HO Scale Model Trains » Model Train Modeling

Easy Landscape Creation With Styrofoam

Dan Morgan — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 05:42:00 +0000

A great option to create landscape for your model railroad is to use white Styrofoam board. This is a popular material as it is easy to use and is inexpensive. A 4 x 8 foot sheet of 1 ½” thick Styrofoam is a great size to cut and shape. The Styrofoam is best cut with a hot wire foam cutter. Kevin shows you how…

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A Derailment Causes HO Scale Chaos

Dan Morgan — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 07:03:30 +0000

I’ve often spoken about the frustrations of having derailments on your model train layout and the 7 ways to solve them.

But derailments happen in real life and are a part of railroading… so to make your model trains come alive maybe you need to fabricate some derailments…?

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Alice and 10 Years of Modeling a Christmas Village

Dan Morgan — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 08:18:37 +0000

Often we get so much mail it is very hard to reply to everyone individually… but this email from Alice caught our attention. Alice has been modeling a Christmas village for the last 10 years and is obviously very passionate about it.

We know that a lot of our readers struggle with the electrical side of model trains and here is a perfect example of modeling that requires no electrical skills at all.

Alice kindly allowed us to share her story… This is what Alice had to say…

Hi, I’m not so much a train modeler as I am a christmas village modeler.

I started collecting 10 years ago with just a 5 house set (which is now my Daughters). The reason I started is I saw the set for sale and fell in love with it and have been adding on ever since.

The village has grown to almost 50 buildings of which at least 3 are not shown do to lack of space (need a slightly longer table). I have never put a value on my village as it is for my enjoyment factor, but if I were to count it all up it would be near to $300 – $350.

Most of the buildings were inexpensive or after Christmas bargains with the HO & N scale models costing the most. I have even gone on eBay to bid on a few rare units, (the barn and the gas station and the matchbox cars).

The only two original houses are the ice house and blacksmith which were Christmas tree ornaments that I painted on the names. I looked for telephone poles but never found the right scale to match, so I made them out of pieces of doweling and mini popsicle sticks and if you look closely the stands are the tops from medicine bottles. Hey it worked!

This year I added a few more people, more trees, some animals, and the back drop. It has always been a problem lighting each building without causing a mass of wiring under the snow and still allowing it to illuminate within the body of the layout. I’ve tried several lighting systems but this works best. I saw in a catalog a snow mat with lights attached to the bottom. It was out of my price range so I bought a set of lights that are in a grid format to use on the bushes outside the house, placed my mat over it and it’s very close to the catalog.

The village is not to scale if you notice the people and the size of the doors on the house will reveal, but I have not found any village collection that is.

I have attached some photos for you to view…

Well done Alice… it is great to see the Christmas spirit alive and well in your house.

Merry Christmas to all our readers and we wish you a happy, healthy and prosperous 2009.

Anybody else do any Christmas modeling?

We would love to hear what modeling you do for Christmas? Just use the comment box below to tell us…

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3 Ways to Choose the Right Model Train Scale To Suit You

Dan Morgan — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 09:10:23 +0000

Image via Wikipedia

If you are a model train beginner then you might be asking… “Which model train scale is best suited for me?”

A common mistake for model train beginners is to confuse scale and gauge.

Let me explain… scale is the proportion of the replica to the real thing. For example, HO scale locomotives are 1/87 the size of the real life locomotive. Model train gauge is the width between the inside running edge of the track.

Model trains are obviously scaled down replicas of the real thing. The main model train scales and their minimum turning radius’s are:

O scale 1:48 – Minimum Radius 24 inches

S scale 1:64 – Minimum Radius 22.5 inches

OO scale 1:76 – Minimum Radius 21 inches

HO scale 1:87 – Minimum Radius 15 inches

N scale 1:160 – Minimum Radius 7.5 inches

Z scale 1:220 – Minimum Radius 5.75 inches

O scale is the largest scale, to Z scale being the smallest scale. An O scale model train set is 1/48 the size of the real thing, while a Z scale model train set is 1/220 the size of the real thing. All the trees, bridges, roads, buildings and other accessories are all scaled to the relevant size.

HO scale has become the most popular scale which is known as OO gauge in the UK.

So which scale should you choose?

This comes down to 3 deciding factors – 1) how much space you have available for your model train layout, 2) the physical size of model train equipment you prefer working with, and 3) the accessories available for that scale.

1 – How Much Space Do You Have Available?

Building a layout in HO scale will be almost half the size of the identical layout in O scale. Turning radius’s in HO scale will be tighter; tunnels will be smaller and, most importantly, it is easier to hide mistakes in a smaller scale.

