The Grab-Iron

Jim Bainbridge

Seattle’s own Sound & Northwestern LLC has released an HO scale, laser-cut, multimedia kit of a Great Northern 12’x34’ Standard Portable Depot. The kit represents an important railroad structure that was buil

t by the score and shipped by flatcar to towns all along the GN lines. Some examples of this well-documented structure survive to this day. The kit can be built with or without the bay window, and includes optional parts for multiple versions. Window sashes are positionable and have laser-cut Mylar glazing. Comes with laser-printed station signs. Footprint: 1.95” D x 4.7” W. More details at www.snwlines.com.

By Jeff Moorman

Photos by Jeff Moorman

Our next meeting is Thursday, February 2, 2012. Time and place are at the end of this piece.

Robert “Bob” Stafford was our January clinician and the topic was weathering structures. Bob says structures seem to be the last thing modelers weather, yet buildings near real railroads were always pretty dirty. And Bob should know, since he worked for the prototype for many years.

There were lots of little tips in Bob’s presentation. Here are a few from my notes:

• People often add onto a building over time. A little seen trick is to do more weathering on the older parts of a building than on the more recent additions.
• It is always nice to do something different to a kit-built building, so it doesn’t look just like everyone else’s. Bob’s clinic sample was a Walther’s coal dealer’s silo to which he added a roof over the unloading chutes.
• You really don’t always need specific “model railroad” paints for coloring and weathering structures. Spray paint often works well for basic color. Craft paints offer many colors for buildings and scenery, and at a very attractive price. One brand Bob likes is Delta Ceramcoat. Hint: they have a metallic silver that is quite useful as a general color for metal.
• Weathering chalks do wonders to make structures look like they have been out in the real weather. And usually, if you don’t like the results, you can wipe them off and try again.

Bob left us with the observation that structure weathering is not hard, you just have to pitch in and “do it.”

Show and Tell was initiated with a home-built resistance soldering unit, however yours truly failed to get the builder’s name. The workmanship and appearance of the final product was very clean. Apparently the plans for this were the subject of a clinic some years ago.

Michael P showed a watch that once belonged to a street car conductor. Chris F had both a powered and a dummy Athearn GN diesel in the same blue and white color scheme with the same cab number. The number wasn’t so unusual as was the fact that the colors didn’t really match, nor was the lettering applied the same. It would appear that they were from 2 different production runs.

Tom had an un-built Vau-pe cardboard building kit from the late 50’s or early 60’s. He also talked about the evolution of European kits paralleling the rebuilding of their industrial base following WWII.

Dennis T talked about his recent experience doing coupler conversions on some locos he acquired at the clinic mart a couple of months ago. He will expand on this at the next meeting.

We meet at the Ronald United Methodist Church, 17839 Aurora Avenue North, Shoreline, WA. That is on the west side of Aurora (State Route 99) between 175^th and 185^th Streets and more specifically, between the Cadillac dealer on the south and Deseret Industries to the north. You can no longer make cross-traffic turns on Aurora, so you need to be going southbound (so you can make a right-hand turn into the church driveway immediately after passing the Deseret location).

Meetings are the first Thursday of each month, except July and August. In June we usually do a tour. For regular meetings enter the lower level of the church from the parking lot at the rear. Doors open around 7:00 PM and the program starts about 7:30. Hope to see you there or at least sometime on down the line.

Remember the next meeting is February 2 and the one after that is March 1.

Dale Kraus

Photo: Larry’s Truck and Electric

Typical model railroader:  Can’t decide on a prototype and has way too many locomotives!

Scott Buckley

Be sure to mark your calendars for Saturday, April 14^th, for the Ninth Annual Olympia Model Railroad Layout Tour.

There will be at least eight layouts representing various scale and gauge combinations, including N, HO, On30 and 3/8n20. Jim Younkins’ N scale Mud Bay & Southern and Greg Wright’s 3/8n20 Consolidated Republic Mining Railroad have been featured in national publications. Most of the layouts are in various stages of construction, which will give visitors an opportunity to see each builder’s construction methods.

As with previous years, a few layouts will be open early and a few will stay open late, giving visitors the opportunity to see as many layouts as possible.

We hope that you will take the opportunity to visit our layouts. There aren’t many chances to see these many layouts at one time without spending the money to attend a convention.

Additional information, including how to request a tour map, will be provided soon. Meanwhile, if you have any questions, please contact me, Scott Buckley, email hidden; JavaScript is required.

By JJ Johnston

Our meeting scheduled for tomorrow, January 19th of the Eastside Get Together has been cancelled due to weather reports of more storms and potentially unsafe driving conditions. The Inside Gateway is also closed so I am unable to get door prizes and I know that’s a big reason you all come. Just kidding.

