Everything on model trains, model railroads, model railways, locomotives, model train layouts, scenery, wiring, DCC and more. Enjoy the world's best hobby... model railroading!
FREE Sample Kit To Build
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Model Train Locomotive Gears
Electric motors need gears to reduce the speed of the motor and align it to gears mounted on the axles of the locomotive. To reduce the speed of the motor a small gear is mounted to the motor shaft and a large gear to the drive wheels. Because of wear, the smaller gear is usually brass, and the larger gear, plastic.
The drivers of a steam locomotive are usually large enough to allow a plastic gear large enough to make the speed reduction with a single set of gears. The gear is only on a single axle because, like the real locomotives, the side rods transmit the power to the other drivers.
A model diesel locomotive has smaller wheels mounted in trucks at opposite ends of the unit. Therefore diesel models usually have motor with shafts out each end, leading to a set of several gears mounted in a tower above each truck.
Dirt, lint, and cat hair are bad for any gear set. Too much oil or grease on the gears attracts those contaminants to the axles, as well as the gear sets. Be sure any cleaning solution or lube is intended for use on plastic gears.
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Motor Brushes For Model Trains
Until the recent development of can motors, the electric motors in our locomotives had an open frame. In an open frame motor, all the internal parts are visible, the magnets, armature, and brushes.
Bushes come in pairs one plus +, and one minus -, depending on the chosen polarity, and rub on the commutator to transmit current to the armature, making the motor turn. Brushes are made of a carbon substance, quite small, usually round, and held in place by a light spring wire or leaf. As they wear the face of the brush takes the shape of the commutator. This wear sometimes causes the carbon to eventually fill the tiny grooves on the commutator, and require cleaning.
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Free Model Railroad Building
Right now you can pick up the plans for this scale model store FREE OF CHARGE thanks to the guys at modelbuildings.org. The building is simple to download, print and then construct… and it looks amazing when built. There is no catch with downloading it (none of the usual forms to fill in or anything like that). You just download the plan and scale it to HO or N scale. The plan comes as OO scale. Instructions on what to do are on the website. Believe me, it looks incredibly real when you’ve constructed it. Perhaps you could send in a photo of your finished model in place on your layout when finished.
Get the free plans from http://www.modelbuildings.org/free.html
Please tell your friends about this excellent freebie and perhaps buy a couple of buildings from the site if you are impressed with this free gift!
Motor Armatures
The motor armature is made up of the windings and commutator, mounted on the motor shaft, which is supported by bearings. The armature is located so the windings are within the permanent magnet, and the commutator remains exposed for contact with the motor brushes.
Outside of a tiny drop of oil for the bearings, and possibly cleaning the carbon from the grooves of the commutator, there is little to be done.
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Smoker stopped working on Santa Fe freight train
Jim asks readers:
“I have a Lionel Santa Fe freight train O scale (8689) with whistle and smoker. The train sat idle for much of the spring, but now that my son has gotten back to using it, the smoke stack no longer seems to work. Does anyone have experience with this? Could it be the fluid that was in the loco before he stopped using it glopped up while sitting idle? Or is it more likely an issue with what I presume is a tiny motor that pumps the fluid out? I’d like advice on how I could fix this, if anyone has any suggestions. Thank you.”
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If you have a question you would like published you can submit it to the blog moderator for consideration. The link is in the right hand column.
How to tell if a loco is DC or DCC
Gene asks readers for advice:
“I have 9 HO scale locos (steam & diesel), that I have purchased over time. How can I tell if a loco I bought (don’t have the boxes anymore) is DC, DCC-Ready, or DCC inclusive? I can’t find markings on the locos themselves.”
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Fixing Locomotive Problems
Model locomotives are usually well made, durable, and give good service over a long life. Like any electro-mechanical item, they do have problems from time to time.
