Here as I promised, my N Scale layout in operation. Recording with my Blackberry Playbook did not do the sound justice, especially the bass. Hope this interests someone.

Domestic Content?   The $500 starter layout contest got me looking at what is available.  Some of the old domestic manufacturers are fallen flags and it is difficult to identify products as Made in USA.  A classic starter layout of 40 years ago would be Athearn kits, Atlas track, and Revell and Suydam structures.  Bowser, Roundhouse, Mantua, Penn Line, and Varney offered steam locomotive kits.  MRC supplied power packs.

Have been out of HO scale for some time now and looking to get back in.  With finances the way they are I am going to limit myself to one or two engines since I will be working a 2 x 16 switching layout.  Here is the rub, I want to be able to switch out a few buildings, the motive power, and some of the rolling stock to a different railroad and or era for different operating sessions.  I am partial to GP-9's and can think of six different railroads I want to model but I certainly don't want to have twelve engines if I go with pairs.

Now that there is a Garratt blog, I think it is time for a blog on uncommon, strange/weird if you will, N-scale engines.

I own a few of them, and plan to upload pictures of them here.

Below is an old picture of "Frankenstein", a Vulcan Garratt. There were designs for a prototype for a New Zealand Logging operation. The design never came to fruition, as it was overtaken by the (infamous) diesel.