I have recently installed a nine stall roundhouse and turntable with five auxiliary tracks.  I'm using cinders for ballast in the yard/roundhouse area. I was wondering what material to use between the rails (ballast?) and at the far end from the turntable (concrete?), and the area between tracks. Any Ideas?

Ed W

I'm getting ready to lay the track through the wood chip unloading area on my DOMTAR Pulp and Paper Mill layout and thought it would be prudent to figure out how I'm going to animate my Walthers HO Scale Rotary Dumper kit (just in case I have to move the track because of bulky under-layout components conflicting with the bench work).

Does anyone have a step-by-step of how to modify the Walthers rotary dumper to achieve reliable animation?

Hi everyone,

I'm building a main street in my town which will have 2 running lanes and 1 parking lane for a total of 29' in width or 4" in HO scale. (engineering background and fact checked).

My question is this, my intention is to build it to scale, but I was told to use compression to 3” – 3 ½” for the looks. What is right, 4” or compression? I know it’s my layout and I can do whatever pleases me, but is there a norm?

Just putting up some of my track samples. Trying to find 3-4 good track formulas. I'm using Valjero pigments, paints Airbrushing doing dry brushing and Washes. Its getting confusing to what looks right and looks good and sort of prototype looking where it of course doesn't look too …well you know  ...too educational.