The first thing to look for is dirty wheels. For good running you need good electrical contact between the wheels and tract, so both should be clean. As the track gets dirty, the wheels pickup the dirt, and dirt causes poor contact between the wheels and the track. Use a brass brush to clean the wheels, not sandpaper or a file, as they would cause scratches on the wheels, which would just attract more dirt.
The next step in finding locomotive problems is observation. Watch it in operation, on straight track and curved. Does it jump or stall going through turnouts? Get down to track level and watch it slowly run by. Does it wobble, jerk, crab sideways? You won’t know what to fix until you know what the problem is.
Before taking your locomotive apart, take a good look at how it is put together.
Take a digital picture of each step, so you will know what goes where, when the time comes to put it all together again.
Many screws and parts are very small, and easily lost if dropped on carpet. You might want to place an old bed sheet on the floor to aid in finding any items dropped.
Use a small cake pan to hold the parts and store the locomotive between work sessions.
Clean the individual parts with a lint free cloth, cotton swab fibers are bad. A lot of the screws in a model locomotive have very fine threads and go into soft metal or plastic parts. Use caution when tightening screws so you don’t strip the threads.
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Locomotive Lubrication
A lot of locomotive problems are caused by too much oil and grease.
Instead of using an oil can, or even an oil pen, put a single drop on a plastic cap and use a pointed, round toothpick to dip in the drop of oil and carry the oil to the bearing. As the motor, gears, and wheels turn it will distribute the oil. If you have the instruction that came with your locomotive it will show the areas to lube and what lube to use. If you don’t have the instructions look to see where parts may rub together during use.
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Train Traction Tires (Tyres if you use British Spelling)
Blog reader Robert sent in this tip to share:
“I have found that heat shrink tubing cut with a very sharp craft knife makes a good substitute for worn traction tires especially if they are not readily available or you are $ wise.”
Comment added by Moderator: Yes I have heard of electrical heat-shrink tubing working too. Apparently you need to get the soft type and not the hard plastic stuff that Radio Shack sells.
Some RC hobby shops sell the assorted tubing (Team Novak Product #5852) for around $5. It may require two layers in instances where the groove is particularly deep in the tire. Choose a size a little smaller than what comfortably slips on, then stretch it a little before applying really low heat for it to shrink in place.
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How Fast Should Trains Run?
The answer basically depends on how realistic you want your train operations to be. Obviously faster trains will have more chance of derailing especially around tight bends than slower trains; however speed is not the only reason why trains derail… but that’s another topic.
Most keen modelers will strive for realistic train speeds to better represent the true prototype operations you would see on a real life-size railroad. It’s only when we get a bit over enthusiastic (or maybe when we are still learning) that we operate our trains at unrealistic speeds.
For anyone new to operating model trains the first piece of advice would usually be to SLOW DOWN. To look real, model trains need to operate at scale speeds, not like performance racing cars.
In HO scale (1:87) a 40ft boxcar is typically about 5.75 inches long.
Positioning a YARD RULER alongside a straight stretch of mainline track is a good way to practice running trains at various scale speeds. Practice accelerating as well as braking at scale speeds that resemble prototypical stops and starts.
Below is a table that shows prototype speeds and the required seconds needed for your model train to move from the start point of the yard ruler to the end point.
So based on prototype speeds in HO scale it would take a model train 3 seconds to run 3ft if it was operating at 60mph. In N scale the train would take 5.5 seconds to cover the same distance.
If you are performing switching operations then 5 mph is a typical speed to aim for. Yard movements are below 15 mph whereas mainline running could be anywhere between 25mph to 60 mph depending on the track condition and train type.
More info about scale speeds inside the Online Model Train Club.
Why Build a Model Railroad Branch Line?
Branch lines are side tracks off the main railroad so work well as a quiet alternative to the main line. The main lines connect major points on the layout so are generally carry faster through traffic. Subsidiary tracks are added to insert more routes and extend the layout. They also induce flexibility in the design and at times require fewer components. Each line is likely to have at least one station, freight depot, or destination point so that trains can load and unload cargo or drop off passengers. A branch is will often include a passing loop or sidings to allow trains to pass or perform other tasks.
