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Landmarks Of America Model Railroad Exhibit Opens
The “Model Railroad Garden: Landmarks of America” exhibit picks up steam with new attractions at the Chicago Botanic Garden – a 385-acre living plant museum featuring 23 distinct display gardens surrounded by lakes, as well as a prairie and woodlands.
Visitors can step into an enchanting world of small-scale trains, landmarks and plants, and learn how to combine a love for gardening and G scale model railroading.
The G-scale (garden scale) trains traverse high and low, across bridges and trestles, around miniature buildings and past beautiful plantings designed to scale. Others come to gather ideas for their own backyard garden railway.
Garden railroading is the fastest growing segment of hobby railroading, and more and more gardeners are “getting railroaded.” Today, the United States has as many as 25,000 garden railways.
New scenes in the Garden’s 2006 exhibit include the original Route 66 Diner in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and an all-new Hollywood, complete with Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, the most famous movie theatre in the world.
“Landmarks of America” trains speed on 1,700 feet of track through miniature scenes of the USA’s most treasured sites. Buildings, tunnels and bridges are intricately hand crafted with natural materials, including twigs, bark, leaves, acorns and pebbles. More than 6,000 tiny plants of 175 varieties recreate the geographical landscape of America. Vignettes of tiny people and animals give the exhibit a storybook feel. Sound effects and a working geyser capture imaginations.
Paul Busse of Applied Imagination, Alexandria, Ky., helped design and create the “Landmarks of America” exhibit. Busse’s fascination with trains began at age five when he received an American flyer train. By 1982, he was a landscape architect and entered a model train garden in the Ohio State Fair. Since then, he has enjoyed a career in train garden design. His exhibits are in numerous private and public spaces, including the botanic gardens in New York and Atlanta.
The Chicago Botanic Garden’s 7,500 square foot Model Railroad Garden features 15 trains, including Thomas the Tank Engine, which moves to a new track near Main Street, and two new train lines, the Chicago & North Western and Burlington Route. Other highlights include the Santa Fe Super Chief, Bob “Bozo*” Bell Circus, Napa Valley Wine, Golden Gate Line, Denver & Rio Grande Western and Amtrak. Keep your eyes peeled for the elusive Ladybug Train. A devoted group of Chicago Botanic Garden staff and volunteers work daily to ensure trains run smoothly and on time.
Visitors travel coast to coast from the Seattle Space Needle past Yellowstone, with its Old Faithful Geyser, and Yosemite National Park, underneath the Golden Gate Bridge and past a Napa Valley vineyard, where miniature ivy plants become grapevines. An old-fashioned Hollywood movie set is just a skip across the track from the Muir Woods and Badlands National Park.
The Model Railroad Garden is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, with special hours until 8 p.m. until Monday, Sept 4 2006.
Train Track A Personal Choice
It does not matter what kind of model train track you use (flexible track or standard track) – it is entirely up to you. You can even use both kinds together. Most model railroad enthusiasts have their preference. Flexible track is more work to set up, but the extra time has the benefit of less joins. The curves can be more realistic too. Depending on where you live, flexible track is usually cheaper than the equivalent length of set track.
Railroad Terms – Part 19
Another six railroad terms in this series:
Three-Step Protection
A safety procedure used for the protection of workers going on, under, or between cars.(1) Apply the brake.(2) Center the reverser.(3) Put the generator field switch in the OFF or OPEN position.
Tons of Operative Brake
Is calculated by dividing the gross trailing tonnage of a train (not including the locomotives) by the total number of cars with operative brakes. Abbreviated as TOB.
Track Barricade
When access to the track is blocked by a sign or obstruction fastened to a track.
Track Car
Equipment, other than trains, operated on a track for inspection or maintenance.
Abbreviated as TC.
Trainmaster
An executive officer who supervises train service operations at terminals, in yard service, and on one or more divisions (or on part of a division).
Turn-Around
A train operated from a terminal to an intermediate station and returned to that terminal in one work shift.
Building The Hiawatha 4-4-2 Steam Locomotive
The 2006 Lionel catalog features building the Milwaukee Road Hiawatha 4-4-2 Steam Locomotive.
