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New Videos Show How Club Operates
Watch the 3 New Video Tours of the Club
It is January 2013 and this is the beginning of the third year for the Online Model Train Club. Many members have belonged since it got started, and they will have seen numerous improvements over that time. New content and resources are being added each month, which explains why the club is becoming increasingly popular.
The three new videos show a look inside the online club (as seen by members).
>> Video #1 is a member tour of Level #1
>> Video #2 is a Level 2 member tour
>> Video #3 is a member tour of Level #3
Some club members are very experienced in the hobby and happily share ideas with other club members through postings inside the club.
As one member put it, “I like to help others where I can, and this is a great way of doing it.”
Click here to watch the Train Club Tours.
HO Rail Yard Construction
Raymond wants advice from experienced model railroaders and asks:
“Do your readers have a suggestion for resources teaching and planning for how to create a yard on a HO layout – I need help with how to couple and uncouple from idle cars in the yard to a switcher to another loco on the mainline. So I need suggestions how to do these steps and how to plan, purchase and place the magnets as well as the way to do the turnouts and block control for these maneuvers.
One specific question I have is whether it is feasible to perform the switching moves when there is any grade change or regardless of precautions, will there always be a problem with freight cars rolling downhill. I am assuming that this would be feasible as long as I can control the coupling and uncoupling very well with parked locomotives and end of line bumpers preventing the downhill escape. Thank you in advance for suggestions on how I can learn more about and plan this.”
Add your answers below.
Sound Speakers On Trains
Stephen (a member of the Online Model Train Club) sent in these tips for adding sound effects to trains:
Many manufacturers of model trains now have built-in cavities where speakers can be located. In some instances you can make a space for a speaker in the fuel tank on a diesel locomotive. Some of the older diesel locomotives might be trickier. Steam engines will typically have a tender (unless they are a tank engine) where you can locate a speaker. I usually install the speakers face down as this generally gives off the best sound. I cover the speakers with a double thickness of panty hose to avoid metal fragments getting attracted to the speaker magnet.
What is the most challenging part of building a Model Railroad Layout?
The results are in from the last poll where 227 people voted. The question was “What is the most challenging part of building a Model Railroad Layout?” Answers were as follows:
Planning (36%)
Track Wiring (26%)
Scenery (19%)
Maintenance & Repairs (6%)
Benchwork (6%)
Other (5%)
Building Structures (2%)
Can’t Get Polar Express Train To Work
Scott is hoping for some advice from readers:
“I purchased the Lionel Polar express O gauge for my son for Christmas. Unfortunately it appears that the train engine is broken. The transformer is working, as the other cars are lite up, but the engine doesn’t move, whistle, or light up. Any ideas on how to troubleshoot this train set?”
Add your suggestions below.
Track Maintenance
A reader by the name of Sil sent in this question:
“What is the best thing you can do to the track to keep it resident so that the trains run smoother? I use a light sand paper and my friend say’s rubbing alcohol is good also. Is this True? ”
Add your thoughts below.
Christmas Trees and Trains Go Together!
Regular contributor John kindly sent in this short article to share:
Not many things express the season like a train around the Christmas Tree. Whether your set-up is elaborate or a single train going around and around, everything seems to go better when both are incorporated into a festive scene. It doesn’t have to be expensive either, and the Tree looks even nicer with a train going around it.
The pictured scene is a 4-foot Christmas Tree, an inexpensive HO Bachmann set with track and an engine with three cars, and Cobblestone Corners winter/holiday figures. The 3-1/2 x 4-foot table covered with white shelf-wrap (to simulate snow) finishes and holds the scene, and overall costs about $100 dollars. One word of caution – do not put tree-wrap or fake snow paper too close to the track or train, as the material acts as a magnet and gets itself wrapped around the wheels, causing all kinds of havoc.
Many of us have fond memories as a youngster of seeing a train around the Tree, and a lot of those children are today’s modeler’s with tremendous layouts. But even if you’re not an active modeler, a train around the Tree adds much to the enjoyment for children or adults alike.
Quartering Steam Loco Drivers
Robert Morey sent in this contribution to share:
You need one sheet of thin plastic a bit longer than your main driver wheelbase.
1. Draw a line and mark out the positions of the driving wheel axles.
2. Draw lines through each axle position perpendicular to the first line.
3. Drill holes the same diameter as the driving wheel axles.
4. Cut along the first line so that you have two pieces of plastic with semicircular holes.
5. Slip each piece of plastic between the wheels and frame on opposite sides to each other so that the driving axles fit into the slots on each piece of plastic.
Align the crank pin positions on one side of the loco with the edge of the plastic that has the slots. The crankpins on the other side of the loco should line up with the lines drawn perpendicular to the cut edge through the slots if they are correctly quartered.
Trouble with HO Switches
Jim asks readers:
“I’m having trouble with my locomotives running through my switches creating shorts in the DCC system. I use Atlas switches and can’t come up with a fix. It seems to happen more often with my steam locomotives. Has anyone experienced the same problem and come up with a fix?”
