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OO Bachmann Class 66 Derailment
Wayne is hoping for some assistance from others in the hobby and asks:
“I recently bought a Bachmann DCC Class 66 and it seems to derail at any opportunity even on a straight run. I have Googled it and found it to be a common problem but cant find any solutions. Has anyone has same problem or know the solution? Thank you.”
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HO Loco Control DCC and Non-DCC
Werner asks others for advice:
“Being a novice, I would like to know exactly what options I have with my layout. I have both DCC locomotives as well as non-DCC. I am planning to split my track (separate control) and run non-DCC on one circuit and DCC on the other. My experience being limited, I have read where the DCC loco can go onto non-DCC track but not vica-versa. Also it can’t run indefinitely on the DCC side. Any and all info on this subject is appreciated.”
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N Guage Road Width
Gil has a question he is hoping and experienced N scale modeler will know the answer to:
“I would like to know the measurement of Main Roads, and secondary Roads for N-Guage”
Add your answer below.
HO DCC Decoders
Malcolm asks others for help:
“I am about to change to DCC. I am reading up on it but cannot see an answer to this question. If I want sound do I have to instal 2 decoders or does a sound decoder also perform like a basic decoder to operate the loco?”
Comment below.
Sn3 Telephone Pole Insulators
Paul wants advice from others and asks:
“I have one telephone pole in S scale that I got in a box of misc. stuff at a train show. It has clear insulators that look EXACTLY like phone pole insulators. I would like to know if anyone might know where I can find more of these type of insulators. No beads please. Like I said, the six clear insulators on the one pole that I have look just like the old time insulators, so I know that they are out there somewhere.”
Weathering a Shed the Inexpensive Way
John kindly contributed this article for publication:
An old structure, a paper plate with water in it, a paint brush, and some black paint are all you need for this short and easy project. I used a very inexpensive N-Scale Imex Maintenance Shed (built-up), but you can use any structure that you don’t know what to do with. The shed comes in dark red with a dark gray roof, and all you have to do is dilute the black paint so that it slightly “puddles” on the structure where dirt and grime caused by years of use (as well as passing engines) would form on the walls and roof. Start with the roof and work down with the diluted black paint, and let it all dry when you’ve “weathered” it enough.
One thing about this structure – by itself, when the black paint dries, it looks bad enough to throw in the garbage and start on something else, or else put a coat of new paint on it instead of weathering. But put in on an old sidetrack on your layout, surround it with trees and weeds, and it looks fantastic! It’s really hard to beat a weathered structure, freight car, or locomotive!
Another way to inexpensively fill out a layout is to make your own signs using your computer and a printer. This gives you a choice of fonts, colors, and sizes. The paper to be used is heavyweight white sheets, available at office supply stores. Full-size (8-1/2 x 11″) paper with backing on it that gets peeled off is also ideal for signs on store-fronts, as it’s put on carefully and then pressed in so the adhesive on the back sticks to the structure. Remember to always work in your scale and don’t make the signs too big or so small that one has to use a magnifying glass to see what it says.
As with the Raccoon Lodge sign on the shed, I’m about 3/4 of the way making a small 2×3 in N-
Scale. The layout will be based on the old TV show The Honeymooners starring Jackie Gleason, who always had a lot to say. To make signs of his sayings that are not attached to buildings, I use wooden barbecue skewers to mount the sign in whatever height is needed. Seems to work pretty good, but not as good as the show itself, which will never be outdated!
Good Railroading!
Brill Trolleys Won’t Run Smoothly
Clement asks:
“HI have various Brill Trolleys and all have stopped running or go through a stop and go action. If I push them they will run, but again will stop or stop and go. Can anyone tell me what I’m doing wrong please?”
Comment below.
Waybill Systems For Train Operation
A reader with the nickname “Tbone” has a question for others in the hobby:
“I’m tired of just running trains around my layout. I now want more purpose for my system. I understand a little about how waybills work but need more input. What computer programs and/or other means do modelers use to operate and justify their layouts?”
Trackwork Underway For Club’s Latest Layout
Barry from Soar Valley Model Railway Club kindly sent in this update of progress on their new layout:
This photo show progress of the new “00” modern image Monkton Howland layout at the Soar Valley Model Railway Club at LEICESTER in the UK. The layout will be capable of running either analogue or DCC.
