Jim Sabol / Photo by Ed Liesse

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Robert and Sherry Grove graciously opened their beautiful home and Wyoming-themed model railroad to 24 happy modelers and guests at our regular third-Friday get-together. Distinguished guests included Ed Liesse, PNR board member; Walt Huston, PNR president; and Ken Liesse, 4th Division Superintendent. The executive trio was in attendance to present our own Jim Younkins with his NMRA Master Model Railroader, the 488th modeler ever to achieve that rank. (See related story.)

Olympia Coordinator Ted Eggleston had a full slate of activities for the evening including tips, favorite models, and clinic and door prizes (many donated by Charles Lundberg). Paul Vaughn showed his ingenious yet inexpensive homemade switch controllers and later added a mini-clinic on resin-casting tall pieces.

We heard a short report on Tom Murray’s plans for developing the Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad visitor center in three phases: first, a logging camp; second, a steam sawmill; and third, his 7½”-gauge railroad and a fully-rigged spar tree.

Beautifully crafted models were shown and described by Scott Groff,MikeVanderhoof, Jim Younkins, and Ryan Bates. Ryan’s kit-bashed and scratchbuilt Washington Iron Works mobile logging yarder won most popular model and will be a showpiece on Ry’s McCloud River Railroad. (See McCloud Railroad Progress Report for more details.)

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Jim and Mary Sabol presented the clinic, based on the book “Clothshell Scenery.” Jim, Mary, and Tom Todd had three little modules covered with basic clothshell ground in about ten minutes, with nothing to clean up, nothing to drip, and nothing to spill.

Ron and Carol Beghin offered their home for the December social get-together on December 14, one week earlier than usual. Speaking of the holiday season, you’d be in for a treat if you drive by Greg Wright’s home on the way to the Olympia meeting in December. Greg and Susan go all out with decorations and their house and yard are a stunning Thurston County showplace of Christmas lights.

Once again everyone present held a winning door prize number and carried home some treasure. “Itza muracle!” exclaimed Jim Elder.