In 1935, the Milwaukee Road introduced an all new streamlined passenger train capable of both dizzying speeds and luxurious service. The Milwaukee Road dubbed this fast and fantastic train the Hiawatha. Built by the American Locomotive Company, locomotive Number 3 was delivered in May 1936. Dressed in vibrant orange, maroon, and gray, this new locomotive was prepared for service with the Hiawatha.
Built from all-new tooling, this classic locomotive features many prototypical details, including an opening front cowl, opening cab doors, and separately applied handrails and catwalks. This model also boasts the unsurpassed RailSounds 5.0 sound system with two FatBoy speakers.Matching Hiawatha passenger cars are also available, complete with a “Beaver Tail” observation car.
More details on the Milwaukee Road Hiawatha 4-4-2 Steam Locomotive are in the 2006 Lionel catalog. Further information on how to get a copy of the 2006 Lionel catalog can be found on the Lionel Model Train site http://www.lionel.com/
Atlas HO MP15DC Locomotive To Replace SW1500 Switcher
Atlas’ model includes the three different styles of long hood that were common to the MP15DC throughout production: standard hood, hood with square air filter box and hood with angled air filter box (the air filter box is located in the area immediately ahead of the cab). In addition, various styles of hood and cab-end sand boxes are being offered. The model train locomotive will also include a see-through cab with various interior details and crew figures included.
The 1500hp MP15DC was designed by EMD as a replacement model for the successful SW1500 switcher. The longer frame of the MP15DC allowed for increased fuel capacity and the use of Blomberg road trucks; increased sand capacity was also offered as an option. The first MP15DCs were built for Missouri Pacific in February 1974 and a total of 351 units were produced through the end of production in January 1983.
The MP15DC is a versatile locomotive that is employed by both large and small railroads across North America in road freight and yard switching duties. It was also purchased by several non-railroad corporations for use in plant switching service.
Read more about the Atlas MP15DC Locomotive at http://www.atlasrr.com/HOLoco/homp15.htm
Lionel Adds Southwest Diesel Freight
Southwest Diesel Freight With TrainSounds Train Set [Lionel Trains 6-30022]
The powerful GP38 locomotive pulls a boxcar, a hopper, an operating searchlight car, and a caboose. In addition to the impressive locomotive and rolling stock, the Lionel Southwest Diesel Freight also features a CW-80 Transformer and a loop of FasTrack track.
GP38 diesel locomotive, boxcar, 2-bay hopper, operating searchlight car, caboose, three straight FasTrack sections, eight curved FasTrack sections, a FasTrack terminal section, CW-80 Transformer.
- Transformer controlled forward, neutral, and reverse operation
- TrainSounds sound system with diesel engine revving, horn, bell squealing brakes, and operator-controlled, multi-part crew dialog
- Operating headlight
- Dual operating couplers
- Dual powerful maintenance-free motors
- Metal frame
- Operating strobe light
- Operating couplers
- Operating searchlight on searchlight car
- Interior illumination in caboose
- Individually boxed
Lionel Southwest Diesel Freight Train Set Details:
- Minimum Curve: O-27
- Length: 48 1/2”
- Layout dimensions: 40” x 60”
- Gauge: O Gauge
Minimum Curve: O-27
KATO N Scale AC4400CW Diesel Locomotive
In 1994, GE delivered the first AC4400CW locomotive, their answer to EMD’s successful SD70MAC. Nearly 10 years later, the AC4400CW has become one of the most successful locomotives in the history of North American railroading. The AC4400CW is operated by railroads from East to West and Canada to Mexico.
Union Pacific’s large fleet of AC4400CW locomotives, with hundreds of locomotives on the roster, is full of variation. Some of UP’s locomotives have come through mergers with Southern Pacific and Chicago & North Western.
The Kato AC4400CW is a popular model train with N scale enthusiasts. When AC locomotive transmissions reached its peak in the 1990s, the AC4400CW was a used widely because of its lugging capabilities.
The AC4400CW can be easily spotted in any form, model or real thing, because of the DC-to-AC inverter cabinet on the left side behind the cab. Also, the dynamic brake grids right above the inverter are an easily spotted feature.
The Kato AC4400CW features a Cab Headlight, Inverter Cabinet, and Number Board details accurate for each prototype roadname. Models have directional headlights and lighted walkway-mounted ditch lights, as well as lighted Number Boards.
