Most people getting started in the hobby of model railroading begin with buying (or being given) a starter model train set. More often than not it is HO scale which is the most popular.

It is a good way to get started, but the rolling stock that comes with most starter model train sets is not highly detailed. You get what you pay for and the starter model train sets are lower in price and usually consist of a simple round or oval layout.

When purchasing the rolling stock separately, look for the most realistic and reliable rolling stock that fit with your budget. You can buy rolling stock over the internet if you know exactly what you are looking for and what you are getting.

There is however an advantage in buying model train set accessories through a local hobby store. You can pick up the rolling stock and have a good hands-on inspection before buying. Often the person behind the counter at the hobby shop will be knowledgeable about model trains and will be able to provide some good guidance for the beginner.

Before buying any rolling stock for your model railroad layout think carefully about the imporatance of having reliable, smooth wheel operation. If you are buying from a hobby store pick up the car and examine the wheels with a critical eye. See how well the wheels spin. Avoid wheels that only turn once and then stop. Avoid wheels that wobble, because that’s a warning sign that the car might not operate smoothly and could even cause a derailment.

Model train wheels can be made of either plastic or metal; the important thing is that they have a metal axle. For the wheels to sit on the rails correctly they must be the same distance apart on the axle. Plastic wheels can sometimes be adjusted to the correct distance apart on the axle.

These days it is so much easier to buy model train supplies than ever before. The selection of electrical circuitry component, structures, scenery, spare parts, locomotives and rolling stock, track and accessories is more extensive than ever. So, for those of us interested in Model railroading as a hobby, we are spoilt for choice.

Since the advent of the internet we don’t even have to travel to our hobby shop or mall to find the train part or assessory we want.Trouble is even when we get to the local hobby shop they don’t always have what we are looking for. What they do have is expertise and this prove invaluable, even if we have to wait a week or so for the hobby shop to order something into stock.

Although there isn’t always the expertise available when buying train supplies on the internet, the range of train supplies and accessories is extremely extensive and orders can be delivered right to the door.

The problem with buying train supplies on the internet is that you don’t always know what it is you are getting. Whereas in your local hobby store you can quiz the staff and pick up the item and inspect it. It is easy to be fooled on the internet by exciting photos or exaggerated descriptions of train products.

So, there are disadvantages and advantages from buying from your local hobby store or online. When purchasing model train supplies over the internet there are some basic rules worth following:

1. Buy from a reputable dealer or a supplier that has been recommended by someone in the know.Read testimonials from satisfied customers.

2. Although it is not always possible, try and stick with known brands and product lines that you have had experience with.

3. Check for product or supplier guarantees. Be sure to understand the return policy and costs associated with returns or exchanges. Although the terms and conditions of sale might seem a bit harsh, they shouldn’t be a worry for most honest customers. The unfortunate thing with the internet is that suppliers often get taken advantage of by ripoff artists and dishonest customers who don’t always tell the truth.

4. Use a credit card, paypal or some other method of payment that provides a level of protection. This is especially relevant when paying for high-dollar value train supplies.
Discussion groups and forums can be a useful resource to share ideas and learn from other model railroaders about preferences of particular train brands, model train supplies and model railroading suppliers.

The model train help ebook also has an extensive list of model railroad resources to help search for supplies.

Model railroading is generally a lifelong interest and many involved with the hobby form long-termrelationships with the suppliers and particular brands. So it usually pays to stick with the train suppliers you know you can rely on.

By Michael Ball

Modelers of HO trains model after specific railroad periods of the United States and Canada. From almost the onset of American railroads the 40 foot boxcar has been in existence. It began to disappear from the railroads in the 1960s.

Refrigeration was changing from the old ice method to the modern thermal air-condition cars that were self cooling. Also, the 40 footer was beginning to be too small. The larger 50 & 60 footers were taking over and they even experimented with 86 foot boxcars. The big railroads wanted to haul more goods and reduce the tonnage they had to haul. It took 125 40 foot boxcars to equal 100 50 foot boxcars. The reduction would be 25 less 40 foot boxcars times their empty gross wait.

This was certainly an advantage for the railroads let alone the maintenance of the smaller boxcar. With this in mind the majority of the model railroaders I know still prefer the 40 foot boxcar. They like the era from the late 1920s though the early 1960s. They are also very colorful and interesting. Many of these nostalgic colorfully designed boxcars are gone unless they might be in a railroad museum. There were so many different designs and logos to see.

The hobbyist still has the opportunity to find many of these colorful boxcars that are manufactured by several model railroad producers of freight cars. Some examples are Kadee, Intermountain, Athearn/Athearn Genesis, Accurail, Bachmann, Walthers, Red Caboose, Bowser, Roundhouse (Roundhouse is now makes only the pre twentieth century cars), Branchline, Life-Like, etc. There are several more that sell kit form freight cars as do some of the aforementioned companies. You can even get wood kits but they are not common.

Now for the types of 40 foot boxcars there are more than you may possibly think. The types of construction and usage varied. It all depended where the railroad was mainly located and types of products, food and perishables that were being shipped. From perishables, staples (wheat, Corn, Barley, Soy, etc.), equipment that needed to be enclosed, parts, manufacturing equipment that was relative small and the manufacturer did not want the tools and or equipment dinged by flying debris, ice, snow and heavy rain, and typical Midwestern hail storms.

Typically soft goods like flour, sugar, fruit, dairy products, and processed meats were hauled in 40 foot reefers. These boxcars are smaller in size than the standard 40 footer. The majority of these reefers were wood as were most of the other types of 40 foot boxcars. This changed however, as time went on to metal reefers.

There are multiple types of 40 foot steel boxcars. There are the following types:40′ Superior Door Boxcar; 40′ Double Door Boxcar; 40′ Ribbed Boxcar; 40′ Modern Boxcar; 40′ Express Boxcar; 1937 AAR 40′ Boxcar; 40′ 12 Panel Boxcar; 40′ AAR Modified Boxcar; 40′ PS-1 Boxcar; 40′ Boxcar w/Youngstown Doors; 40′ Double-Door Boxcar; 40′ High-Cube Boxcar; 40′ Ribbed Boxcar; 40′ Steel Boxcar w/6 Panel Doors; 40′ Steel & Wood Ice Bunker Reefers; 40′ Steel & Wood Boxcar. This includes several types of 40′ stock cars.

In all they all had a specific purpose for the railroad as well as the user. Many of the reefers were labeled with the name of the product and producer of the goods being carried. There was Rath Black Hawk Meats, Swift, Carnation Dairy Products, Needham Meats, and major carriers such as Pacific Fruit Express. The Pacific Fruit Express Company (PFE) owned the largest number of reefer cars of any of the different reefer users. Union Pacific owned the second largest number of PFE reefers and pulled more reefers than any other railroad during that period of the 40′ Boxcar/Reefer era.

As time has gone on the boxcar has almost disappeared from the railroads. However, the need for boxcars has now become critical. The Piggy Back and Double Stack Containers is not necessarily the means needed for some goods. The boxcar may indeed have a come back on the railroads of today.