Tools, tips and tricks

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Storage Bins

Mon, 2014-02-17 18:34 — Ghost Train

About a year and a half ago a local hardware store was renovating to make room for a new display of kitchen & bath counter hinges and knobs. The old display was headed for the dumpster.

I approached the store owner and asked if he would consider selling them to me. He replied that they were written off years ago and worthless to the store. So if I wanted the whole works it was mine for the taking. Lucky me.

Brad Nails to the rescue.

Mon, 2014-02-17 05:27 — Ghost Train

If you have laid track on foam, only to discover your track nails are too short to reach for holding the track down, and you are not crazy about gluing the track down, try Brad Nails. I did, and it works.

I took a strip of two inch Brad Nails, separated them to individual nails, cut them to length with side cutters and lightly ground the ends to a point with my moto tool.

LOGOs Heralds - share yours?

Share your "homemade" logo or herald.

Looking for inspiration; whether yours is freelance, proto-freelance, alterations for "what-if" logos and heralds.

Please let us know what era and inspiration or story behind your RR.

I am working on a Rock Island / Conrail "what if". I have done a KCN (Kansas City Southern & Chicago Great Western merger) what if. Pix to follow,

23 comments

Man Made slow motion switch machine

Sun, 2014-02-16 09:47 — bwebb

does anyone here remember ManMade show motion switch machines

if so, i have had my rr stuff boxed up for a few years. i was looking at some

of the stuff a few days ago and saw that the joiner thingie between the motor and the

screw had disintegrated. just wondering if any one has a fix for this. i've tried some

tubing but can't seem to find right size.

Been thinking about building a switching shelf along a wall.

anyway thanks

Model Railroading on a Budget - one man's junk is another man's treasure

Wed, 2014-02-12 06:29 — revrik

Tyco - the name screams cheap to many. But there is treasure in those garage sale and flea market finds.

Recently I was given a box full of Tyco HO rolling stock for free. To most serious modelers the response to this is probably Yecchh!

But in looking through the box I found that there is gold in old rolling stock, especially for those of us on a fixed budget for modeling.

What can be done with these old cars? Here is a list of things I have found to do with them so far.

Model Railroading on a Budget - getting down to brass tracks

Wed, 2014-02-12 06:21 — revrik

I was going through some of my boxes the other day and came across a box of brass HO track in Code 100. Not much I can do with this I originally thought, but then it hit me, it may not be useful for running trains but it can have many other uses in model railroading. Here is a list of thoughts to get started.

securing speakers inside locomotives

Mon, 2014-02-10 16:42 — Roundhousecat

I just got a few new Rail Master speakers that I will try and fit into my various locomotives with my RailPro sound modules. I don't want to permanently install the speaker just listen to it and see how it sounds before I do so. Has anyone ever used this product by Elmers? http://www.elmers.com/product/detail/E625?filterPath=putty

I looks like it may work. Would it work for a permanent seal or what should I use? getting a bead of some silicone down in there looks nearly impossible on some of the loco shells. What works and what should I aviod?

TMTV - Painting backdrops clinic chapters 3 and 4 available!

Sat, 2014-02-08 11:22 — joef

Part 3 of the Backdrop painting series with Lionel Strang and Chris Lyon is up on TrainMasters TV ... this chapter covers painting hills. Part 4 on painting trees will be coming next weekend.