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Scratch Built Crossing
Here is something really interesting. Subhash is a keen model railroading enthusiast from India, but the problem is train supplies are expensive and hard to get. So, Subhash not only manufactures his own rolling stock, he also builds his own track.
When you think about it, most of us would never dream of scratch building track, let alone a locomotive. We simply go out and buy it. So, Subhash is to be congratulated for his efforts and persistence. He is an inspiration to us all!
Subhash tells me his whole train layout is scratch built including scratch built tracks and crossings. He has made dies for sleepers, and aluminium strips for tracks. Subhash admits it is difficult as he has to search hard to get the raw materials.
Subhash builds to TT scale because he says you get more space work in TT than HO.
For the tracks Subhash has used Aluminum sheets 4ft x 8ft, gauge 1mm, trimmed in 3mm height. He creates rails of 3mm x 8ft. He has also made a die for sleepers for HO & TT now he can make as many sections of track as he wants.
Subhash uses normal tools as he doesn’t have any high end tools. He just uses whatever tools he has available at home. He says if you have diagrams the track is easy to build. And, the important thing is; the track and the trains work!
Subhash has two locos and some passenger carriages, different kind of wagons, a caboose, and two suburban EMU trains and all are scratch built. I’m sure you’ll agree they look very authentic.
I’m sure Subhash would welcome your comments and questions. Click on the green comments link, register and then add your feedback.
HO Layout Track Planning
Dick wants to build an HO layout and has a question for other HO enthusiasts:
“I am just starting to research things before buiding an HO layout. I am an experienced 64 yr old modeler, but have not done railroading in many years. I built highly detailed wooden ships from scratch for years. I’m in to detail. I want to do a train layout with similar detail. I’ve looked at track and some of the combination track (with roadbed) looks toy-like to me. Can someone please give me some specific advice about track ie. Manufacturer, 83/100, track alone or roadbed/track combination, type of roadbed. Thank you.”
LGB Garden Railway
Bradley has an LGB garden railway and wants to hear from others in the hobby and asks:
“I wish to find a product for my LGB Garden railway layout. Prior to this I have charged my track to run my trains. I want to look into a battery operated remote control system where I might put a battery in a car behind an engine in order to run the trains. This would eliminate the use of my transformer. Can anyone involved in garden railways help me please?”
If you have an LGB garden layout and would like to advise Bradley, simply click on the green comments link, register and then reply.
Will All Model Train Manufacturers Survive The Recession?
We are all guilty of taking things for granted. We think that because a brand (or stockist) has been around for many years they will continue to be around forever. However, we live times of change and we can’t always take things for granted. These are testing times for all of us and we need to try and stay positive and work as a community and help each other.
Here are some things you could do:
1. If you can afford it – keep up your interest in model railroading and continue to support stockists of model train supplies. If the stockists stop selling, then they stop buying from the manufacturers. If the model train manufacturers stop selling, they stop manufacturing and could potentially go out of business. Model Train manufacturers are unlikely to get a government bail-out!
2. Encourage others in the hobby particularly newbies. We need new people coming into the hobby all the time to ensure this hobby not only survives, but it prospers! Beginners often spend the most money and will help the industry survive these difficult times.
3. Help each other by adding feedback and comments on this blog. It is a great way to share ideas and I am putting my time and effort into this to keep it as a FREE service – so please use it.
4. Please help me too. If you haven’t already bought my Model Train Help ebook, then please do. I need to earn a living too.
5. Keep a smile on your face (it’s contagious!) and enjoy life. Despite all the bad news, the trees will keep growing, the sun will keep shining, kids will keep laughing and life will go on.
Beginners Need Your Help
Do you have some experience in this wonderful hobby of model railroading?
Do you have your own model RR layout or are you in the process of building one?
Do you belong to a model railroad club?
If you answered YES to any one of these questions, then you probably have some knowledge you could share with others in the hobby. Please don’t just keep the information to yourself. There are lots of beginners who need mentoring and guidance from others in the hobby.
You can help by adding feedback and comment to their postings on this blog site. If you think you can comment (or even answer) some of the questions posted on this blog, please add your thoughts below each posting (use the green Comments and Feedback link).
