The Skagit Valley & Whidbey NMRA Clinic

Transcription

1 The 4th Division of the Pacific Northwest Region of the National Model Railroad Association Presents The Skagit Valley & Whidbey NMRA Clinic Wednesday,)January)11th)) TheJanuarySV&W)Model)Railroading)Clinicofthe modelingseasonwillmeetatthe SummerHilllocation[165SW6thAve]inOakHarborWednesday,January11thatourregulartime of7:00foraclinicpresentationbysusangonzalesandrichthom. JoinusonJanuary11,2017forafun2NilledWalk)in)the)Woods.Thisyear's annualmake)and)takewillbeanextravaganzaoftreesofallkindsandstyles. A motley collection of our very talented club members have been forced to volunteertoassistatvarioustableswithmakingacollectionofdifferenttrees. RichThomwillbeafeaturedspeakerwithatalkonHow)Do)You)Plant)Trees) in) Hardshell. (see page 6 for a picture) To learn and benenit from his experience,youwillneedtomaketimetoattendthisclinic. Ipromiseitwill beafunhands2onexperience.wehavesomeprettyawesometreemakersin ourclubandallarewillingtosharetheirknowledge. Basic)tools)to)bring: A sharp pointy thing to makesholesforbranches. A hobby knife and maybe somethingtomakebarkwith. G l u e, a n d o t h e r b a s i c supplieswillbeprovided. Anythingelse?Oh,andbring your sense of humor! Making trees and laughing! Can't think of a better way to spend an evening!you lllaughyourhead off...!1

2 Onceagain,wewillbemeetingatSan)Remo)Mediterranean)GrillinOakHarbor[421NEMidway Blvd]forapre2clinicdinnerstartingat5:15ifyouareinterested.Comeandmeetyourfellowmodel railroaders.sanremohasverygoodpizza,pastaandspumoni! On)the)calendar:) Spokane)Falls)Express)2017)(SFX)2017))isthePNR RegionalConventionnextyearanditisnowopenfor registration.itwillbeheldinspokaneonjune)7)r)10, 2017.Registrationcaneitherbecompletedandpaid onlineorapdfformprintedoutforcheckandmoney orderpayments: index_spokanefallsexpress2017.htm ClinicpresentationsarestillbeingsolicitedforSFX2017 2pleasecontactAlanAshton clinicatsfx2017.) Jan)14R16,)2017,)Seattle,)WA:))Pacific)Science)Center)Show.)Thisisthe4thDivision s majorfundraiseroftheyear!seehttp://4dpnr.com/pacific2science2center2show/for informationabouthelpingand/orattending. Jan)21R22,)2017,)Puyallup,)WA:))World s)greatest)hobby)tour.)seehttp:// wghshow.com/sea2017/foralltheinformation! Feb)25R26,)2017,)Monroe,)WA:))United)Northwest/4H)Train)Show.)Thisisthebiggest showoftheyearinthenorthwest2makeplansnowtoattendorevengetatableforyou andfriends.seehttp:// Our sister clinic,themountvernonmodelrailroadclinic,meetseverysecondthursday atthemountvernonseniorcenterat1401clevelandstreet.for)january:nickmuff, MMR,"It'sAllintheDetails"Howtoaddthoseimportantfinaltouchestoyourmodel scenethattakerealismtothenextlevel.contactalcarter( / tabooma@msn.com)forfurtherinformation. WehaveaYahooGroupspageforouruseandsharingofinformation.ItistheSkagitValleyandWhidbey ModelRailroadinggroupor sv_and_w.thelinksbelowwilltakeyoudirectlytothegroup.inordertopost youmusthaveayahooaccountwhichissimpletosetup. Thisisaprivategroupthatisnotopentothepublic,itisdesignedforclubuseonly. TheLink: Ifyouhavegeneralrailroadingquestionsorwouldliketosharerailroadingdiscussionwithimmediatelocals orareevenlookingtosellsomerailroadstuffthenthisistheplacetopostinformation. SwapTable Bringwhatyouwishtosell,markedastopriceandseller.Setupinthe backroomby6:45.!2