Mark your calendars now for February 16 as we will have a clinic presented by someone no one has seen before and it’s one of those
“can’t miss clinics” so watch for our announcements. We will re-schedule Ron Cole for a future clinic too. Be safe. JJ

Gerry Leone, NMRA Communications Director

The Kalmbach Library’s immensely popular The Postwar Freight Car Fleet book has sold out.

The Grand Rails 2012 Convention still has space left for modular layouts at the National Train Show. If you want to show the world what you’ve done,contact Tom Draper, Chairman of the National Train Show, at either email hidden; JavaScript is required, or call 602-953-1681.

More Grand Rails 2012 news: They have great things planned for non-rails: a cooking demo that will make attendees think they’re watching a stand-up comedian do a cooking show; great entertainment at the luncheon in one of the most beautiful ballrooms in the country; even a ride on a dune schooner to see the 1,100 acre Saugatuck Dunes! Send your non-rail to www.gr2012.org for details.

Repeats From Recent Months

This year registration for Grand Rails 2012 will be handled in a new way: instead of the large registration package inserted into NMRA Magazine, the full package can be downloaded from www.gr2012.org. Those who prefer printed paper can send their request, name and address to: GR 2012 Registrar, 4165 Costa NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49525.

NMRA Elections. The official ballot was prepared by the National Nominating Committee according to the procedures laid out in the Regulations and the Executive Handbook (available at www.nmra.org). It will appear as an insert in the center of the February issue of NMRA Magazine, which will be mailed to all voting members. Ballots must be postmarked by April 10, 2012 and received at NMRA headquarters by April 15, 2012.

These jobs and candidates will appear on the ballot:

President

Charles W. Getz, IV, HLM

Vice President – Administration

Howard Goodwin
Clark Kooning, MMR
Dave Thornton

Vice President – Special Projects

Bill Kaufman
James “Lump” Lupfer

At-Large North American Director

Mike Brestel
Miles Hale, MMR

Eastern District Director

John Roberts, MMR, HLM

Pacific District Director

Mike Bartlett
Kelly Loyd
Rob Peterson

By Al Babinsky

MMR Gene Swanson opened the clinic and wished all a Happy New Year. There were 49 attendees and no newcomers. Several announcements were made about the Science Center Show this weekend and that the PNR nominations committee is looking for volunteers. Dave Fausette, the nominating committee chair, is seeking nominees for both President and Vice-President. 4D Superintendent Ken Liesse is also seeking nominees for positions in the 4th Division. Jim Sabol who suggested that whoever stopped at Tacoma Trains put some money in a can in order to purchase a train set or two for a needy child. Bill Deutscher from Tacoma Trains reported that $165 was collected and the money spent to give sets to several children. They received two thank you letters, which were read at the clinic.

What’s New at the Hobby Shop was presented by Bill Deutscher with many new items from a wide variety of manufacturers.

In the Model of the Month category we had a number of entries: Dale Kraus with a mostly scratchbuilt sanding tower and coaling facility; Tony Dell a works in progress Milwaukee Road Bridge near Avery, ID; Walt Huston with two entries a HO scale scratchbuilt tree and 4 N scale bulkhead flat cars, 3 with load and 1 empty; Jim Sabol with two O scale passenger cars by Atlas; and Kurt Laidlaw with an N scale winter scene layout built to wrap around a stove pipe. The Model of the Month winner was Kurt Laidlaw with his winter scene layout.

We were also treated with tip on how to make a no-glue box for storing rolling stock and other things made from recycled cereal boxes.

This month clinic on mines and mining was presented by Duane Damgaard. He put together a slide show from photos he had taken on trips some 30 years ago along with some archival photos of mines, mining equipment, mining rail equipment, and structures.

Next month clinic on February 9^th will be freight yard design by Jim Sabol, and will be at our usual place in the Pierce County Library Bldg. at the corner of 112^th St. and Waller Rd. We hope to see you there and bring a newcomer, friend, spouse or significant other and find out what’s going on.

From top clockwise: Model of the Month, Walt Houston’s HO scratch built tree, Tony Dell’s bridge near Avery, ID with photo of the actual bridge.                                       Photos by Al Babinsky

Frank Dekker

We still need a few more people to volunteer to help at the PSC Show this weekend, especially during show set-up.

Friday Evening: 1–2 able-bodied persons to help the 4D Hi-Rail group set up their layout.

Saturday, Sunday, Monday, days: persons willing to promote the hobby and NMRA membership at the 4D Membership Booth.

Monday Evening: 1-2 able-bodied men to help the 4D Hi-Rail group dismantle and load trailers.

Monday Evening: 2 people to monitor doors as we pack up and move out.

