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Marklin Power Supplies
Derik has an electrical question for readers:
“I have two HO Marklin power supplies that does not work. Can somebody give me drawings or explanation of how to repair them please . The latest one that doesn’t want to work is 6631 Schalter T25/E?”
Derik will need to be aware that any comments made by readers on this blog are personal opinions only, and he should seek proper advice from an experienced electrician if he is in any doubt regarding electrical safety.
Converting N Scale to HO Scale
Hamhari has a question for readers:
“Hello model railroaders. I have a question about a plan I have in mind. It is an N scale plan but I want to build it in HO. I was told that I would have to double the diameters of the curves (12 in N to 24 in HO). When I went to another website I can never get a straight answer from people there. They told me that I would have to double the size of the benchwork from 4×8 to 8×16. Is that true? It looks like the others would have told me that in the first place. Thanks!!”
Comment below.
N Scale Suppliers
Richard is seeking advice from others in the hobby regarding online purchasing of model railroad supplies:
“When I got the itch again (my last Model Railroad some 50 years ago), I wanted to go for N Scale and still do. However, here in Cape Town South Africa, there are only two Model Railroad suppliers and neither have much N Scale items. To be exact, the one has none, while the other (a much larger supplier/retailer) has only one Start Up Kit, one Locomotive and a set of passengers. N Scale is not very popular in South Africa, HO being the most popular.
I am a bit wary about Online Purchasing, being bitten a few times before. Can you suggest a good and safe N Scale supplier who has a good range of locomotives, cars, accessories, etc? Also some info on shipping costs. The web sites I have visited so far seem to cater for the USA with no mention of shipping costs to, in this case, South Africa.”
Add your suggestions (comments) below.
POLL RESULTS: How much time per week do you spend working on, or operating, your model train layout?
654 model railroaders voted in our last poll which asked: How much time per week do you spend working on, or operating, your model train layout?
Results were as follows:
- Up to 5 hours (38%)
- 5 to 15 hours (26%)
- 15 to 30 hours (6%)
- 30 + hours (2%)
- I don’t have a layout yet (28%)
An Overview of Digital Command Control
Even though many of us a reasonably experienced in the hobby, getting started can be confusing. Beginners hear all kinds of new terms and have a lot to learn. This steep learning curve can be intimidating and will put many off venturing further into the hobby. This is why it is so important we all help and encourage others.
DCC or Digital Command Control uses rails to send digital commands to the locomotives in such a way that multiple locomotives are independently controlled within the same block. A DCC system consists of the following components.
Command Station – controls all other parts of the DCC and determines the type of throttle controls that can be incorporated.
Throttle or Cab – acts as hub of the whole system, primarily used for controlling the train.
Booster – amplifies command signals so that enough power is generated for operating the tracks.
Power Supply – supplies power to the entire model as an AC transformer or DC power source.
Decoder – incorporated into each locomotive to provide power to the track, only when it has been addressed.
For lots more information of DCC operation check out the members area inside the Model Train Club. New content is added every month.
For Beginners – Curved Track For Your Railroad
Regular contributor John has once again supplied a wonderfully informative article for publication. On behalf of all readers I would like to thank John for the excellent contribution he is making to the hobby. I know it is really appreciated.
No matter what size model railroad you have or are building, it’s important to have the right curved track for the kind of locomotives you may own. Just like making sure all the track is kink-free with clean rails, using the correct curves can make your train run realistically as long as the track is clear. On the other hand, a locomotive running on too-small curves can not only look bad, but can cause derailments and collisions if the operator is not careful.
A real railroad uses easements to bring a train into a turn, meaning that the track has the largest curve at its starting points and gradually goes into smaller curves between these points. Easements can be used and look great on model railroads, but take up a lot of space on smaller projects.
As related to diesels, a four-axle locomotive, such as an ALCO RS and C-400 series, the EMD F or GP, and the GE B-series, are usually shorter than the six-axle locomotives like the ALCO C-600 series, the EMD SD, or the GE C-units. For N-Scale railroads, the minimum curve to use is the 9-3/4” Radius, which can handle a four-axle locomotive pretty well. Six-axle locomotives will run on 9-3/4” curved track, but look and run better on a minimum 11” Radius to handle the longer diesels. In HO, which is almost twice the size of N, the minimum track curves should be 18” Radius for four-axle diesels and 22” Radius for six-axle diesels.