Larger scales need more detail and it can often be very hard to create a realistic looking layout in a large scale. HO scale has become very popular because it is a “middle-of-the-road” scale and easier to make look realistic.

An HO scale switching layout can be created on a 4 x 1 foot table, while a continuous loop railroad will need a 3 feet 6 inch x 4 feet table. A layout space of 6 feet x 4 feet would be enough to have an interesting HO scale layout with a continuous loop.

Still don’t have that much room available? Then consider an N scale railroad which can be built in 30% of the area required by a similar model train layout in HO scale.

2 – Which Scale Do You Prefer Working With?

Fat finger syndrome or bad eyesight can sometimes force us to consider the larger scales. It can be very frustrating trying to airbrush a Z scale carriage or manipulating N scale rolling stock. They can be very fiddly!

Children will find it easier operating and manipulating the bigger scales, from HO scale upwards. Bigger scale rolling stock tends to be heavier and less likely to derail.

The ladies seem to prefer the intricate smaller scales, while the men tend to go with the HO scale and larger scales.

3 – What Accessories Are Available?

Over the years the HO scale has become the most popular model train scale and the manufacturers have responded to the demand by producing more accessories and rolling stock for HO scale. HO scale is just the right size for most people to appreciate the detail and running performance without being too cramped.

If you decide to run digital controllers and have lots of switching operations then HO scale is usually the preferred choice. Check with your local hobby shop to see which scale they have the most accessories for. It is often easier to buy from your local hobby shop initially… or at least until you know exactly what you want.

What Do You Think?

Which scale would you choose, or are presently modeling and why? Share your comments with us…

An Inspiring Model Train Layout – 4 Scenes in 1

Dan Morgan — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 07:41:55 +0000

Creative Model Train Ideas from YouTube

It always blows me away when I see awesome model train layouts like the one in this video. The effort and patience would have been absolutely huge… but the end result was so worth it.

I’ve taken some great ideas from this video as I always do… What do you think of this layout?

7 Tips to Save Money on Your Model Trains

Dan Morgan — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 05:55:20 +0000

Image via Wikipedia

If you have been a model railroader for some time you will understand that the costs of model trains can add up very quickly. Model trains are the best hobby in the world, but if you are going to pay full retail price for everything you buy, it will soon become the most expensive hobby you have ever had!

Here is how to save money on your model trains:

1) Make Sure You know What You Want

A common mistake with beginner railroaders is to start collecting one scale of model trains only to find that there are more accessories in another scale, so they change over. Do your research first, speak to other railroaders, check how much space you have available, do you want diesel or steam locomotives, will your layout be multi-level, etc.

Think carefully about what you want. Hobby shop sales people love customers that walk in and ask their advice. Most of the sales people are on commission bonuses or incentives, so it is natural for them to sell you what is in stock and preferably the equipment with the biggest commissions.

With the internet it is easy to do some quality research and find the best price. Often model train equipment from different states or countries can be much cheaper, even with postage included.

2) Create Half a Layout

A model train that takes up your whole basement looks very impressive, but the bigger your layout the more money you will spend. Often beginner model railroaders will see large and impressive layouts at their local model train club and want to build a similar sized layout.

They usually do not have any idea what that large layout has cost the owner and how many hundreds of hours have been invested in building the system. Start off slowly with a half sized layout built against a wall. With clever use of backdrops you can make your layout appear twice as big as it actually is.

A half sized layout is quicker to build and will provide any beginner railroader a good idea of costs and time involved. A half sized layout can always be pulled away from the wall and made twice or three times as big.

3) Buy 2nd Hand

I have bought locomotives off eBay for a tenth of the price of a new one. Model train enthusiasts are generally very careful with their model train equipment, so it is very rare that you will buy a dud.

Unfortunately some veteran railroaders die after 30 or 40 years of model railroading. Often complete sets like these can be bought for a fraction of the cost of buying new. Set up an alert on eBay, watch your local newspapers and community boards, keep in touch with your local model train club and ask the hobby shops.

Hobby shops usually only sell new equipment because the profits are bigger, so they will happily keep your details on file should someone come in wanting to sell 2nd hand equipment. Advertise in newspapers and newsletters that you want to buy 2nd hand model train equipment. Most veteran model railroaders have far too much equipment for their needs and usually have had stuff sitting in boxes for years. Your advert may come at a time when they need some cash.

4) Trade With Other Railroaders

Model train clubs are great places to swap or trade model train equipment. Often railroaders do not want cash but they may want what you have. It does not mean that you have to swap a diesel locomotive for a diesel locomotive, you could trade your skill in building a pond or painting their model train room. The ideas are endless and this can be a massive money saver.