HO Trains Take Off
HO trains have boomed and today HO trains are the most popular choice among railroad hobbyists. That’s not to say that other scales like N, Z, O etc are not popular – they are.
It is estimated that well over one hundred thousand collectors choose HO trains as their scale of choice. This is partly due to the wide range of parts, accessories and structures available in HO scale.
To experienced train collectors this means they have the ability to build complete replicated railroad layouts that operate reliably and look authentic.
For beginners, HO trains are a great way to get started in the hobby of model railroading, because there is an excellent selection of HO scale train sets available in hobby shops and on the internet.
Model Train Club News
Model train clubs are a great source of model railroading news, information and ideas sharing.
Staff at your model railroad hobby store probably have contacts at the local model train club and may be able to put you in touch with the model train club members. Most model railroading enthusiasts are more than helpful and gladly give you the benefit of their experience and introduce you to others with a similar interest in the model railroading hobby. This way, you can learn insider secrets and model railroading tips and tricks.
Don’t think that everyone in a model train club is experienced. Most model train clubs enjoy a mix of long-time experienced railroaders and new model railroad club members. It is a good place to learn, because most model train clubs encourage the exchange of ideas between club members. They swap train photos, show train films, discuss model train techniques, network with other model train clubs and even have guest speakers from time to time. Joining a model railroad club can be truly rewarding experience in terms of what you can learn, the people you meet and the fun you have.
Lionel Serves Up Hot Chocolate For Christmas
The new Lionel 2006 Christmas Catalog is now available on line or at local hobby shops.
There are 24 new offerings from Lionel including the Hot Chocolate Car, Candy Cane Single Dome Tank Car and the North Pole Central 4-4-0 Steam Locomotive.
One of the most interesting new items is the Polar Express Add-on Hot Chocolate Car. This car is a coach car (not a diner) with silhouettes of the dancing “hot chocolate” waiters and seated children in the windows and also includes a replica Polar Express ticket.
Some of the silhouettes on the windows of last year’s Diner car are similar to the silhouettes of the Hot Chocolate car. The Diner car also has silhouettes of children holding up cups of hot chocolate.
Sure to be popular will be the new Lionel Polar Express items. There is a Lionel Polar Express Add-on Figure set which includes Santa, the Hobo, the Lonely Boy (Billy) and the Hero Girl. This is a good add-on to the four figures included in the Lionel Polar Express Set (The Conductor, Hero Boy, Smoke and Steamer).
There is also a new Polar Express Elf Handcar, including elves hanging from the handcar’s handles. This is a replica of the hand car the elves in the movie use to deliver the detached observation car back to the train.
All of the Lionel O Gauge items will operate on O-27 track. Some of the items are also offered in S Gauge and there is one G Scale Holiday Boxcar which could be meant as an add-on for the new G-Scale Holiday Tradition Express which debuted earlier this year.
The Lionel website is www.lionel.com.
Railroad Terms – Part 18
More railroad terms for you to digest:
Switch Engine
A locomotive used for switching cars in yards and terminals.
Switch List
A listing of cars to be sorted or moved.
Tamper
A power-driven machine for compacting ballast under ties.
Tangent Track
Straight track.
Tank Car
A car with a tank for carrying liquids such as oil, acids, compressed gasses and granular solids.
Tank Dome
This is the vertical cylinder attached to the top of a tank car. It allows for the tank to be filled to full cubical capacity.
Tare Weight
The weight of an empty railroad car. Also refered to as Light Weight or Tare.
Temporary Block Station
A station (manned) that is established by Bulletin Order or Form D to control the movement of trains. Abbreviated as TBS.
Spiral A Feature Of New Zealand Train Journey
The Overlander train is a journey through the heart of New Zealands North Island, travelling between Auckland – New Zealand’s largest city and home of the Sky Tower, to Wellington – New Zealand’s arts and culture capital.
Along the way the train passes the Central North Island ski towns of National Park and Ohakune, popular with young and old alike. There are spectacular views of New Zealand farmland, the volcanic plateau, Mount Ruapehu, the world famous Raurimu Spiral, and stunning river gorges – all from the panoramic train windows or open air viewing decks allowing you the best possible views.
All carriages feature large panoramic windows giving sweeping views of the magnificent North Island. The Observation Carriage includes a mix of seating including lounge style seating. The lounge style seating is arranged at the very rear of this glass backed carriage enabling passengers to enjoy a totally unique Overlander experience.