If you can help in any of these, please contact me, Frank Dekker, to volunteer and get instructions: email hidden; JavaScript is required, 206-817-3049.

Frank Dekker

Remember: the PSC show is this weekend at Pacific Science Center from 10AM to 6 PM, on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday.If you are planning to come as an exhibitor or as a spectator, you should know: there are road closures:

Al Lowe

By now you’ve probably heard that Woodland Scenics suffered a severe fire at their facility in Linn Creek, MO. Here are some news stories with videos about the fire:
bit.ly/xC3oja
bit.ly/zUBWf4

Today we learned the extent of the damage direct from Woodland Scenics:

As you may have heard we have experienced a fire here at Woodland Scenics and there is good news and bad news. The good news is that no one was hurt during the fire or evacuation process. The bad news is that it took out a couple of our manufacturing buildings. However, and fortunately, there is more good news than bad.

We encompass multiple buildings that are spread out all over the town of Linn Creek. We only lost two of those buildings and those two contained just a small portion of our manufacturing facilities. Our shipping department, warehouse and corporate offices were spared any damage, as were most of our manufacturing buildings, so it is business as usual.

Thanks for all your concerns.

Respectfully,

Gale Cousins
Director of Sales & Customer Service
Woodland Scenics

Al Lowe / Photos by Bill Kajdzik

The Washington State History Museum’s 16th Annual Model Train Festival was held from December 26th through January 1st and had record attendance. Several groups from the 4D were represented.

Bill Kajdzik was kind enough to share his photos with  us. To see them, click here and use the small triangles below the photos to navigate.

Dale G. Kraus

Decoding Sound Decoders

Model railroad sound has come a long, long way.  When I was a young boy, I remember “sound” as being the wheezing air whistle of my Lionel set and the thunder of cast wheels on tubular track. I was always a little jealous of my best friend, who had a “Flyer” set that went chuff-chuff down the track, one chuff per wheel revolution.  That was pretty much it until the introduction of PFM’s sound system in the mid ’60s and digitally-recorded sound boards in the following decade.

Then came the DCC revolution and the advancement of microprocessers and mini-EEPROMs.  Hey! Presto! High quality, realistic sound that will fit into N scale locomotives.  Just buy an appropriately sized sound decoder, drop it into your loco, set the address and you’re ready to go!

Well, almost.

Fresh from the package, all decoders, including sound ones, are set to “default” parameters.  Some of these must be tweaked to get the most realistic sound performance out of your locomotive. In this article we will deal with diesel loco sound only — steam is a different animal. The CV’s (Configuration Variables) that should be altered to attain really convincing sound are:

1. CV2 Starting voltage:  For convincing sound, set this CV low enough that the loco does not start until the throttle has been advanced a few steps.
2. CV3 Acceleration:  Set to a value around 8-10.  This will allow the loco to increase speed gradually. If the loco still accelerates too fast increase the CV value. These two actions will allow the prime mover sound to “rev up” before the locomotive begins to move.
3. CV5 Max speed: Most model locos are capable of running way too fast. As a starting point, set this CV to half of the maximum setting. This will slow down the loco and allow the throttle notching effect to perform more realistically
4. CV6 Mid-range speed: Set to 50% of CV5.
5. Sound Volume: The CV used for this varies with the decoder manufacturer.  See your decoder manual (you did save the manual, right?).  Turn this down dramatically. You should not be able to hear the loco a scale mile away! This has three advantages. First, the loud sound, while “Wow, gee whiz!” at first, can quickly become annoying. Second, if you are running more than one loco, the resulting cacophony detracts from the enjoyment of listening to the loco you are running. Third, high sound volume overdrives the small speakers we must use, distorting the resulting sound.

After you have performed the above five tasks, you can go back into the programming mode and tweak other sounds. With many sound decoders you can set the volumes of the bell, whistle, dynamic brakes, etc.  See the CV table in you decoder manual. (Which you did not throw out, right?) Doing these five steps will make your loco sound as good as it looks.

By Al Babinsky

JJ Johnston

There were great December meeting gifts for everyone and lots of “stealing” under the official “Dirty Santa” rules. One notable exception was the absence this year of a white elephant gift. There was lots of really cool stuff.

David Yadock won Model of the Month for his mostly scratchbuilt HO station and was awarded first choice at the gifts. Roger Ferris, who attended the NMRA convention in July, went to their Nonquet (which is what they called their banquet with no dinner) and won a door prize: a G scale Bachman 175^th Anniversary boxcar.  Roger, after much thought, generously awarded the boxcar to Eastside member Jim Easley in recognition of his leadership in spearheading an amazing outdoor G scale layout involving residents of the Emerald Heights retirement community where he resides. Dr. Jim explained that each boxcar on the layout was donated by a resident of Emerald Heights and every car has a special meaning to each person providing the car. Jim thanked Roger and let him know how special his car will be to their layout.