This blog is a FREE service but we need your help to keep it going.
Note to anyone asking a question. Please ensure you supply plenty of details to help others help you. The better the question – the better the answer is often what happens. So, if you want a detailed, focused answer – make sure you compose a detailed well thought-out question.
HO And OO On The Same Gauge Track?
Michael has a question on HO compared to OO and asks:
“I would like to own one of the American Locos but all of the ones I like seem to be HO scale. My question is are HO scale locos compatible to run on a OO DCC track?”
Robert comments – HO (USA) and OO (British) are not the same scale (the difference between HO and OO is 12.5%). Most people would find it hard to spot the difference at first glance.
HO has a ratio of 1:87 and is 3.5 mm to the foot with a standard track gauge of 16.5mm or 5/8″.
OO has a ratio of 1:76 and is 4mm to the foot with a scale track gauge of 18.83 mm.
Most model train manufacturers have made their wheels fine enough to work on HO track.
Perhaps some of our readers could comment on their experience with running OO and HO together and perhaps their thoughts on mixing OO and HO buildings etc.
Add your feedback using the green comments link below.
Switch Problems
Jim is having a problem with switches and asks for reader feedback to help:
“I’ve had O 3 rail before but never had this problem. I am building a new layout powered by and MTH 4000 transformer. When I come out on the throttle enough for the engines to move, it throws my switches (Lionel 042). They are r/c switches, but I do not have them wired in yet, so presently they are being used manually. As soon as I give throttle, they start throwing whatever the opposite direction is from what they were before I throttled up. Does anyone have any idea what’s causing this?”
Help Jim and add your feedback using the green comments link below.
Wiring Reed Switches
Martin wants to hear from others in the hobby who might have ideas and opinions on wiring reed switches and asks:
“I have recently purchased some reed switches I would like some help as to how to wire them to my turnouts and can I activate two turnouts to one reed switch. Thanks Martin from Australia.”
Broadway Limited Blueline Engines With Decoders
Don has two Broadway Limited Blueline engines without decoders and asks:
“I have two Broadway Limited Blueline engines that will not run. They both have sound but no decoder for DCC. The have a plug that is difficult to plug in. I thought that I had not properly inserted the plug but when on a live track you get headlight and rear light according to the direction indicated, but they will not respond. This occurs after installing a remommended decoder. Does anyone have any thoughts on why?”
If you have the experience to comment on this problem you can do so using the green comments link below.
16 Year Old Needs Help With Layout Landscape And Ballasting
Sixteen year old Adam needs some help and ecouragement from others in the hobby and asks:
“Hi, Iwas planning my layout and I have got no idea how to ballast or landscaping at all. I went to a model show a few days ago and watched a fellow modeller landscape but not ballast he used some specialling builder’s plaster but I don’t know what it is called. Its seem pretty simple to landscape but I have had many tries ballasting and I just can’t get it right.
All my locos keep derailing on it. Would any one be able to help me?”
To help Adam you can add feedback using the green comments link below.
The Model Train Help Ebook has many good pointers on landscaping and track ballasting.
Converting DC to DCC
Milton is converting DC engines to DCC and wants advice from anyone who has gone through the process:
“I am in the process of converting all of my DC engines to DCC and I am begining to plan a layout of an early steam era SP freight yard. It has 81 turnouts and a round table that I want to run as a prototypical layout.
I have chosen Digitrak as the DCC controller, but to date, I have found out there is only a mobile decoder for engines and nothing that I have found out to identify rolling stock cars as too layout location or car idenity. Stationary decoders might work but need to have a power source or contact to the track to communicate and power. RFI chips might work but will require censors in the layout specific enough to identify specific track locations.
Finally, there needs to be a last car identity as a consist is built such that every car that becomes a last car identity as they pass through turnouts. Without this identity turnouts will not indicate passage of a consist and a turnout that needs to be switched back to normally closed or normally open.”
Give Milton your feedback. Use the green comments and feedback link below.
N-scale Big Boy Locomotive
John is trying to locate a N-scale Big Boy Locomotive and asks:
“I am interested in purchasing a N-scale Big Boy Locomotive. Does anyone know where I could ask about purchasing one since they are discontinued?”
