Model Railroading 101

Here are some model railroad basics; things you should know before investing in model railroad trains. If you’re planning on building a model railroad layout then this is the essential information you’ll need before starting out.

Freight Yard Disaster

I get a call Friday asking if I could come in Saturday to cover for another volunteer that can’t make it in. Normally, I volunteer at the Twin City Model Railroad Museum on Tuesdays, but I didn’t have any plans for Saturday so I said yes.

Coming in on a Saturday gave me a chance to work with some folks I normally don’t get to work with, so I figured it was an opportunity to learn something new. I learned some new stuff but I also re-learned something I already knew; or so I thought.

Uncouple Tip

One of the things I’ve learned while volunteering at the Twin City Model Railroad Museum (TCMRM) is how quickly and easily uncouple cars without lifting them off the track with your hand.
A simple plastic stir stick, available at most fast food restaurants that serve coffee, can be used as shown in the pictures at right to uncouple two [...]

Model Railroading Magazines

Are you reading model railroading magazines to stay current and learn more about this great hobby?

I find that reading current magazines helps me stay fresh with what’s new as well as picking up tidbits of useful info. I decided to check to see what’s available today and share it with you.

Twin City Model Railroad Museum

On June 10th, I paid a visit to the Twin City Model Railroad Museum in St. Paul, Minnesota to take some pictures for an article I was working on for the Model Train Tips Newsletter. I also just wanted to check out the trains; I hadn’t been to the museum in several months and this seemed like the perfect excuse.

The centerpiece is a large O-gauge model railroad on display for the public. Each of the four main lines are 220′ long which translates into two scale miles of track! In addition to the four main lines there are several yard lines

How To Apply Ballast

Many people ask me how to apply ballast even if they have done it before. They must not be satisfied how theirs turned out so the very best way will be presented here. I use several techniques and each one has an advantage over the other as the desired effects or the situations vary. A neat looking roadbed is a major accomplishment and very satisfying to look at when finished.

The Art of Applying Decals

The art of applying thin film wet decals to models is one that only gets better with practice. If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again. Patience and persistency will allow you to produce models that look as good, if not better than the models in all your favorite magazines. I am sure many people have many different methods of applying decals successfully. The methods I use were mostly developed by trial and error and lots of query at every hobby shop I’ve gone to.

Using RTV Molds For Creating Scratch-Built Models

RTV (Room Temperature Vulcanized) Rubber molds are simple to make and can allow you to cast several identical detail castings for your scratchbuilt models. RTV Rubber is a two-part mixture made by Dow-Corning. It comes in various styles. I find 3110 the easiest to use because it does not require an expensive vacuum pump to decompress air bubbles.

Tree Construction Technique

Use anything that looks like a miniature tree of the scale, height, and species you want to model. I prefer sage brush twigs for larger deciduous trees like mature oaks and cottonwoods. For birches and smaller deciduous trees, I use pieces from a decorative broom I bought at a Ben Franklin craft store. You can, of course, use anything that looks like a tree, from yarrow and goldenrod weeds; to herb and tree roots; to manufactured cast metal and plastic armatures.

Building A Trestle Span

Recently, I decided to add a new canyon to my N-scale layout. The plan was to build three separate trestle spans across my new canyon, after I build my new canyon of course! This was my opportunity to create a steel sub-girder trestle 280 feet long and 75 feet tall, plus two main line trestle spans, 200 feet long and 50 feet tall! Not to mention the possibility of some deep-water scenery and maybe a chance to model a boat.

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