Add your comment below.
Track Codes And Scenery Scatter Powder
Graham has an OO layout and asks:
“What’s the best glue for fixing scatter powder to layout boards?”
James has an N scale layout and asks:
“What are the differences between code 55 and code 80 track and can you combined then on a layout Thanks”
Add your answers below if you want to help.
HO Helix Construction
Steven asks readers:
After too long not having a layout, S and A lines is starting to come alive. I am planning a multilevel layout.
My question is on helix construction. What methods seem to work the best? What is the formula to get proper grade?
Painting Hardshell Cliffs On A Layout
Ashley sent in these tips:
I use a wash of thinned black leather dye or India Ink mixed with rubbing alcohol (also called 70% isopropyl alcohol). Don’t add too much to start off – it is better to gradually add the color to the alcohol rather than add too much color and end up having to throw it away and start again. I start by adding a few drops to a measuring cup. I test the dilution on a scrap piece of plaster first. I then gradually add a few more drops of color at a time until I obtain a color shade close to what I’m looking for. I then leave to see what shade it dries before making the final color decision. It is always much easier to make it a little darker rather than trying to lighten the color by adding more plaster. I use similar mixtures as a wash for structures and wood ties. The following is my dilution guide:
- LIGHT weathering – add 1 teaspoon of India Ink with 1 pint rubbing alcohol
- MEDIUM weathering – add 2 teaspoons of India Ink with 1 pint rubbing alcohol
For more model train scenery help log in to the members area of the online Model Train Club.
Quick Easy Ground Cover For A Layout
Landscaping a layout can be as easy or as difficult as you want to make it. Personally, I enjoy working on scenery, so I choose the difficult option and take my time adding intricate details to every scene. However, if you prefer to spend more time on other aspects of the hobby, you can choose the easy route. As an example; you can apply ordinary acrylic house paint (using a 2” or 3” brush) to quickly cover large areas of the landscape. House paint is relatively inexpensive. A light brown or tan color would probably be a good choice – not that you would want to paint the scenery all the same.
You could then sprinkle on some fine and medium Woodland Scenic’s ground foam in various tones of green. When it is dry you could add some more ground cover and some bushes to add realism to the scene. The main thing is to avoid using dark brown’s for your base color, because soil only looks really darkish brown when it’s turned to wet mud.
Members can click this link to log in and get more model railroad scenery ideas.
Woodland Scenic’s have a range of liquid pigments if you want to use those. They have an Earth Undercoat which you can thin with water, and they have other shades available for rock painting and other uses.
Locating Wiring Problems
Peter from the UK sent in these tips:
When wiring your layout remember to mark and to code the various wires wherever they terminate. It is very frustrating to have to crawl under the benchwork on your back under to try to locate and retrace a particular wire to solve a problem. I also makes sense to split the layout into several electrical sections. This helps to isolate areas making it easier to track down problems. Keep your wiring separate for the different functions like track power from the turnout power and the lighting circuits.
Model Train Wire Gauge Sizes
Bill sent in these tips for wiring layouts:
“It is best not to use the same gauge (size) of wire for all your model railroad wiring. The higher the gauge numbers the smaller the wire e.g. a size 22 gauge wire is smaller than size 18 gauge wires. The larger size wires (e.g. gauge 18), are generally better for longer runs as it minimizes any power loss. Many use size 22 gauge wires for short runs (e.g. a 1-foot drop from the track rail to the bus wire). Sizes 22 – 25 are often used for lighting circuits, short runs, and for powering relays. If you keep the relays for your frog power reasonably handy to the turnouts they control, you can probably use size 22 to route the power to a frog from a bus or the track. DCC typically requires heavier bus wires to minimize loss.”
Comment below.
The Joy of Painting Model Figures
Michael has sent in this contribution:
I started off painting war game figures, as time went on I went back to my basics of model railways, and started to paint model figures. I have in my short time enjoyed doing what I can do. I have also done some work for other people. One which stand’s out is cliff hanger which was at the NEC MODEL RAILWAY SHOW IN THE UK. The line represents the Lynton to Barnstaple line which is narrow gauge in 009 and the route that was chosen was Lynton to Minehead route which was planned but never built. The era for the layout was set in the 1930’s which was some fun to research clothing and getting the right colour for the clothes. This has lead me to do it for other as well.
DCC HO Problems
Sundaram would like some advice from experienced model railroaders and asks:
I am facing the following HO problems:
I have a DCC fitted layout. Zephyr DSCS50 and Digital DS64 Digital Command Control –
1. The mobile decoder (Digitrax – 123HD) failed all of a sudden – seems to have burnt out, because a hole is been on the plastic sheath covering the electronics.
2. The turnout machine keeps switching even when not activated. This specially happens when a non- DCC engine is operated.
Add your suggestions below.
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