FUNDRAISING REPORT. Our annual fundraising effort to offer financial assistance to members of the church which furnishes our meeting space, provides room setup, and use of their coffee and supplies, was very generous. We raised a total of $887, which will be divided between three ladies. The first is a 75-year-old grandmother who cared for her granddaughter and then adopted her when her parent went to jail for drug abuse. She lives in the projects on a limited income, has health issues, and has attended our church since 2002 and always gets a ride to attend church. The second lady is a widow of three years with a child in the Philippines where she and her husband were missionaries. She is getting by on food stamps while searching for a job and lives in a home as a guest of a church member. The third lady has had several surgeries and has just undergone another surgery. She only has part-time employment and financial assistance is very meaningful and appreciated over the holidays as she is unable to work until she recovers.

JANUARY 19, 2012. Our first meeting of the new year will feature well-known modeler Ron Cole with a Show And Tell entitled, “What I Learned About Casting Resin Train Parts.” Ron will bring various models, some quite large, along with casting equipment and resin. He will actually cast a few parts during his clinic while showing useful techniques. He will bring train parts used in train kits he successfully produces. This is one of those presentations you won’t want to miss. Reserve the date now!

Happy New Year to everyone.

Jeff Moorman

Seasons’ Greetings to you and yours. Our next meeting is Thursday, January 5. Time and place are at the end of this piece.

Show and Tell was a bit slim at December’s meeting. Bob S had a couple a nicely done structures. Both were from the same kit, but didn’t look at all alike. Bob has graciously agreed to talk about his weathering techniques at our next meeting. Come prepared to learn about looking old and used. Of course, a couple of us do that sort of naturally.

Di Voss was back to wrap up his piece on Digital Command Control. This section was mostly about using Decoder Pro to set, and reset, and experiment with configuration variables (CVs). Wow, this sure is a lot easier than setting the codes for each individual CV.

For illustration Di showed how to customize a locomotive’s bell, whistle, and speed response. He also covered how much easier Decider Pro makes dealing with the multiple use variables, like that pesky CV 29.

I ran out of time to include any pictures this month, but I will try to get them in the next installment.

We meet at the Ronald United Methodist Church, 17839 Aurora Avenue North, Shoreline, WA. That is on the west side of Aurora (State Route 99) between 175^th and 185^th Streets and more specifically, between the Cadillac dealer on the south and Deseret Industries to the north. You can no longer make cross-traffic turns on Aurora, so you need to be going southbound (so you can make a right-hand turn into the church driveway immediately after passing the Deseret location).

Meetings are the first Thursday of each month, except July and August. However, in June we usually do a tour. For regular meetings enter the lower level of the church from the parking lot at the rear. Doors open around 7:00 PM, announcements at 7:15, and the program starts about 7:30. Hope to see you there or at least sometime on down the line.

The next meeting is January 5 and the one after that is February 2.

Jack Hamilton

While Santa’s elves produce a lot of train sets each holiday season, they can’t hold a candle to the quality and scale of the ones on display each year at the Washington State History Museum’s Model Train Festival.

“Railroads have played an important role in our state’s history,” said Jennifer Kilmer, director of the Washington State Historical Society. “The model train festival provides a wonderful opportunity for us to share that history in a fun environment that involves Washington state residents and brings to life their passion for model trains.”

Running the week after Christmas, the 16^th annual event will showcase eight model train displays designed and assembled by model train enthusiasts from across the state, including Boeing Employees Model Railroad Club, Cannonball Express, Pierce County Lionel Club, Mount Rainier N Scale, 4D NTRAK Group, 4D PNR HO Modular Group, Puget Sound Model Railroad Engineers, and Washington State Operation Lifesaver. The displays will occupy every floor of the museum and include the largest permanent model train layout in the state.

“The week after Christmas is a time that a lot of families have off from school and work,” said Kilmer. “We’d like to encourage everyone from around the state to consider a day trip to Tacoma.”

As an added attraction, this year’s festival will also feature a presentation on The History of the Great Northern Railroad and the important role it played in the development of the Pacific Northwest. The presentation will be hosted by Randy Dasho Sr., a local railroad historian who spent 43 years as an employee at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. The presentation will run from 1:30 to 3 p.m. on December 28 and December 29 and is free with paid admission to the train festival.

The Facts

December 26, 2011 – January 1, 2012
10 a.m. — 5 p.m. daily
Washington State Hustory Museum
1911 Pacific Avenue
Tacoma, WA 98402
(253) 272-3500
Admission: Adults $8; Seniors 60 and older $7; Students and Military $6; Children 5 and under free; Members of the WSHS free