The Overlander departs Auckland and Wellington daily.
Model Railroad Clubs United Kingdom & Ireland
Here is a list of groups in United Kingdom & Ireland:
Abingdon & District Model Railway Club – Abingdon, Adnalms Järnvägsklubb – modelling the railways of Sweden – UK based club HO scale, Alton Model Railway Group – Alton – North East Hampshire,Andover & District Model Engineering Society, Ayr Model Railway Group Ayr (HO, OO, O and N gauges) – Scotland, Bassetlaw (North Notts) Railway Society – Retford – Nottinghamshire, Falkirk Model Railway Club – Falkirk – Scotland, First Bangor Model Railway Club, Barnsley Model Railway Club Barnsley – South Yorkshire, Barry and Penarth Model Railway Club – Barry – South Wales, Basingstoke & North Hants Model Railway Society, Bassetlaw Railway Society, Beaconsfield And District Model Railway Club (O gauge), Beckenham And West Wickham Model Railroad Club – London, Bentley Model Railway Group Chippenham – Wiltshire, Blackburn & East Lancaster Model Railway Society – Blackburn, Brighton Model Railway Club – Brighton, British 187 Scale Society, Broad Gauge Society, Cambridge Model Engineering Society Cambridge – Cambridgeshire, Central Southern Group Of The Gauge O Guild Wimborne (O Gauge) – Dorset, The Chatham & District Model Railway Club – Chatham, Kent, Chester Model Railway Club, Clay Hill OO Gauge Model Railway Society, Cleveland Model Railway Club Boosbeck – Boosbeck – Guisborough, Clydeside Model Railway Club – Scotland, Colchester & District Model Railway Club (N, HO and OO scale layouts), Crawley Model Railway Society – South East of England, East Grinstead Model Railway Club – East Grinstead, East Kilbride Model Railway Club – OO and N gauge layouts, East Surrey N-Gauge Group, Enfield Town Model Railway Club, Edinburgh & Lothians Miniature Railway Club Edinburgh – Scotland, Ely & District Model Railroad Club Ely, Exeter Model Railway Society Exeter – Devon, Folkestone, Hythe and District Model Railway Club – South-East England, Gainsborough Model Railway Society – Gainsborough – Lincolnshire, The Gauge ‘0’ Guild Limited – Sheffield (O gauge modeling), The Gauge One Development Society, Glasgow & West Of Scotland Model Railway Club, G Scale Society, Ground Level 5 Inch Mainline Association, Hazel Grove And District Model Railway Society Hazel Grove – Stockport, Hull Miniature Railway Society, Ilford & West Essex Model Railway Club, Isle Of Thanet Railway Society – Broadstairs Railway Station, Ipswich Railway Modelers Association Suffolk, Kitmaster Collectors Club, Leamington & Warwick Model Railway Society – South Warwickshire, Letchworth Model Railway Society Letchworth, The Model Railway Club of Lancing – (The LING Club) Lancing – West Sussex, Maidstone Model Engineering Society, Manchester Model Railway Society Manchester, Merseyside Model Railway Society Birkenhead – Merseyside, Mickleover Model Railway Group, Model Electronic Railway Group London, The Model Railway Club Of London, New Mills & District Railway Modellers, The Newcastle Model Railway Club Inc, Newcastle & District Model Railway Society Newcastle upon Tyne, Norbury & South London Transport Club Croydon – Surrey, North East Area Group Of The N Gauge Society, North Mersey Model Rail Show, North Turton O Gauge Group – Edgworth, Nottingham (Bulwell) Model Railway Society, Perth and District Model Railway Club Perth – Perthshire, Preston & District Model Railway Society – Preston, Redditch Model Railway Club, Renfrewshire Model Railway Club – Scotland, Risborugh and District Model Railway Club – Princes Risborough, S Scale Model Railway Society, Scalefour Society British Society, Seaboard Southern Model Railway Club, Sheffield 0 Gauge Group, Solihull Model Railway Circle, South Hants Model Railway Club Portsmouth – Hampshire, Stafford Railway Circle Stafford – Staffordshire, Stockport and District Railway Modellers Stockport – Cheshire, Sutton Model Engineering Club, Swindon Model Railway Club Swindon, The Model Railway Club of London, Twickenham & District Model Railway Club Richmond-upon-Thames, Uckfield Model Railway Club Uckfield – East Sussex, Upson Downs Model & Enthusiast Group, Ulster Model Railway Club – Ulster – Ireland, Warley Model Railway Club – Birmingham, Waveney Valley Model Railway Club Beccles – Suffolk, Western Model Railway Society London, Westford Modellers Group Westford, Weymouth Model Railway Association Broadwey – Dorset, Woking Miniature Railway Society Mizens Farm – Surrey, Worthing Model Railway Club – Worthing, Wyre Forest Model Railway Club Model Railway Club – Kidderminster, Worcestershire.
