Modeling topic
The generic West Virginia Coal Mining layout
We made a recent trip back to our house in West Virginia and concluded that expanding into the other part of the attic would be a very expensive proposition, so I've decided to build a layout in the current finished room with heating, AC, windows and lighting. It is about 25 feet by 11 feet, depending on how high the layout is built due to the issue with the sloped ceiling. I carefully remeasured the room and as soon as I got back started some new designs.
Jim Moir’s Protrak operation software is now free
It was recently announced that in tribute to the late Jim Moir’s lifetime effort to produce the most accurate, feature filled and complete model railroad operations software of all time. So as a result his family have consented to allow anyone to download and use his software for free.
Talk about a bargain.
‘Go to protrak.org for your download. I can’t recommend the software highly enough.
Mark
Tinting LEDs to achieve the warm white look
Any thoughts on the best way to tint LEDs to achieve the warm white appearance. Many of the surface mount LEDs, especially the 0602 nano types only come in "bright white".
I would like to tint them to get the incandescent look.
Repairing broken Athearn blue box locomotive shell mounts
Has anyone tried repairing broken shell mounts on Athearn locomotives? The ones that snap into the fuel tanks to hold the body on.
NCE customer service
I always see posts about poor customer service. So this post is about quality customer service.
3D printed passenger car trucks
So I stayed up way too late last night. This all started when my friend Tom bought some old AHM/Rivarossi cars at a train show. It has probably been coming on for a while before that, but this was really what lit the fire. I'm sure we all remember Rivarossi Streamlined cars. Many different roadnames were made, but I always thought the trucks were flat. Hardly any detail. I'm sure I'll get a reply that says that I could have just bought Train Station trucks or Walthers trucks, but this way I have the pride of knowing it is something I have made and produced.
To burnish or not to burnish
The oddest questions crop up in clubs.
Upon studying rolling stock requirements for a large (but not named here) model railroad club, we found an interesting requirement.
The rule is that the face of all Kadee couplers shall be cleaned up (presumably with a flat file) so that the outside of the knuckle presents a shiny, uniform surface.
We tried a comparison coupling tests using cars equipped with:
The Birch Creek Siding
Welp, the Landmark Industrial Siding is no more. Never was, really. The layout room is now the fiance's daughter's room. It's ok. As long as I keep saying that to myself, anyway.
I've gone from a spare room to about 80". That being what it is, I've settled on something of an Inglenook - stretched and bent a little.
stacking contaniers
i have not been able to find any rule on why some 40 ft containers are only one high, even in a well car.
tried looking under dot, and icc rules. even tried looking for the rail roads rules.
where should i be looking? what language (aka loaded products that is) should i be using?
Older Brass Track
I've read several posts about the problems with brass track, and I agree with all the comments. I am in the process of replacing all my brass turnouts, straight, curved and flex track.
Several posts suggested that it would be OK to use brass track in spurs/industrial dead ends where an engine would most likely not be touching the brass track. That sounds good, but my question is, would those brass track dead-end sections cause a degradation in the overall electrical current in the Nickle-Silver sections leading up to the brass track?
Thanks......
>> Posts index
Navigation
Journals/Blogs
Recent Blog posts: