Last weeks poll asked : Do you use an airbrush to weather your trains and/or structures?

Results were:

– NO (69%)
– YES (31%)

318 people voted in last weeks poll which asked: How near to completion is your railroad?

Results were:
>> My railroad is an evolving process and will never be complete (29%)
>> I’m only in the planning stage and am yet to get started (24%)
>> I’ve started construction, but am less than 50% complete (24%)
>> My construction is more than 50% complete (8%)
>> I’m almost finished construction (4%)
>> The construction stage is now complete (3%)
>> Unfortunately I don’t have a layout yet (8%)

Here are two more photos of Richard’s layout. A third one was posted earlier.

The first photo shows Richville; a Village at the foot of the mountain; Town Center with Shops and a Filling Station; Holiday Homes on the lake shore; and Richville Station.

The second photo; a crossing via Bridges over a Canon.

The layout also features the “New River Mining Company” pictured in the earlier posting.

Not so many people as usual participated in last weeks poll which asked: Do you have relatives (parents, brothers/sisters, uncles/aunts, cousins/nieces/nephews, sons/daughters) who are or were model railroaders? The 240 participants voted as follows:

>>  NO (65%)
>>  YES (30%)
>>  I don’t have a layout yet (5%)

Our last poll asked: What is your favorite type of freight car?

443 model railroaders took part and the results were as follows:

>> Box (34%)
>> Tank (12%)
>> Hopper (9%)
>> Flat (9%)
>> Refrigerated (9%)
>> Covered Hopper (7%)
>> Gondola (6%)
>> Special Purpose Car (6%)
>> Doublestack/Well (6%)
>> Stock (2%)

The model train polls published on this blog are proving very popular, but it would be good to get some of your ideas for new polls. If you have a suggestion(s) for a question(s) to be asked in future polls, then please send them in. Just use the normal Submit a Question form and that will reach us. You can even suggest possible options for answers.

Charlie asks readers:

“I stumbled across this phrase ‘Johnson Bar’ in one of my train books could someone please tell me what it is. Thanks a lot.”

422 readers voted in our last poll which asked: Do you ever read the comments, or add a comment, under postings on this blog?

Results were as follows:

YES – I usually read the comments, but haven’t posted a comment yet (69%)
YES – I usually read the comments, and have also posted a comment(s) (14%)
NO – I’ll leave it for other model railroaders to read or post comments (8%)
NO – but now I know, so will read and/or post comments in the future (5%)
NO – I didn’t know I could read or post comments on this blog (4%)

So, the invitation goes out to everyone to get involved and post your comments. This blog is for everyone in the hobby regardless of the scale you work in, your railroading brand preferences, or whether you prefer DC or DCC.

This blog has the highest readership of any railroading blog on the internet (with thousands of visitors every week), so there will be plenty of other readers who share your particular interests in the hobby.

Our last poll asked readers: Will you use the free online model railroad calculators at http://www.modelbuildings.org/free-calculator-tools.html?

The results were:

>> YES – they will be handy (77%)

>> NO – I don’t need to calculate anything on my railroad (9%)

>> NO – I prefer doing formulas and math equations (3%)

>> I don’t have a layout yet (11%)

Total Votes – 286

Here is a question for readers from John. He does appreciate that this blog does not run buy/sell/trade ads, or publish readers contact details/emails etc, but would like guidance from readers on how best to have layouts valued and sold:

“I have a train room in a house that I built and might be moving it? I have children and the grand children ages 3-21 they all love to play with the S scale American flyer 1959 trains. My problem is it’s difficult to make time to do the required maintanace so they are usable. The set up is a simple two track oval with a 3rd siding with tressels. It’s a 8×12 ft layout. I have been adding to this over the years and have a lot of trains, switches and accessories . How have others dealth with this? Thank you for looking at this. Any ideas on how to have the layout or trains valued?

Dhiraj asks readers:

“I am Amateur Train Modeler, starting with my first HO train. It might sound silly but I wanted to know which train set manufacturer should be looking at when I am buying my train set? Eventually I want to take the model train set to JMRI Controlled train model. I understand every train set has prons and cons..So I want to start right. Thank you so much.”

443 model railroaders voted in our last poll which asked – If as part of a divorce settlement your ex took all your trains – what would you do? Results were as follows:

— Sell my organs to buy new stuff (58%)
— Accept it without fuss (24%)
— Quit model railroading (10%)
— Step under a train (8%)

Here are 19 “mini-posters” you can print out and hang near your model train layout or workshop. They are totally free to download and share with friends via email, Facebook, Google plus etc. The signs can be printed on A4  (8.3 x 11.7 inches) paper.

Entertain (and educate) your friends and visitors with these fun signs. Who said model railroaders don’t have a sense of humor? Have fun! Download free courtesy of http://www.modelbuildings.org/free-train-signs.html

A friend sent me this photo which I thought worthy of sharing.

407 people voted in our recent poll which asked:

“Will you be operating your trains to entertain friends and family over Christmas/New Year?”

YES – if I get the opportunity (31%, 126 Votes)
Yes – but only if they show interest (19%, 76 Votes)
No – my trains will be having a rest (18%, 74 Votes)
No – I don’t think they’ll be interested (8%, 34 Votes)
I don’t have a layout yet (24%, 97 Votes)

This short 50 second clip presents some amazing facts about railroads in a fun way. Enjoy!

If you haven’t yet grabbed the free sample building mentioned in the clip, you can download it here.

It’s late November and Winter has already announced its arrival in many countries in the northern hemisphere. This short clip shows a “snow-blower” train in Romania plowing a route through DEEP snow. The train actually derailed a couple of times on this section and needed a huge crane to lift it back on the track.

Meanwhile in the southern hemisphere Summer is on the way, and the iconic Ghan Tourist Train travels every week through central Australia in temperatures around 100F (35C). What a contrast!