5) Always Spend Your Hard Earned Money on Quality Over Quantity

If you have the money and only want new equipment than you absolutely must buy quality over quantity. Locomotives can cost hundreds of dollars and it can be tempting to buy a locomotive at the lower end of the price scale. Manufacturers have become very good at producing lower priced locomotives that are well detailed and look good. However they lack in their inner workings.

A common mistake is to say you will upgrade later, because the initial money you spent will be wasted. Once you experience quality equipment you will never use the low quality stuff again.

6) Make It Rather Than Buy It

Model trains will teach skills that you never had before. From working with electrics to creating rivers and ponds to building landscapes and so much more. It is this skill set that you develop that makes model trains the best hobby in the world.

Every part of model trains can easily be learnt by buying an ebook, a book or asking your model train club. So make it before you buy it. Buildings can be bought in kit form but it is so much more fun (and cheaper) creating the structure from scrap wood, beads, glue, paint and other bits and pieces.

7) Keep a Journal And Budget

It can be very easy to impulsively buy when being sold by an enthusiastic hobby shop sales person. If you know what you want and have done your research online you will know how much you need to spend, which will make negotiating easier.

Building a reasonable sized model train layout can run into the thousands of dollars. If you have $500 to spend then you do not want to even start with this layout. You will end up with a half finished layout until you find some extra money.

As you buy your model train equipment record the date, the details of the item you bought and the price you paid in a journal or notebook. That way, when you come to sell it 2 or 3 years later, you know what you paid for it and can price it accordingly. A journal is a great way to record your progress. Keep pictures as you are building your layout and comment on any issues or milestones.

Got any comments or questions? We would really like to hear them…

Museum Sets Up Large Model Railroad Display

Dan Morgan — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 07:44:31 +0000

Article from Tulsa World

By RHETT MORGAN World Staff Writer

The detailed train set was a Grove man’s passion; his wife donated it after his death.

CLAREMORE — Flashing red lights from a railroad crossing gate introduce visitors to one of the newest exhibits at the J.M. Davis Arms and Historical Museum.

Inside the display are a miniature landscape of trees, buildings, people and trains. They represent the passion of Danny Bradley, whose boyhood love of model trains was rekindled in the years before his death in 2007.

His widow, Judy, of Grove, donated the set to the museum two summers ago. For the past 11 months, museum worker Robert Parris has been helping restore the display to its former glory.

“His layouts were just painstakingly, tremendously well-done because that’s all he had to do” Parris said.

About a three-pack-a-day smoker, Danny Bradley was diagnosed with emphysema at age 44. But it wasn’t until 2001 that the disease intensified.

Limited physically, unable to work and on oxygen, the ex-truck driver struggled to keep boredom at bay. So he took up what made him happy as a child — model railroading.

His hobby started on a 4-by-8 sheet of plywood, Judy said.

“From there, the project grew bigger and bigger,” she said. “He ended up with three levels of tracks that went all the way around our room down there.”

The couple would make monthly trips to Fayetteville, Ark., to buy train accessories, she said.

“It was just like Christmas to him because we didn’t just come back with one thing,” Judy said. “We came back with a bunch of things.”

When Danny, who operated the Grove water treatment plant after retiring from truck driving, died in January 2007, Judy was unsure what to do with the train layout. She contacted the Fayetteville hobby store. Someone suggested eBay, but she didn’t want to sell the collection one item at a time. Ultimately, the J.M. Davis Arms and Historical Museum was called.

“It took three men all day long just to pack up the little trees and little trains and little people and buildings” Judy said.

Parris remembers seeing the layout for the first time. The three-tiered tracks encircled a 22-by-22-foot room and featured a town, cemetery, crop-sown fields, livestock, pumpkin patch, golf course, campsite, grain elevator and a lake with fishermen.

“It was unbelievable” he said. “We weren’t expecting what we saw.”

Thanks to the museum, Danny’s legacy is taking shape nicely in Claremore.

To help draw visitors into the display, Parris erected two railroad crossing gates, which were donated to the museum from a Burlington Northern Sante Fe Railway yard in Tulsa.

On the walls of the exhibit room is a mural painted by Parris, who added touches such as a drive-in movie theater to the display. Guests may push buttons to operate the model train and hear authentic train sounds such as a whistle and a conductor saying, “All aboooard.”

“There are probably 10 times that amount of stuff that I gave him” Judy Bradley said. “He (Parris) has a lot in storage, and he said he would put out what he has room for, which won’t be much more. But I’m just tickled to have it go some place where somebody can have some good out of it.”

7 Ways to Eliminate Model Train Derailments

Dan Morgan — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 07:53:34 +0000

Image via Wikipedia

Are you frustrated because your model trains derail from time to time?

