqueness of Snoqualmie’s past, present & future!

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Northwest Railway Museum

Eastside Get Together North Clinic (Redmond) – Great News, Meeting Space Finalized

Written by Russ Segner
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Russ Segner

We have located and contracted for a meeting space for the Eastside Get Together North Branch Clinic (Redmond). Commencing on September 15th, which is the third Thursday of the month, we will meet at the Old Redmond Schoolhouse Community Center in downtown Redmond. The meetings will begin at 6:45 and end at 9:00 PM.

Click here to see the updated 4D web site Clinics page (including a map).

This space easily will accommodate 40 of us, has good parking and good access to the freeways. Dave Cook and a leadership group is meeting now to plan sessions. Set your calendars now for every third Thursday. If you have suggestions for clinic topics or would like to present a clinic, contact me at russseg@gmail.com or 206-200-2211 and I will pass the information on to Dave.

Eastside Get-Together (Redmond) Clinic

PNR Social Media Person Needed

Written by Cliff Green
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Cliff Green, Grab Iron Editor

@PNRNMRA is the PNR (Pacific Northwest Region of the NMRA) Twitter account. It is in need of someone to populate and manage it.

NMRA at the national level is using social media at an increasing level – I’ve noticed NMRA Facebook posts pop up in my personal Facebook feed the last couple of months. The regional and divisional levels could benefit from more presence on Facebook, Twitter, etc.

Please contact me at gi_editor@4dpnr.com if this volunteer position is of interest.

Grab-Iron

Tacoma Trains One Year Anniversary Sale

Written by Cliff Green
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Paul Pellegrino

Tacoma Trains and Hobbies is having its One Year Anniversary Sale under new ownership this week. 20% off all in stock items. (Discount does not apply to special orders or consignment items.) Sale starts Monday July 25th at 10 am till 6 pm daily, and runs through Wednesday July 27th.

We carry HO, N, O, and G scale. Do you need scenery items? We have a large selection to choose from. Not into trains? We have models, rockets, kites, T-shirts, and hobbies supplies. Have a kid into Thomas & Friends? We have that covered too.

Come see us and shop for a birthday, Christmas, or just “because I want it”.

Tacoma Trains and Hobbies, 3813 N. 26th Street, Tacoma, WA 98407

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