The base boards are all 6ft x3ft modules made up with 3 x 1 frame work and 12mm ply surface.
With 2 x 1 frame work legs. For ease of transportation to Exhibitions.
Trackwork is PECO 100 modern sleeper, So that members proprietary stock can be run. The layout is on two levels and is ballasted with material obtained from Wales.
Mixed with a PVA solution and meticulously infilled between sleepers and shaped chamfered shoulders, rails cleaned off immediately, Rail sides are painted to represent rust.
Point work is done dry and tamped then carefully syringed with PVA solution. And point the work operated immediately to make sure they work properly. The point motors are PECO. Wiring is connected via multi-pin connectors between each board. Scenery is constructed with Polyfiller mix and flock also we use worn normal foam back carpet for undulating landscapes, painted and flocked. Trees made from twisted wire painted and flocked, all buildings bridges and viaducts will be a mixture of proprietry manf. And hand scribed thick card. Water is represented using liquid polyurethane.
The Soar Valley Model Railway Club will have an Exhibition on 6th. & 7th. April 2013 at MARTIN HIGH SCHOOL, LINK Rd. ANSTEY, LEICESTER. LE7 7, UK.
O Vehicles For Layout
Richard seeks advice from fellow model railroaders and asks:
“I am working on a new O scale layout and am having a hard time finding vehicles. Layout based in mid to late 1950’s. Any info on where to obtain properly scaled vehicles will be appreciated.”
Add your suggestion below.
HO Scale Muskoka Central Railway
ONR GP9 Dropping a reefer at the cold storage company.
SD40 heading out of town
Steve sent in these photos to share:
I model the Muskoka region of Ontario Canada. It is a Proto-Freelance railway set in the early 80’s. It contains both CN and Ontario Northland power and rolling stock. There is currently two continuous loops, plus sidings on one level. The plan is set to expand to two larger loops but with the ability to have point to point operations, including a helix to a shelf which extends around the room. Special emphasis has been placed on weathering and detailed scenery.
Using photos for backdrops. The road becomes a photo just past the white truck.
Overlooking the town of South River
Louver Glass Windows for Scratch-Built Layout Structure
Lee asks:
“I am trying to model a railroad in a tropical setting. Most of the structures for HO gauge modeling have brick structures with casement windows. I have not been able to find any windows like I need. The louver windows are narrow glass blades that are 4″ wide and 24″ or 36″ or more in length with 10 or 12 louvers per window in the real world. Does anyone know of someone who sells such HO gauge windows? Building my own would be very tedious!”
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HO Scale – Adding a Decoder to an Older Engine
David asks for your help:
“I have a Proto 2000 loco which is probably 20 years old, and would like to add a sound decoder. I looked last night and am not sure if I need to unhook the small computer board at the back of the motor. I’m assuming (trouble I know) that the old board was partly to control the MARS light. Will the decoder work with the board in place, or will there be problems. It’s been a while since I’ve installed a decoder and as it’s a Sumnami I’d like to get it right the 1st time. Any other tips about installation would be appreciated. Yes, I do have LED’s and resistors. Thanks!”
G Scale R/C operation Aristocraft Revolution Radio Control System
Roy asks readers:
“Has anyone had experience with the Aristocraft Revolution radio control system? I am considering which system to use for my G gauge garden railway.”
Why Was Gauge Used?
Dave sent in this interesting yarn to share. You are welcome to send this link to your friends.
The US standard railroad gauge (distance between the rails) is 4 feet, 8.5 inches. That’s an exceedingly odd number.
Why was that gauge used? Because that’s the way they built them in England, and English expatriates designed the US railroads.
Why did the English build them like that? Because the first rail lines were built by the same people who built the pre-railroad tramways, and that’s the gauge they used.
Why did ‘they’ use that gauge then? Because the people who built the tramways used the same jigs and tools that they had used for building wagons, which used that wheel spacing.
Why did the wagons have that particular odd wheel spacing? Well, if they tried to use any other spacing, the wagon wheels would break on some of the old, long distance roads in England, because that’s the spacing of the wheel ruts.
So who built those old rutted roads? Imperial Rome built the first long distance roads in Europe (including England ) for their legions. Those roads have been used ever since.
And the ruts in the roads? Roman war chariots formed the initial ruts, which everyone else had to match for fear of destroying their wagon wheels.