For details on individual groups visit http://www.model-railroad-resources.com/modelrailroadclubs.html
Cause Of Model Train Derailment Identified
Derailments and accidents can happen frequently with model train layouts for any number of reasons. Regardless of how good the trackwork is on your model train layout – derailments still happen.
Sometimes model train derailments are caused by a super-light flatcar being shoved behind a heavy boxcar, or a hopper with out-of-gauge wheelsets somewhere waiting to pick a switchpoint or be forced off the track. S-curves on model train layouts can also prove a hazard for passenger cars.
For helpful tips and ideas on how to avoid derailments and fix other model railroading problems have a look at http://www.model-train-help.com.
Garden Delight With Garden Scale Trains
There is an increasing interest in garden railways, so here is a little piece of interesting information about them. G Scale trains are big and are sometimes referred to as ‘Garden Scale Trains.’ Much of the trains and equipment made in G Scale is suitable for use outside in a Garden Railroad. G scale trains are also ideal for running around the Christmas Tree.
Swing Nose Frogs On Railroads
It might sound strange, but there are turnouts on real roads that are know as ‘swing nose frogs’.
In railroading terms, “frogs” have nothing to do with those little creatures that jump around. A railroad “frog” is best described as the part of a turnout or a crossing where the rails have an intersection which allows the wheel flanges to cross the running rail (the spot where the deverging rail crosses the straight rail).
These ‘swing nose frog’ turnouts require the conductor to throw the points of the switch, and then walk up to the frog and manipulate that mechanism as well.
‘swing nose frogs’ are used where high tonnages meet high speeds.
Rail Journey Stops For Whales And Dolphins
The TranzCoastal train journey travels between the delightful port of Picton and Christchurch in the South Island of New Zealand.
This is a popular rail journey, because it is a liesurely way to get from the capital city (Wellington) in the North Island, crossing Cook Strait by ferry to Picton in the South Island and then by train on to the South Island’s largest city (Christchurch).
This journey is a scenic feast of New Zealand, with the Kaikoura mountain ranges on one side of the train and the rugged Pacific Ocean coastline on the other. Along the way the train passes though the village of Kaikoura, where passengers touring New Zealand can break their journey to take in the whale watching or dare to get closer and swim with the dolphins.
The train travels through some of New Zealand’s finest horticultural and farmland areas, and passengers can see amazing wildlife such as dolphins, seals and penguins from the comfort of the train carriage.
One of the world’s most scenic train journeys, the TranzCoastal travels through 22 tunnels and crosses 175 bridges, one of them being New Zealand’s only road-rail bridge. The TranzCoastal includes an open air viewing carriage where all the senses are awakened with the clean, fresh, sea air.
The TranzCoastal train departs Christchurch and Picton daily.
Storage Tanks On Model Railroad
I came across an interesting new Model Railroading blog by a guy named Dayrl where he explains how he incorporated storage tanks on his model railroad layout.
Here is a snippet. For more details visit his model railroading blog at http://www.stpaulrochelle.org/blog/
“Although the layout is 95% complete. I still have a number of projects I am
working on. Most current is the BP gasoline storage facility. Due to lack of
space on the layout, I did not have enough room to model the facility all in one
place. . I have room for loading facilities by the siding track, but not room
for the storage tanks. There is room for the tanks in a corner of the layout
close to the siding. So, I stole an idea from the prototype in Rochelle. There
is a small pipeline bridge over the BNSF tracks that carries fuel to a Rochelle
Municipal Utilities power station. I am using that concept to carry fuel from
the storage tanks to the loading facilities. “
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