April 6, 2024
Camp 18 Restaurant and Logging Museum, Elsie, Oregon
March 3rd, 2023
We have settled on the first weekend of April, this time April 6 2024, for our ongoing events. There are several reasons for this, as detailed below. To avoid people needing to repeatedly point out the perceived flaws in our date decision, here are a few details we already know:
1) No date will be perfect. There will always be problems or conflicts of some type and there is no telling which other railroad-related events are also going to choose that date. The larger events such as WinterRail and the Willamette-Cascade club swap meet are on other dates. We are not concerned with conflicting auto show, antique swap meet, vintage doll shows or the like. The first weekend of April is where we’ll be regardless of what those others decide.
2) As they say, “I am so done with March and active or potential storms” as a possible problem for the event. Enough is enough. I don’t like driving in that stuff and I’m sure most of our participants don’t like it either. Moving a month later will reduce the chances that can happen.
3) Yes, that places us closer to Easter, which is a moving target that shifts around. This year it’s April 9th, in 2024 it’s March 31st, 2025 is April 20th. That can’t be helped.
4) Yes, we know, that places us more into the higher summer hotel rates. That can’t be helped. We might check into group discount rates but I have no idea how many of our attendees would be using a hotel in Seaside, for example, and I can’t make any number commitments along those lines.
5) Yes, we know, that places us closer to or in the spring break activity timeframe, which is also a moving target. That also can’t be helped.
6) Moving to another venue, such as a location closer to Portland, is off the table. Part of the fun and the reason people attend our event is because of the location. Hosting the PMLC in a big, empty industrial room leaves me cold. Some years back we made inquiries about a few alternate locations, most are significantly more expensive, and our budget won’t allow that unless we’d boost the entry fee and we need to avoid that.
Pam and I do the best we can to put on a fun, entertaining and even educational event in a location that’s perfect for this kind of activity. We sincerely appreciate the support we’ve received from our attendees and we plan to continue presenting an event that’s worthy of that support.
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We regret that we have cancelled the 2023 event. Predicted weather-related travel difficulties that would affect everyone involved with the event caused us to bail “out of an abundance of caution” and concern for everyone’s safety. As much as we hate missing the event and seeing our friends, the cancellation was the right thing to do. But stay tuned here for more news about 2024 when the news comes available. And thank you for your understanding.
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The 2022 PMLC is in the books and the rear-view mirror and we’re already planning the 2023 event that will include some changes. As soon as we have the plans formalized we’ll let you all know what’s up and what the changes mean. They won’t affect the overall event or the terrific clinics we have but the change(s) will definitely be something to be aware of so we’ll let you know as much in advance as possible. Stay tuned to these pages, and check our News feed now and then. Thank you!
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Contest class changes – modelers please note!
In short, the changes are as follows:
– Eliminate the Full-Size Diorama class.
– Combine C – Speeder, D- Rolling Stock, and L – Camp Car, into “Rolling Stock.”
– Combine E- Non Rail Equipment and K – Tracked Equipment into “Non Rail Equipment.”
This would still leave nine classes out of the original 13, and will look like this:
A – STEAM LOCO
B – NON-STEAM LOCO
C – ROLLING STOCK
(includes the old Speeder, Rolling Stock and Camp Car classes)
D – NON-RAIL EQUIPMENT
(includes the old Non-Rail Equipment and Tracked Equipment classes)
E – DONKEY/SKIDDER/LOADER
F – STRUCTURE
G – MINI-DIORAMA
H – LOGGING TRUCK
I – EQUIPMENT SET
The Pacific Model Loggers’ Congress is a one-day model railroad and prototype history event based on the logging industry. The event includes technical and historic clinics, vintage films, a dealer sales area and a model contest with classes for all kinds of railroad and other types of logging-theme models. Attendees include model railroad enthusiasts, photographers, historians and others interested in this branch of the model railroad hobby. You’ll also enjoy some great camaraderie and conversations with like-minded individuals.
Our doors open at 9am and we generally wrap up by about 5 pm. Admission for the event is $15.00 for the day.
February 28 update:
Greetings!
Although the rules, restrictions and concerns surrounding Covid and group-related activities seem to be easing and perhaps moving towards a conclusion, our Camp 18 Pacific Model Loggers’ Congress event April 2nd may still be under some outside control.
We are guests at the Camp 18 facility and as such we need to observe any federal, state and county guidelines they have established for use of their rental space. For example, if the mask mandate is over, they may still require proof of vaccination. This is strictly speculation on my part but the event is just over a month away and matters can change for the better, or worse, between now and then.
The bottom line here is, please don’t shoot the messenger. We’re doing the best we can to host a fun, interesting and stress-free event for our participants. We hope everyone enjoys the event and that it’s safe for everyone. More information to come as it makes itself known.
Thank you!
Jeff Johnston
Camp 18 Restaurant and Logging Museum
The restaurant offers great food and drink with hearty meals from breakfast to dinner. Located at 42362 Highway 26, Elsie, Oregon 97138. Breakfast starts around 8am, just in time for our attendees.
Schedule
The schedule shown here is for the 2023 event. The general times and overall schedule are as shown, but due to some varying clinic durations, exact starting and ending times are hard to pin down. We hope you enjoy the event!
9:00AM Open the Doors, begin model contest check-in, begin display model setup
9:30AM Welcome remarks
10:00AM Clinic #1, Martin E. Hansen – “When SP&S Moved Dead Logging Locomotives.”
11:00AM Clinic #2, Greg Baker – “How to Improve Ready-To-Use Trees.”
12:00PM Lunch Break
1:30PM Clinic #3, Bethan Mahar – “Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad at Fifth: The Past, Present and Future.”
2:30PM Clinic #4, Nick Lerhbach – “Coos Bay Lumber”
3:00PM Clinic #5, Will Cochran – “Modeling Steam Donkeys: Resources, hardware and artistry.”
5:00PM Awards and Closing Ceremony
Contact
For more information, contact: Jeff Johnston, splco-mwry@comcast.net
This new PMLC website or blog is brand new and, obviously, a work in progress. Check back now and then for updates on the event.
R.I.P. Lon Wall
It’s with deep sadness that we inform our Pacific Model Loggers’ Congress family and friends that our co-host Lon Wall passed away on Tuesday May 18 2021. His failing health did him no favors and his heart finally got the worst of him. Without Lon there would never have been a PMLC. He was the person who brought it all together with his historical interest, modeling skills, friendship to all and a sense of humor that couldn’t be beat.
Even without the spiritual core, heart and soul of the event, we still have our next PMLC 2023 planned for Saturday March 4th, 2023. It won’t be the same without Lon but after missing two in-person years, I think we need to get back in the swing of the event and shoulder ahead. We hope to see you there.
Pacific Model Loggers' Congress 