Branch lines may permit designers to build a more realistic prototype. Countryside scenes or city views can be added to the layout along the length of several side tracks.
14 Tips To Help You Master An Airbrush
An Airbrush is an amazingly useful and versatile tool for any modeler to have. The key to mastering airbrushing is to understand the relationship between the air pressure, the thickness of the paint, and the type of airbrush you are using.
Here is a basic diagram to show how an airbrush works.
The above diagram shows how paint particles mix with air pressure. The pattern can be altered by adjusting the movable needle backward or foreward.
14 Tips To Help You Master An Airbrush
1. Choose the right airbrush for your needs. There are two main types: single-action airbrushes and double-action airbrushes. A single action airbrush is more basic as it has fewer moving parts so is simpler to clean. A double action airbrush gives more control as you can adjust the air volume and paint separately.
2. Depending on the brand and type you use, you might choose to try different needles for different jobs.
3. The air source needs to be reliable. Some people buy the air in small air propellant cans, others use a compressor, and some people even use an old car tire to dispense the air. An air source delivering 100 PSI at a constant rate is usually what’s required.
4. Airbrushes vary a little in how the paint in stored. Some use jars attached under the airbrush and others use little bowls to hold the paint at the side of, or above, the airbrush. The important point is to mix your paint to an inky liquid consistency so it doesn’t block the airbrush. Acrylic paints can be thinned with water. Inks can be used on some projects and they won’t usually require thinning. When diluting acrylic paints add only two or three drops each time until you get the consistency right. It is easier to add more water, but once you have added it you can’t take it away.
5. Adjust the paint type depending on the surface you are covering. Some paints are more flexible and less prone to cracking or damage than other paints. As an example; a less pliable and harder paint might work better when airbrushing on a metal surface.
6. Before getting started on a model train shell or airbrushing some scenery, it is wise to test your techniques and your paint consistency on a piece of scrap paper. It is a good idea to practice pressing the button control on the airbrush. It might save you from having to wipe the model clean and start over again if you make a mistake. You will be able to adjust the needle on the airbrush so that it doesn’t quite touch onto the cap, but still allowing just enough space for air to escape. The airbrush will need to be about 8-inches (20cm) from the surface you are spraying.
7. Practice, practice, practice! Get to understand how to control “atomization.” I know it is a fancy name, but it basically relates to how fine the paint particles are when sprayed. A higher pressure will result in finer paint atomization. There are several youtube videos to explain techniques. Understand how the type of paint and consistency will affect the atomization process. Try out using various paint types and consistencies to determine what works best for you. Thicker paint will require more air pressure for the paint to flow freely, whereas thinner paints (and inks) will flow easily with a lower air pressure. Adjusting the button (on the top of the airbrush) will usually provide some control of the air pressure. If paint Splutters out of the airbrush it usually means it’s too thick.
8. When using a finer needle a thinner paint consistency will be needed. A lower air pressure of perhaps 15 to 40 PSI may work best for high precision work like this.
Different effects can be achieved by altering the paint consistency, air pressure, movement and distance of the airbrush from the object being sprayed.
9. Take care not to “over-spray” when using an airbrush. Horizontal stroke movements can be applied when applying the first coat of paint. After leaving it to dry a second coat or different color can be applied maybe using a vertical stroke movement from three or four feet away. For weathering structures or scenery a subtle buildup of paint layers and colors usually looks best. Complete several passes of your airbrush to create the weathering effect as opposed to applying just one thick layer. In real life, grime and dirt on a structure will usually build up over years, so airbrush weathering needs 
to replicate that process by building up multiple thin paint layers (grime and dirt) using the airbrush.