Since the chariots were made for Imperial Rome , they were all alike in the matter of wheel spacing. Therefore the United States standard railroad gauge of 4 feet, 8.5 inches is derived from the original specifications for an Imperial Roman war chariot. Bureaucracies live forever.
So the next time you are handed a specification/procedure/process and wonder ‘What horse’s arse came up with this?’, you may be exactly right. Imperial Roman army chariots were made just wide enough to accommodate the rear ends of two war horses. (Two horses’ arses.)
Now, the twist to the story:
When you see a Space Shuttle sitting on its launch pad, there are two big booster rockets attached to the sides of the main fuel tank. These are solid rocket boosters, or SRBs. The SRBs are made by Thiokol at their factory in Utah.
The engineers who designed the SRBs would have preferred to make them a bit fatter, but the SRBs had to be shipped by train from the factory to the launch site. The railroad line from the factory happens to run through a tunnel in the mountains, and the SRBs had to fit through that tunnel. The tunnel is slightly wider than the railroad track, and the railroad track, as you now know, is about as wide as two horses’ behinds.
So, a major Space Shuttle design feature of what is arguably the world’s most advanced transportation system was determined over two thousand years ago by the width of a horse’s arse. And you thought being a horse’s arse wasn’t important? Ancient horse’s arses control almost everything!
Soar Valley Model Railway Club Grows From Small Beginnings
The Soar Valley Model Railway Club (SVMRC) stirred in June 1981 when about six enthusiasts met at the Manor House pub in Quorn in the UK. The landlord, also an enthusiast offered the stable loft alongside the hotel as a clubroom but only if we cleaned and cleared away years of accumulated rubbish including several dead birds and rotted food.
At the first proper meeting a constitution was written, officers elected and a recruitment drive initiated. By Easter 1983 the club was arranging it’s own small exhibition. The club established itself with good management and a strong membership and had gone from strength to strength from the small beginnings with only six members. SVMRC currently has 55 members.
Dorehill St. Stevens (00)
The layout measures 41ft 9ins x 14ft 6ins on 22, 6ft x 3ft or 2ft 6ins boards made from 12mm exterior ply on 75mm x 25mm battening, with occasional variations as can be seen in the canal area. The layout ideally requires ten operators but can run with only seven.
Sowters Lane (009)
Sowters Lane is a fictitious “009” narrow gauge junction layout, situated in a rural location and is based loosely on a number of slate, coal and quarry railways. Trains converge from the three quarry and mine and takes them via the junction at Sowters Lane to the Main line transfer yard off scene . In addition to the mining traffic the occasional passenger and goods freight trains can be seen meandering through the scenic countryside, where the keen eyed will spot the blacksmith welding in his works and the Farrier working on his horse shoes. The local bus awaits passengers to be taken to the nearby town, the taxi awaits fares and the postman makes his rounds delivering letters.
Aylett End (00)
This layout is based on a Southern Region branch line terminus around the Ashford area in the British Railways era 1950s & 1960s.
Hardington Valley (Hornby Dublo)
The station is based on a large provincial town with a goods yard, sidings, coal staithes and working colour light signals.
The club is currently developing 3 new layouts:
Monkton Howland (00) – A modern image DCC layout .
Shawley (0) – A 1950s branch line, loosely based upon the Charnwood Forest Railway.
Swithland Sidings (N) – A semi-fictional recreation of the area around Swithland Sidings on the
Great Central Main Line, set in the 1950s.
N and HO Layout With Lumber Town
Arlin sent in this update of his layout:
“My layout is a mixture of some old and more recent era which depicts many small lumber communities in Oregon. The wiring under the deck has been slow because I’m not able to get under and my neighbor has been helping in his free time, so that has me at a stand still. We are in the process of connecting the lights for most all structures and street lights. In the corner of the layout will be a stream, waterfall and lake with a camp ground. I have added a hobo camp in a front corner so kids can see it up close. The N scale is lake a back drop to the HO and will feature a small town and farm scenes. Back drop scenery is also in the works. It seems to never end! That is why my wife refers to me as “Chug Along Arlin.”
N Scale 80 Rail Joiners
Kenneth asks readers:
“It seems all dealers are out of code 80 rail joiners. Is there another rail joiner that will work.”
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