3 TheJanuary2017SV&WTelegraph (aka ) FromyourClinicChair, RichBlake Asweheadintothenewyear,hopefullyeveryonehasbeen abletolookbackandfindmanyposinvemomentsfor2016. YesIknowitwaschallengingformany(i.e.elecNons)butwithanewyearbringsnewhopeanda freshperspecnve. OurDecembermeeNngwasfantasNcandwouldnothavebeenpossiblewithouttheideathat wasfieldedbyjohnwhitetohaveachristmasgatheringinthespiritofthetradinonalwassail.we firstwonderedifwewouldhavegoodparncipanonandwereverydelightedinseeingallthe enthusiasncparncipantsandtheirspouseswhocametooureventandsharedfoodanddrink.itwas agreatwaytocelebratetheseasonwithsomefineslidesandstoriesbyjohn.bigthanksto everyonewhoparncipated. ThisNmeofyearalsoseesmanyofusdedicaNngmuchmoreNmetoourmodelingprojects.I foroneambuildinganewmoduleforthepacificnorthweston30modulargroupandhavebeen somewhatbusywithplanningandconstrucnon.ihavealsofoundthatthewoodchopping,gluing andtracklayingpornonsofconstrucnonarefairlyeasyandstraightforward.it sthescenery developmentthattakesthemostnmetoreallygetright.isnllhavestructuresthathavenotbeen builttotaketheplaceoftemporaryfoamboardstructuresihaveonsomeofmyothermodules.a lotofeffortgoesintogoodsceneryandnmeisnotcheap.thislessongetslearnedoverandover againamongtherailroadingcommunityandmanylayoutsnevergetfinished.mymodeling resolunonfor2017istomanagemynmemoreeffecnvelytoensurethatthescenerypornonsare ge\ngthea]ennontheydeserve. AnotherthingIfindfuntodothisNmeofyearistoruntrainsonmycomputersimulators. LatelyIhavebeenplaying TrainSimulator2017 thatihavehadforawhile(itautoupgradesitself everyyear).ihavebecomefascinatedthismonthwiththewesternpacificroutethroughthe CaliforniaSierrasuptheFeatherRiverCanyon.I vebeentothekeddiewyeoncetotakephotosand nowicansayihaveruntrainsoneverymileoftheroutefromorovilletoquincy.trulyawesome, seesomescreenshotselsewhereinthisnewsle]er(seepgs7/8).whilenotforthecomputernovice forcertain,thesesimulatorscanprovidealotofentertainmentandeducanonalvalue.ifnotfor yourself,maybesomethingtogetyourkidsorgrandkidsinterestedinthatwillprovideagatewayfor themtobecomelifelongrailfansandpossiblymodelrailroaders.itisalotoffunandagreatwayto useyoutvforsomethingelsebesideswatchingthe(enteryourfavoritefootballteamhere)get knockedoutoftheplayoffs. Seemoreofthisstuffhere: h]p://train8simulator.com/ Meanwhile,HappyNewYear! Seeyouatthenextclinic. DispatchOut. RichB.!3

4 Onemonthtogo!!Ifyouhaven t The)2016R2017)Skagit) Valley)and)Whidbey) startedyet,youhaveplenty(?)oftime beforethejudgingtotakeplaceat NMRA)Clinic) nextmonth sclinic!! Modeling)Contest) Ourcontestthisyearisallaboutgoingtiny!Yourchallenge,shouldyouchoosetoacceptit,isto buildatinydioramanobiggerthan24squareinches.thiscanbeachievedinanyshapeyouchooseor youcanchoosetouseapre2cut4inchby6inchgator boardprovidedbytheclub.note:asacirclethat wouldbea2.75 radiusor5.5 diameter.thereisno heightlimit.anyscale.categorieswillbe:kits,)kitr bashed,)scratch)built)and)humorous. Theonlyruleisthatyourdioramamusttellastory. Whetheritisafarmwomanfeedingherchickens orbumsunderthetraintrestle,useyour imaginationtotelluswhatithappening. Allaroundusareindividualstories happeningeveryday.thinksmallbutbig! Judginginthespring,butgetstartedsoon!! PhilGonzaleshasvolunteeredtobeour DioramaShepard.His addressis: Nishnutztoo@frontier.com Someideasmightbegottenfrom: modvid.com.au/html/ body_worldwide miniatures.html Someideasfrommiscellaneoussourcesare scatteredaboutthispage... By Rich Blake Judging)to)be)at)the)February)Clinic!!4

5 Local)Layout)Progress)Report) DickHaineshasbeenbusyonhis B.S.L.L.Ll.)&)Ore)Co.snuggledin theswcornerofwashingtonstate. HislayoutisintheDuguallaBay areanorthofoakharborandis wellworththetripouttoseeifyou getachance!belowaresome picturesofthelayoutthatdicksent in2enjoy! Olympia, Washington area, still under construction. A highway viaduct gets business people up the hill. Entering the Big Stump forest near sundown. Susan Gonzales made "The" tallest and most magnificent tree in the forest, yet even its trunk diameter measures only about eleven feet while the Big Stump is 32 feet across! An Art Deco kit photographed outside in full sunlight with a local (aka outside) background.!5