This was a major frustration for me. I would fix one section of the track and the next day the train would derail on another section.

It frustrated me to the point of wanting to give the hobby away..!

A smooth running model train is a dream for most model train beginners. But it is actually quite easy to achieve with a little attention to detail.

Here are 7 ways to stop your model train derailing:

1 – Ensure every joint on your track is level, aligned and properly fitted.

Sounds like common sense? But poorly assembled track joints are the worst offenders for derailing model trains.

Slide your finger across the joint. It should feel level with the gap between the tracks kept to the absolute minimum. I solder my joints because this stops any problems with expansion and contraction opening and closing of the joints.

With a small file I am able to create a continuously level track and have a beautifully smooth running model train.

2 – Check your track gauge on joints, turnouts and frog assemblies.

Another common problem for model train derailments is incorrect track gauge. A tight track gauge will cause the wheels to climb up and derail off the track.

A wide track gauge will also derail your model train as the wheel flanges can not span the track properly. The gauge can be adjusted using a soldering iron to gently heat the rail, moving the rail to the correct position and allowing it to cool.

3 – Check your switch points for sharpness when they switch.

Some new switch points can be fairly blunt on the movable section where it strikes up against the stock rails. This can grab on the wheels and cause a model train derailment.

A small file can be used to gently smooth the moveable part of the points to allow a nice smooth transition. Remember to check the gauge in both positions.

4 – Check all your model train couplers.

A snagging coupler will cause model train derailments. Some new carriages can come with unpolished couplers which can catch and force derailments.

Clean off any rough edges and adjust the couplers for proper centering. The manufacturers usually provide these instructions.

5 – Add extra weight to your freight cars.

I find that most freight cars are too light and sometimes all the wheels do not contact the rails equally. By adding a small amount of weight to the cars your model train will run smoother and you will eliminate derailments, especially on the tight radius’s.

Just make sure you add the weight as low as possible to the car and in the centre, keeping a low center of gravity.

6 – Check all your wheel sets for proper operation.

Wheel sets that are out of gauge, not aligned or moving freely will cause your model train to derail. Check your wheel sets and make sure that your carriages are not crabbing and forcing the wheel flanges into the rail, making it prone to derail.

The carriages should rock freely to take up any small imperfections in your track.

7 – Lubricate the squeaks.

Sometimes the smallest drop of light oil will cure a problem with your model train derailing. An unlubricated or snaggy wheel, or coupler, can cause a slight tip over, or jar, which usually forces the wheel flange to snag the rail and derail your model train.

Oil attracts dust and can damage paintwork, so make sure you use only the smallest amount required.

Now you have no reason to put up with your model train derailing.

It usually comes down to a small bit of maintenance from time to time. With the quality most manufacturers are producing today, and some ongoing maintenance, you can make model train derailments a thing of the past.

Got any suggestions or comments? We would love to hear them…

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A Good Quality Locomotive Makes All The Difference

Dan Morgan — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 09:18:24 +0000

A good quality locomotive will make all the difference…

It can be very frustrating having a locomotive that you need to push to get going, or it suddenly speeds up and falls off the tracks.

A locomotive runs by picking up the electricity from the track through its wheels. The wheels transfer the electricity to the motor, which then turns the gears to drive the locomotive.

A locomotive with poor pickup on the wheels or a poor gear set up will give you lots of problems. As with most things, you get what you pay for… but this is one area you do not want to skimp on. A great operating locomotive is 90% of the way to having a fantastic model train layout.

When buying a locomotive these points are critical:

The amount of metal wheels that pick up the electricity – the more the better, but definitely more than 1 set.

A good gearing ratio and motor which requires the least amount of electricity to move the locomotive, with a slow but smooth start.

Flywheels at one or both ends of the motor to ensure a smooth take off and smooth stop.

The weight of the locomotive should be just right to maintain a good connection to the track at all times but not too heavy to make the locomotive sluggish.

The length of the locomotive – shorter diesel locomotives are less likely to derail on the curves than longer steam locomotives.

Most hobby shops will let you test the locomotive on their in-house test tracks before you buy.

Test the locomotive forwards and backwards… Check for a nice smooth take off and a nice smooth stop when the power is ramped up or down.

I usually go into my local hobby shop after doing my research online, test the locomotive, and then you know what price to negotiate around…

That tip has saved me nearly 30% of the retail price in some cases…

Buy quality when you buy your locomotives… I guarantee the investment will be well worth it.

Check Out This Range of Locomotives – Click Here

What have your experiences been with your locomotives?

Use the comment box below and tell us… that way we learn from each others experiences…