By John O’Connell / Photos by Nick Muff and John O’Connell
Twenty four were in attendance when Ted Becker opened the Clinic. Ted advised that this is an NMRA, Pacific Northwest Region, 4th Division, sponsored event.
Announcements:
Ted welcomed two guests – George Stephenson, owner of the Mount Vernon Terminal Railway, and Rich Blake from the Skagit Valley and Whidbey Island Clinic.
Regarding upcoming Clinics:
- November – George will talk about his Mt Vernon Terminal Railway and its operations
- December – we’ll have a “Super” Show and Tell evening with possible mini-clinics but forego a presenter as it will be so close to Christmas
Al Carter proposed, for a number of sound reasons, to change the timing of our Clinics to a Thursday earlier in the month. While the first Thursday was agreeable to those present at the Clinic, the inevitable conflict with holidays falling early in a month was further considered and it has been determined that beginning in January 2016, the Mt. Vernon Clinic will be at 7PM on Thursday, January 14 and on the second Thursday thereafter.
Curt Johnson reported that Performance Hobbies is selling inventory at extremely favorable prices and gave several examples. Mike O’Brien offered to help fill Whatcom / Skagit modeling needs as best he can after Performance Hobbies closes its doors.
The Red Apple Market in Mt. Vernon is donating 1% of purchases to the Mt. Vernon Senior Center.
Upcoming events:
- Boeing swap meet November 14 (which conflicts with a show in Puyallup the same day)
- Mt. Vernon Clinic – Tuesday November 24, George Stephenson will talk about the Mount Vernon Terminal Railway
Show & Tell:
Mike Pettruzzelli brought two N scale buildings he fabricated using wood applied over Pop Tart cartons.
Al Carter showed us a highway bridge made from Balsa Foam. He noted the material comes in hard and soft density.
Nick Muff brought a model of the N. Zilch, TX rail station he modeled from photographs using laser cut plywood.
Tools:
Al Carter brought two interesting tools, an extremely fine razor saw and a miniature miter box. Both are available from Micro Mark.
Diorama Build:
Tom Buckingham fielded questions and solicited progress. Mike O’Brien is focusing on using new techniques and scratch building as much of his scene as possible. He also reviewed his project management methodology and wowed the audience with its rigor. Some of us were challenged, this writer was intimidated. But, Tom stressed the Build has to be fun!
Al Carter stretched the boundaries by asking for relief in the square inch limitation of the scene. Dispensation was granted but please run all requests by Tom, preferably at a Clinic, so we can all listen in. See the Rules below.
Rich Blake, our friend and neighbor from the Whidbey Island Clinic, shared his diorama which he said, after a three decade hiatus, was the project that got him back into model railroading.
Program:
Nick Muff, MMR, took the floor and with the aid of projected JPEGs answered the question, “How did you get this F-7 Cab into your basement?” Nick took on us on an incredible odyssey that began in 1981.
GN 462-D as delivered
BN 682, nee GN 462-D, at the scrap yard
Marking the cab for cutting
The engineer’s side of the cab, cut and ready to load on a trailer
In Nick’s backyard, ready for rebuilding
Disassembled and ready for touch up welding
Sand blasted and primed; ready for paint
Painted and ready to reassemble
Rebuilt and ready to drop in the basement when completed
Before the cab could be lifted and set in its final resting place, a basement had to be excavated and made ready. The project was completed in 1986. When asked the inevitable question “Why KCS livery?” Nick says he’s “the quintessential KCS fan though stranded here in the Northwest!”
Yes! Seeing is believing!
Next Clinic:
Tuesday, November 24, 7:00, Mt. Vernon Senior Center
Appendix:
Diorama Build Rules
- Have fun.
- Size can be up to 288 square inches – commonly one foot by two feet, but it could be six inches by four feet (for example).
- Must have some reference to railroading – this could be as little as a railroad crossing sign or as much track as you can cram in.
- Any scale (though the very large scales become a problem).
- End date – the April clinic, but please bring progress to our monthly meetings.
- (Optional) Use at least one new technique/skill or revive an old technique/skill and tell us what it is.
- Have fun.
I writing from Kilgore, TX in hopes that an email address is available for Nick Muff. I tried contacting him where he used to practice, but was told he retired about a year ago. Anyway, Mr/Dr Muff wrote a plans book for the KCS that I wish to inquire about and possibly purchase. His book (one of two about the KCS) is listed on the KCS Historical Society web site, but I have received no communication from them that they still exist and the KCSHS.org email address keeps bouncing my emails. So, if you know Dr. Muff or can email him, please ask him to contact me at michaela@cablelynx.com at his earliest convenience. Thank you.