6 RichThom slayoutisprogressing IaskedRichforashotofhis(mostly)completeWhiteMountainsceneinthefarcorneroftheColdwater* Creek*and*Cascadeforthenewsletter.Hereitis.Inthepicture,32truckHeislerno.3pullsacoupleof logloadsfromwhitemtnlanding. FromRich: TherockoutcroppingsarerubberrocksthatIdiscussedataclinicearlierthisyear.The smalltreesnearthepeakaregerman2made(heki)unnlockedconifersthatihackedwithscissorsto makelessuniform,andcoveredwithadditionalfoliagetotonethemdownfromtheiruniform,too bright,green.theforegroundtreesareoldgrowthnirsfromcoastman's,anoregonsupplierwho marketssomegreattreeandlogproducts.ihavealsoaddedfoamtothemtobrightenthemup.iwill describehowidealtwithplantingthesetreesinthinhardshell,andkeepingthemvertical,atthe Januarymeeting. NOTE:)The)Editor)of)this) prestigious)newsletter) could)use)more)input)from) its)readers)r)local)clinic) attendees)or)otherwise.) Send)your)pictures)and) articles)r)not)brickbats,) whatever)they)are)r)to)me) for)inclusion.)thanks!) Oh, but Grandpa, why is it sooo darn high??!6

7 Local ELayout" Progress WPU30B U2Boats passingtheoldstationatoroville Distractingfrom actual layout progress Rich Blakehasbeen exploringand drivingtrainson thewestern PaciNic sfeather Riverroutefrom OrovilletoQuincy Ca.acrosstheKeddie Wyeinoraround1970. Thisrouteisnow ownedbytheupand thebnsfshares trackagerights overthewyetoaccess whatisknownasthe InsideGateway to KlamathFalls.These arescreenshotsfrom TrainSimulator2017. CrossingunderthehighwaybridgeatDarkCanyonMP230 WPF7unitshaulingfreightuptheFeatherRivercanyon!7

8 CrossingtheRockCreekTrestleatMilepost248 ArrivingKeddieyardandstation Milepost281 CrossingtheSpanishCreekonthefamous KeddieWye bridge!8

9 EXTREME)RAILROADING) The)XRRR)Blog) )about)a)model)train)museum)proposed)by)thomas)krens)for) North)Adams,)Massachusetts) )with)news)&)notes,)links)&)commentary) Followthislinktowhatisoneheckofaproposalforanewlayout2makesthelittle800 sqftlayoutinmybasementlooklikealittlemodule. Newmodelrailroadmuseum: Whenlookingatthemodel,realizethatisonlyamodelofthemodel2whew!Iam wonderingiftheoverwhelmingsuccessoftheminiaturwonderlandlayoutinhamburg, Germanyisencouragingotherstotrythesamething.Ifyouhaven tseentheminiatur Wonderlandtrythislink: ModelTrainOnAnEndlessLoop Thisiswhathappenswhenyouhaveway,waytoo muchtime(andtrains)onyourhands. [fromraywheeler] Our local (Maple Valley) model railroad scenery manufacturer, Chooch, has a new product that might interest some of you with water and/or harbor scenes - like Tom Hawkins beautiful layout up in Anacortes or Rich Thom s in Coupeville. See more at

