My decision to build a model railroad with my two sons had been forming for a while. We reside in a three-bedroom home with no basement or den. Built in 1951, the mud adobe house was designed with rooms that are ‘cozy’ to say the least. I had considered turning the smaller bedroom into a trainroom, but realized that the boys, who currently bunk together, will soon want rooms to themselves. This is only natural.

Last week was an educational one -- unpacked a couple of cars from my Canadian and ran them around the track. These are long passenger cars with a lot of fittings underneath and diaphragms -- quite unlike the doddlebug passenger car and old heavyweight that I have been using for track testing. As I expected, found a bunch of problems on the upper level -- one somewhat expected and a couple that were not. The expected problem was really an assembly issue -- built a section of bridge track and the ends stuck up just enough to drag on the underside of the car.

to all

To All: Some rolling stock projects of mine were started years ago! I have since finished them

          or added details, such as underframe brake lines and components, brake hoses

          (I cut off the Kadee ones), install #58 Kadee couplers, semi-detail locomotives and

          weather them or add details to buildings, or repair them.

About ten years ago, I built a bunch of DPM kits but left the unseen half untouched, using MDF for the backwalls. Since then, I've found that these structures as they stand don't fit. So I had to remember what paints I used on the initially completed portions and apply these to the fresh ones. This, folks isn't as easy as it sounds. Ten years is a long time in modelling and paints change or don't even exist.

http://xkcd.com/1095/

  Besides fiddling with my airbrush project, Free.Mo.N module, and Inglenook Sidings mini layout, I also enjoy participating and listening to Model Rail Radio (www.modelrailradio.com).  One of the topic that came up during the night was the reluctance, or possibly lack of skills in the current "ready-to-run" model railroaders.  I have heard this same sentiment echoed on other podcasts, forums, and even some magazines.

Funds have been really tight for my family as of late and back a few months ago when I decided on a scale change from N to HO, it probably wasn't the smartest decision as far as hobby finances. It had to be done though. As much as I've always loved N scale, my nerves were getting to the point where I just could not handle dealing with couplers and small detail parts anymore.

My layout room is approximately 17' square with 2 large windows on opposite walls I'm trying to figure out how to deal with.  The track plan calls for 2 shelves circling the room's perimeter, which means crossing these windows at two different levels.  I'm wracking my brain trying to think of a way to conceal the windows behind a backdrop (one combined piece or split per level or...?) yet make it possible to occasionally access and open the windows for ventilation (during activities that generate fumes of some kind [airbrushing, hot-wire foam cutting, etc.]).&nb

So I've been thinking about this interface I will need for the "ultimate" Remote Model Railroad Operation

The question may seem idle at first, but then I realize perhaps the average model railroader is not familiar with MMORPGs.

I will not even discuss the most popular MMORPG, WoW, except to say that users pay $15 a month to play.  The game started in 2004 and they had 9.1 million subscribers in April of this year.  Blizzard has done EXTREMELY well with this virtual universe!!!