10. Any airbrush if it’s to operate effectively needs to be kept in “as new” condition meaning it must be kept spotlessly clean. Paint will harden if left inside the mechanism and it will cause blockages and affect the paint flow. For this reason special care needs to be taken between projects to ensure the airbrush is returned to the condition it was before it was used. The jar or bowl can be removed and soaked in water for cleaning. Blowing air through the airbrush will help wash out any paint left in the mechanism. It will also stop colors from intermixing if dregs of the last used color are still inside the airbrush. The airbrush should also be clean of any water before adding new paint to the bowl or jar dispenser. Just blow it out onto a rag. Cleaning the airbrush immediately after use will prevent many problems. When taking the airbrush apart remember to take care with the needle as that is usually the most fragile part of the mechanism.
11. Although there are no hard and fast rules with airbrushing, it is generally best to build up the color layers one layer at a time usually starting with lighter colors first, gradually adding darker colors.
12. Masking tape is a good material to stop paint spraying where you don’t want it to go. Artist Frisket (film or liquid) can be applied for masking too.
13. Any fine detailing can be achieved by using a fine airbrush needle.
14. In some instances you might want to seal the model using an artist fixative or clear matt spray to protect the paintwork.
There is a very good ebook available free as part of the package at http://www.model-train-help.com
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Watch This Guy Airbrush
This new video features a guy airbrushing and I’m sure you’ll agree he makes it look easy.
http://www.modelbuildings.org/background-building-plans.html
Dry Brushing Technique on Model Trains & Railroads
The dry brushing technique is used widely on model railroads to improve realism and provide extra dimension to a surface. It can also be used to highlight raised surfaces and small details that might otherwise be lost. Modelers often use dry brushing to give train models a rusted appearance to achieve a more realistic weathered look. Use an old brush (preferably one that has short stiff bristles) or buy a cheap one from stores for this technique.
1. Dip the brush in paint.
2. Wipe all extra paint onto a paper or towel. The dry should have some paint on it but not appear to be wet (hence the term “dry brush”).
3. Drag the paint brush across the model to despoit small amounts of color pigment. You might need to have several goes until you master the technique of applying the right amount of paint to just highlight chosen details.
4. The process can be repeated after each layer is dry to build up layers using color variations to add dimension.
Dry brushing is used to paint rust marks, oil stains and smoke marks. It can also be used to add details to landscapes.
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Diesel Multiple Units
Diesel Multiple Units (DMU) is relatively new technology, which is gaining popularity worldwide. It allows trains to run onto branch lines without any electrification in the tracks. A diesel engine is fixed on board, and transmits power to the wheels hydraulically, electrically or mechanically. This classifies diesel trains into three main categories.
DMUs offer several advantages. They operate at lower costs and consume less fuel at faster speeds. These trains generate a reduced amount of noise pollution. Their disadvantages, which include higher maintenance costs and increased air pollution, are obvious when the traffic volume is large so they are used for light traveling purposes.
KC Southern GP40 Running on 027 Track
Reader Bill sent in this photo of his railroad to share.
It features the KC Southern GP40 running down main line using ballast king medium rubber ballast with rubber cabinet shelf liner underneath which keeps ballast in place. The 027 track is detailed with pieces of cork board used to simulate railroad ties giving an inexpensive look to make old track look more like super track.
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Do you enjoy prototypical operations on your model railroad?
The results of our latest reader poll are (in my opinion) somewhat surprising with 56% not really interested in applying prototypical operations on their layout. I thought that figure would have been lower, so it seems I was wrong in my assumption.
429 readers voted in our recent poll which asked “Do you enjoy prototypical operations on your model railroad? (with switchlists, waybills, regulations, timetables etc.)”
Results are as follows:
–> NO – that’s not really me (56%, 242 Votes)
–> YES – sometimes I do (15%, 63 Votes)
–> YES – definitely (10%, 45 Votes)
–> YES – most of the time (7%, 28 Votes)
–> I haven’t got a layout yet (12%, 51 Votes)
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