10 Don t forget, we are supported by the NMRA and while we do not require membership, it is very strongly recommended. See the NMRA website NMRA.org for more information! NATIONAL MODEL RAILROAD ASSOCIATION, INC. P.O. Box 1328 Soddy Daisy, TN Phone (423) FAX (423) nmrahq@aol.com Website: Complete all personal information, select membership type(s) and subscription choices. Enter all totals in Payment block below. Welcome Aboard the NMRA! New Member Application Name: Address: City: State: Zip: Phone: Birth Date: Scale: Occupation: NMRA Membership Type Circle the Option of Your Choice 1 Year Total Member with NMRA Magazine Subscription - All Rights and Benefits; includes NMRA Magazine Member without NMRA Magazine Subscription All Rights and Benefits; does not include NMRA Magazine Family - Spouse or Minor Child of above member in good standing. No NMRA Magazine or voting rights. Provide each Family Member s name and date of birth below: 9.00 Name: DOB: Student - Any person 18 yrs and under or student between the ages of yrs possessing valid student ID. All Rights and Benefits and the NMRA Magazine DOB: Sustaining - Mandatory for Group Memberships (Clubs, Associations, Businesses). All Rights and Benefits and the NMRA Magazine Region Subscription Options for New Member (First Year 6.00) Circle the Options of Your Choice Subscription Type 1 Yr Subscription Type 1 Yr 21-Northeastern Subscription Mid Continent Subscription 0 22-Niagara Frontier Subscription 0 30-Mid Eastern Subscription North Central Subscription Lone Star Subscription 0 24-Thousand Lakes Subscription Mid Central Subscription 0 25-Pacific Northwest Subscription 0 33-Southeastern Subscription Pacific Coast Subscription Sunshine Subscription Rocky Mountain Subscription 0 37-Pacific Southwest Subscription 0 28-Midwest Subscription 6.00 * Out of region subscribers may be charged additional fees by Region Phone: PAYMENT NMRA Membership Total: Region Subscription Total:: Grand Total: Go to the NMRA website at and visit the online store for latest merchandise updates We also accept MasterCard, Visa, American Express and Discover Credit Card No: Expiration Date: Month Year Signature Return entire renewal notice along with your payment. All Payments must be made in U.S. FUNDS ONLY Make checks payable to NMRA Security Code!10

11 Skagit Valley and Whidbey Clinic December Meeting Christmas Wassail Article and Photos by Rich Thom Except as Noted The SV&W NMRA Clinic revived an earlier tradition of our group by enjoying a Christmas wassail in place of the usual programs of modeling tutorials and hands-on sessions. All right: It s a bit of a stretch since wassailing originally was the practice of people going door-to-door, singing and offering a drink from the wassail bowl in exchange for gifts. No singing tonight (thank goodness, knowing our group) or wassail bowls either, but plenty of merriment and a good program, too, by long-time member John White, who along with wife Valerie hosted our original wassails. Twenty-eight enjoyed the evening including several spouses, and an abundance of potluck finger-food prevented starvation. In the spirit of the season, Clinic Chair Rich Blake skipped his usual announcements and calendar review, but did bring a Christmas tree with of course a train running around it (Fig 1). OK, we ve all had circles of track around a Christmas tree, but with a pair of sidings for switching? Note the cargo: wrapped candy kisses. Fig 1 The Blake Christmas Layout This little layout traveled around the world during Rich s long Navy career and meant a lot to his family. Thanks for bringing it, Rich. After loading up plates, and we really mean loading up testing the weight limit of paper plates--john White began the evening program (Fig 2), titling it: American Association of Railroads Visit to Various European Railroads for an Exchange of Technical Information. Whew: That s a mouthful. Officially, it was one of a series of frequent technical exchanges of track-related advances among many railroads, an international cooperation. Despite differences in loading gauge and wheel/axle loadings between the USA/Canada and Europe, the basic track challenges were the same. Unofficially, it was an opportunity for marketing, and among others Plasser, the Austrian manufacturer of perhaps the world s top-of-the-line maintenance-of-way equipment, laid on the luxury for participants. 1

12 Fig 2- John White (Seated, Left) Holds His Audience The luxury included a journey on the Venice Simplon Orient Express (VSOE) from London all the way through to Venice. (Decades later, the VSOE still runs London-Paris-Venice-Istanbul: see to make your reservation.) But on the 80 s train, Valerie White (Fig 3) wondered why John was still on the platform taking photos moments before the train was due to depart. Fig 3 Valerie White Aboard the Famed VSOE (Photo John White) John continued on to describe this once-in-a-lifetime journey through France, Germany, Switzerland and Italy with each host railroad bringing out the welcome mat and equally lavish entertainment. (There were many pictures of laden dinner tables and jovial diners.) Two breaks gave clinic attendees more opportunities to laden their plates again, while John changed slide trays. Yes, ancient trays of cardboard-mounted slides, if anyone remembers those. Rich Thom had to unearth one of his 35-year old Kodak Ektagraphic projectors stored in the back of a dark closet, a relic of an earlier technological age. Like almost everything Kodak made in those days, the hefty machine performed flawlessly no two-year warranty from Best Buy needed. The canals of Venice, ornate palaces, and cog railways in Switzerland were all dished up in John s narrative, capped off by a ride in the cab of a 7,000hp Austrian electric locomotive, with great through-the-windscreen views of the typical excellent trackwork of European railways. Thanks, John, for a fun evening, and we look forward to next season s wassail. 2