4D HO Modular SIG
Minutes Sept '09
Home
About Us
Upcoming Events
2009 Show Schedule
Bulletin Board
Wye Progress Information
Meeting Minutes
Tip of the Week
Tips for Beginners
Recent Photos
SIG Policies
Module Construction
Procedures and Reliability
Number assignments
Related Links
Contact Us

HO MOD SIG MONTHLY MTG. MINUTES, Sept 12, 2009, Crossroads Mall Food Court, by Norm C, Chairman

COMMENTS:
1. Meeting Date: The next scheduled breakfast meeting is Oct 10, ’09. More on the site below (Item 11).

PAST SHOWS:
2. None

NEXT SHOWS:
3. Lynden, Oct.3-4 ‘09, Pete: The show is all set to go at this time. A message from Pete went out a few days ago with all the details. Let Pete know if there are any changes or issues.
4. Maple Valley, Oct 17-18, Ravensdale, Ross: The dates have been confirmed, Ross is now planning the event.
5. WGH Show: Nov 21-22, Mike, The WGHS (World’s Greatest Hobby Show) is in early planning stages. We are confirmed. Apparently, Jim Scorce from NCE will be there to check out our NMRANet.
6. Trailer movements, Norm: At this time the trailer is at Norm’s. Bob B will take it to Lynden and return it to Norm’s. Norm will take it to the next breakfast, Oct 10, where Rob or Mike can get it to the south end for the Maple Valley and WGH shows.

NEW BUSINESS:
7. Tacoma Layout Tours, Norm: Gene Swanson called and told me about the upcoming Tacoma Layout Tours. They will be held Oct. 24. Since there was some interest, I will contact him and get some flyers. If you are interested, mark your calendars.

8. Bremerton-Northern joint running session, Norm: I received a message from them that they want to participate with us at the PSC show once again. All agreed that last year worked out well and so they will be invited again.

9. Modules available, Norm: There are two sets of modules available by members who have moved out of the area. One is Joe F’s farm and engine house. The other is Dave A’s logging railroad. If interested, I will provide contact information.

OLD BUSINESS:
10. Summer activities, Norm: The summer activities were unique this year with no shows, no breakfasts, 3 work sessions, and a major wye/yard overhaul. From my point of view, it all seemed to work out with the summer activities complimenting each other. Unbelieveable time was required for the wye upgrade by many people, so not having breakfasts or shows was a significant factor in making that possible.

11. Breakfast site, Norm: This issue is still not settled. A perfect site would have the following characteristics: central location, on route to Cherry Valley, close seating for communication (definitely not one long row of tables), quiet, quality food, and maybe a waiter.
This month’s breakfast was at Crossroads Mall Food Court. The Crossroads Mall food court was satisfactory in some features, (quiet, close seating, central location), but was lacking quality food which was poor and very inconvenient. We discussed starting the meeting at 9:00 am, and those that want food would arrive before that to get their meals.
Instead of adjusting to that, we agreed to try out the Old Country Buffet in Factoria Mall. Since there is one in Lynnwood, I am going to check this out. Watch for upcoming information about where the next breakfast will be.

12. Compliance, Norm: Early last year, we agreed upon a policy that would ensure that modules would be completed in a timely fashion. The issue was modules that appear in shows that are incomplete and have been that way for years. This not only brings down the whole group, but most likely lowers our score in judged shows. The deadline for the policy to go into effect was the Lynden show. I think that the six people bringing modules to Lynden all qualify, but as of last spring, there were some modules that don’t qualify. Please inform yourself of the policy and correct any deficiencies before your next show participation with modules. Here is the URL of our policy on our website: http://mysite.verizon.net/respuhks/4dhosig/id52.html

13. Status report: Yard improvements, Norm: As of tonight this is the status: modules built: done, modules tracked: done, modules wired: six of eight done, NMRANet: nodes being programmed now, tortoise drivers being assembled now, control panel, being assembled now. We have two weeks to Lynden, so it appears that we will make it, barely, but conveniently. If the net doesn’t get complete, we’ll make a temporary manual control panel with toggle switches.

14. Status report: Programming equipment, Brian: Waiting for budget issues. We will see where we are when we finish the wye upgrade.
15. YouTube site, Nicholas: No progress reported.
16. Leg Brackets: Milt, No progress reported. Busy building the wye modules
17. Status report: Toolbox, Mike: No progress. Busy tracking the wye modules