If you run a train with passenger cars on your railroad, use the largest curves possible. Passenger cars can be longer than freight cars, and need the larger curves to make turns. Also use this principle if you model the modern era, because some of today’s huge engines and bigger freight cars need the larger radii.
A problem arises when modeling a smaller railroad. The plywood boards in home improvement stores are usually cut to a 4×8-foot size, or in half to 4×2. These sizes do not support the larger curves. A 22” Radius (HO) on a 4×8 or 11” Radius (N) on a 2×4 can fit on the plywood, but the track is too close to the edge. Get around this by using smaller curved track and go with four-axle diesels.
Comment below.
The Vermont & Essex Railroad Club
Daniel sent in this article for publication:
I’m a member of a private club called ” Chemin de fer Vermont & Essex “.
We model Canadian Pacific, Canadian National and different smaller railroads in New England, depicting the route used by famous trains through Vermont like the “Ambassador”, the “Montrealer” and the “Alouette” from the canadian border, all the way to Boston. Our goal is to be as accurate as possible regarding to railroad equipment, vehicles and train consists.
The Vermont & Essex railroad club became a reality in 1998 when six passionate modelers formed a private club depicting various train routes from Montreal to Boston across the Vermont landscape. The photo you see above is the actual model of the St-Albans’ station on our layout, with it’s train shed measuring a mammoth 404 scale feet!
GP5 Loco and Tender by Graham Fisher
Marks asks readers:
“I have what I think is a GP5 loco and tender by Graham Fisher. I am in serious need of a lot of parts. The motor is in good order and all parts move. There is no body on either the loco or tender. Does anyone know where I can access detailed pics?”
HO Bridges – Trestles
Gary has a question for readers:
“I have two track spans, both about 3 feet long. One is single track, the other, double track. These are elevated so they need bridges or a trestle. I can’t find anything commercially, so I would like to build it from scratch. This will be my first scratch building effort. Where can I get info on plans and materials available to use for such a project?”
N Gauge Kato Number 4 Points
Mike has a question for experienced model railroaders:
“I have a passing loop with a sidings coming off the loop. When I switch the rails to move a loco up the siding the loco in the loop moves as well. Any answers please?”
Comment below.
Tunnel Derailments
Ralph is experiencing derailment problems and asks readers for advice:
“I have a curve in a tunnel. When the train runs right to left on the track all is well. But when I run the train left to right I obtain a derailment. I have manually changed the curvature a little. The area is somewhat accessible. There is no problem either way with small engines just with the longer engines.”
Comment below.
N Gauge DCC Conversion
Evert has a question for readers:
“I live in Cape Town, South Africa. I’m busy building a layout for my N Gauge trains. I’;m sitting with a bit of a problem as nobody can help me converting my locos to DCC. I have 2 of the following : Kato N 2016-1 D51 2-8-2 Japanese Steam Locomotive #498. Can someone please help me ? I have no idea what to do and I can’t even get the loco open. Thank you very much.”
Add your comment below.
N Gauge Airport Scene Items
A reader asks:
“I am considering adding an airport and aircraft (static) into my model N gauge layout. Can anyone offer me some guidance, particularly with respect to aircraft size to be compatible with the railway.”
Comment below.
oo Scale Footbridge
Thomas asks readers:
“Where can I get a footbridge which will span more than two tracks?”
Track Warping Problem
Edward has a question for readers:
“How do I check for a warped rail or track twist or a small level change? My trains uncouple once in a while and leave cars behind.”
Add your comment below.
Converting Old DC Model Railroad To DCC
Henry has a question for readers:
“My old DC railroad is about 20 years old and is needing a facelift. Can it be changed to DCC without a lot of new wiring? I have several blocks so that I could control trains in different areas. Do I need to remove the blocks and make it all one block? Lastly, can my old engines be converted to DCC or do I have to buy new dcc equiped engines?”
Comment below.
N scale, but No Locomotive Or Cars
Cecil has a question for readers:
“I have a lot of track but no locomotive and no cars. 23.456 ft of track. I go to e bay a try to get things but get out bid. What do I do to get what I want? I don’t want to sell any of my track. I want to make a big layout. What to do?”
Frogs And Switches
George has a question to test experienced railroaders and asks:
“Why do the frogs in the switch keep derailing my engine or cars. I have checked the tension of the Atlas switch, and I also have Bachmann N gauge which does the same thing.”
Add your comment below.
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