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“Second Saturday” 4dPNR Layout Tour Zoom

Written by Burr Stewart
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Greg Wright, from Olympia, WA, will give us an update on Saturday, January 13, 2024, on his new outdoor F scale garden railway, which has been hosting regular operating sessions. You can expect to be inspired as well as to get an itch to do something similar in your own backyard (if you have one)! This Zoom-only presentation will start at 10:00 am PST, and we will open the meeting at 9:30 for meet and greet. Here is the information on how to join the meeting:

Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87210657142?pwd=ZHhIWnZGMUU0YnAwNVUvMENheEZSUT09

Meeting ID: 872 1065 7142 Passcode: 805577

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New Digital Model Railroad Magazine Trackside Model Railroading

Written by Bob Stafford
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Bob Stafford

There is a new E magazine in town! Trackside Model Railroading

Cover of Trackside Model Railroading Digital Magazine

Trackside Model Railroading Digital Magazine download or view online.

is a digital model railroad magazine, published monthly. Each month on the first, subscribers receive an email containing the links to download the new magazine. There is a choice to download the full size magazine in a zipped file that is intended for desktop computers, and it also includes two images that can be used for your computer desktop. Another option is to view the magazine online with the option to save it to your computer once it opens using the Adobe tools. There are also smaller versions of the magazine formatted for tablets and cell phones.

Each magazine includes two layouts which the staff have visited and photographed extensively. There are about 20-35 images per layout in the magazine, so you get to see many different scenes. You can zoom in on a picture if you wish.

Trackside Model Railroading wants readers to feel that they have experienced a thorough tour of each layout. Accompanying the photographs is an article about each layout and its owner. Whenever possible, high definition video of the trains running on the layout are included. Actual prototypical railroad sounds are dubbed into the video of the models, giving the realism that you are actually railfanning the layout. Several layouts owned by 4th Division PNR members have already been featured in the magazine. Additional 4D PNR member layouts have been visited, photographed and videoed for future articles.

Video links are inside the magazine. As you read a model railroad layout article, you will come across a video capture image which shows a play button. Just click on the picture and the video will launch. This does, however, require that you have an internet connection, as the videos are too large to embed in the magazine.

Each month includes an article instructing the reader how to build or design something relating to modeling. Sometimes these are very specific, and sometimes they are more conceptual in nature. Now and then, extra content like large panoramic images is included within the magazine that you can download and have printed to use as a backdrop on your model train layout.

You can re-access the magazines as many times as you like, and it is fine to download them on your desktop computer as well as a tablet or smartphone if you wish. You can purchase a month here and there for $1.89 or purchase a full year subscription for $14.99, making each month of the magazine just $1.25 per issue. If you have any questions Trackside Model Railroading can be contacted at questions@tsmrr.com.

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Tacoma Northwestern Model Railroad Club Show and Swap Meet at Freighthouse Square Mar 21 and 22

Written by Cliff Green
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Cliff Green

The Tacoma NW model railroad club show and swap meet is being held March 21st-22nd at Freighthouse Square in Tacoma.

The TNW is excited to host their fourth Model Railroad Show and Swap Meet at Freighthouse Square. Many clubs from around Washington will be in attendance as well as vendors with various railroad items to sell spread through three floors, two very large rooms and various shops. Freighthouse Square always offers a variety of eating establishments and interesting shops for browsing. A portion of the ticket sales from the show will benefit a local charity.

The hours are 9-4 on Saturday and 10-3 on Sunday and admission is $7 for adults, $5 for children under 12, seniors and active military personnel, and children under 3 are free. Additional information including directions and contact info can be found on the TNW web site.

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Showing Your Model Railroad to Visitors

Written by Dale Kraus
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Dale Kraus

The layout open house season is approaching. I truly hope that those of you who have never had your pike open for visitors will consider doing so, as it is always enjoyable to see what someone else is doing in this most diverse of hobbies. With that in mind, here are a few tips for the first-timer, in no particular order, which the “old veterans” can follow too. They are all taken from my experiences as both a visitor and a host.

  1. Clean the track! Then clean it again. This avoids having to make excuses for the dirt.
  2. Select your best running locos, and use only the best 2 or 3 of those. Make sure the wheels are cleaned and the engine is lubricated.
  3. Run only your best, derailment-free cars. Clean the wheels of these cars. If there are any binds or misaligned couplers, park that car in the yard.
  4. Make up the trains you will run from these selected locos and cars.  Run each train completely around the pike 3 or 4 times. If anything derails, remove it.
  5. If you have any troublesome sidings or spurs avoid using them. If you cannot avoid their use FIX IT.
  6. Clean up the layout. Remove any distractions like pliers, screwdrivers and bright boys.
  7. If you have any bare spots simply cover then with dirt, grass and small bushes. If you have unfinished sections, that’s OK.
  8. Clean up the layout room and hide any construction materials.
  9. Make sure all locos and rolling stock on the layout are completely on the track. (Looks better that way.)

It’s always good to get a second set of eyes. Invite a buddy over and have him or her take a look. It’s amazing what might be found. I once left a water tower smack dab in the middle of a turntable pit. Interesting, but not very prototypical.

If you are going to have a buddy help you run the railroad, get together a day or two beforehand and run the trains you have selected. Agree on where the trains will meet. In this era of DCC it’s really easy to have cornfield meets. These are interesting and prototypical… but embarrassing. Back in the Seattle NMRA national, a friend and I were running trains and yakking with the visitors when one of the guests remarked, “I don’t think you really planned that.”  There on the grade, which neither of us could see well, were two steam locos, nose to nose and grinding away.

Remember: You’re among friends. If a gremlin pops up, we’ll understand.

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