Electrical Flow Problems
Richard wants to hear from anyone who can help him solve his electrical problem and asks:
“I have a problem. Electrical! To the point, I do not understand and know enough about the electrical flow. I have looked, examined, etc. As you may see, I have made contact points through my ohm meter for continuity between the center of the rear set of wheels and with the center point of forward wheels. The meter pegged out. In my thinking, this should not happen?
Does anyone know? Can anyone help?”
To help Richard you can add your feedback using the green Comments and Feedback link below.
Do You Have Any Experience In Model Railroading?
Do you have some experience in this wonderful hobby of model railroading?
Do you have your own model RR layout or are you in the process of building one?
Do you belong to a model railroad club?
If you answered YES to any one of these questions, then you probably have some knowledge you could share with others in the hobby. Please don’t just keep the information to yourself. There are lots of beginners who need mentoring and guidance from others in the hobby.
You can help by adding feedback and comment to their postings on this blog site. If you think you can comment (or even answer) some of the questions posted on this blog, please add your thoughts below each posting (use the green Comments and Feedback link).
I’m sure we all want this great hobby to continue and grow. If it starts to die off then suppliers will start to disappear too and the selection of accessories will diminish. So, please encourage others, help the beginners and share your experience with others in the model railroading community.
The easiest way is to add your feedback to one or two of the many questions asked on this Model Train Help blog. This blog is read by thousands in the hobby, so you could be assisting a lot of people who have been struggling with the same problems you have experienced (and even solved).
This blog is a FREE service but we need your help to keep it going.
Note to anyone asking a question. Please ensure you supply plenty of details to help others help you. The better the question – the better the answer is often what happens. So, if you want a detailed, focused answer – make sure you compose a detailed well thought-out question.
Loco Problem
Abdul wants to hear from readers on their thoughts on why his loco is stopping and starting:
“My n scale locomotives starts when I nudge it, then after travelling a bit it stops. I then give it a nudge and the same is repeated. What could be the reason and how to overcome it?
Add your feedback using the green comments link below.
Street Lights On RR Layout Causing Problem
Doug wants your advice on street lights on his RR layout and asks readers:
“Hi all, I have installed 20 – 12v street lights along my street, they all work but after about 2 -3 seconds they go out, I have tried with only 2 connected but the same thing happens. I have tried the transformer unplugged from the controller, with no other items connected, same result.
Any ideas from those in the know please.”
Give Doug your feedback using the green comments link below.
Hobby Glues For Model Railroads
Richard and his son would like some advice from fellow model railroaders on hobby glues:
“My son and I acquired a roundhouse kit for HO that requires gluing. We wanted to know what is, or are, good glues to use and where we can get them?”
Add your feedback on hobby glues using the green Comments link below.
Lionel TMCC Wiring
Tim wants help from anyone who has experience with wiring and asks:
I am so confused on what to buy and how to wire up the various products that Lionel has for TMCC and conventional engines.
I will be starting out with two trains. About a year later I will be adding track and switches for three trains. Then I will complete the layout by adding more tracks and switches, and running four trains.
The two-train layout will have:
- 800 inches of GraGraves track
- 12 turnout or switches
- Two power blocks
The three-train layout will have:
- 1000 inches of track
- 16 turnouts
- Four power blocks
The four-train layout will have:
- 1500 inches of track
- Six power blocks
I will have about 25 building on the two-train layout and do not intend to have any more after that. Most of them do not have lighting.
I have about three decoupling tracks but no other action devices on the layout.
So what do we need to run TMCC and run non-TMCC trains on this layout as it grows?
I would like to see a schematic or block diagram showing how to connect the elements.
This I have found out from some web research I want to use the TPC instead of the Power Master. I am looking at the ZW as the transformer with two powerhouses (to start with) and getting a third or fourth Powerhouse as the layout get bigger. Any help from anyone in the hobby would be appreciated.
To help Jim or offer some suggestions use the green Comments link below. Remember to register first before typing in your answer.
SUBMIT YOUR QUESTION
