Tell Your Model Train or Railroad Story

Cliff Green, Grab Iron Editor

If you’re a new 4^th Division (PNR) NMRA member (or a former member that has recently renewed), welcome! Every time a new Grab Iron post is made, e-mail notifications are sent out to those on the notification list. We have a lot of information and some great model train photos on the 4D web site (including all Grab Iron posts) – click here to navigate to the front page.

Ron Hopkins On30 layout, under construction with mock-up buildings, in Edmonds, WA.

My job as Grab Iron editor is to publicize info relating to model and prototype railroading in the 4^th Division and surrounding areas. I get paid well for this. Not in money (definitely not, hah!), but in the hobby relationships I’ve made and in the personal satisfaction of helping this organization. And I’m guessing that every 4D volunteer would say something similar.

But I don’t produce the content for the Grab Iron and the 4D web site – the articles and posts and web page content (mostly) come from other people. I may organize and edit and manage it, but I don’t originate it. For that I rely on our 4D members and Grab Iron subscribers.

And we don’t have enough. I’d like to see more. More articles. More “This is what I’ve recently built on my layout – what do ya think?” More “I’d like to get a round robin work / operations group going.” More “This is what my daughter and son have been helping with on my layout – not bad for teenagers, eh?” More “Did you know the Kettle Valley Railroad Coquihalla Region sections are named after Shakespeare characters?” More “Here’s the latest Milwaukee Road N scale commercial model availability appropriate for Bellingham in the 1960’s.”

The Pacific Science Center Model Train Show is looking for a wider variety of small layouts, specially “work in progress” layouts (David Yadock is the person to contact). I think it would be awesome to see the construction story of a small “show and tell” layout in a Grab Iron post (or as a series of posts).

(Side note – every time I use the word “awesome” I can’t help but start humming the theme song from The Lego Movie.)

Some great ideas from Bob Rorabaugh:

“Is there a parent of a young modeler who would have interest in submitting ideas or articles for that pre-teen modeler? Or do we have some young modelers whose project would be worth a photo, like a ‘kid corner’? Or do we have a grandpa type who might like to dummy-down some hobby tips or skills for all those kids who signed up for Rail Pass this last weekend?”

We already have people submitting articles on a regular basis, such as Syd Schofield with his Narrower View series on narrow gauge. Jeff Moorman has been discussing “fallen flag” railroads at the Seattle North clinics – maybe someone would like to write a series on their favorite fallen flags, specially if it relates to the Pacific Northwest. Do we have someone who’d like to submit articles on Free-mo happenings in the 4D area? (Alan Ashton has been keeping us up to date with Free-mo in the 5^th Division.)

I’ve posted notices about your historical society meetings, or museum events, or other railroad related activities, but please send me more. Garden railroading and hi-rail are active in this area but we publish very little in the Grab Iron related to these areas of the hobby. I love what Tom Stephenson (tom@wTrak.org) is doing with wTrak, which I think is excellent for the really young ones at train shows, and the Grab Iron is a way to help promote his effort.

I can (and will) edit for grammar or readability, so you don’t have to worry about being a polished author. Send me your thoughts and articles at gi_editor@4dpnr.com.

Other items:

A reminder that ads by NMRA members are welcome in the Grab Iron, whether something offered for sale or for free.

Don’t forget that Alaska is part of the 4^th Division (Marty Quaas keeps us up to date on Alaska model railroading on his website – it’s always fun reading about the latest happenings in Mooselip, Alaska!).

David Cook is now helping out (as time allows) with Grab Iron and web site duties. He has also stepped up as Eastside Clinic coordinator, which is currently taking most of his volunteer time.

The 4D Spring Meet is on May 14 and more info and a web site will be available soon.

If you haven’t attended one of the many excellent clinics I highly recommend them – the presenters are skilled modelers and most of the clinics have at least one (if not more) MMRs (Master Model Railroader) attending. More information on 4D clinics is available by clicking here.