This Week in the World of Toys

Making Water Tank Bands

noodles — Tue, 21 May 2013 16:40:26 +0000

You might have seen those steel bands holding water tanks together. Well, you can add realism to your tanks by replicating those steel bands. The easy way is to get your hands on some copper-tone or black colored automotive pin stripe from an auto store. The good thing about pin stripes is they are perfectly straight which is near impossible to achieve with a paint brush and shaky hand. Also they come in a range of widths and colors. Although the tanks in the photo are not water tanks, you could use the same technique.

You could use a copper-tone stripe to represent the rusty band on a tank. There are lots of uses on a model railway for pin stripes. Another is for bands around wine barrels if you have a winery on your layout. You can paint the pin stripes if the color you want is not available, which is still easier than trying to paint a straight line…believe me.

Building A Shelf Layout

noodles — Tue, 14 May 2013 16:39:44 +0000

Here are my essentials for building a shelf type layout:

1. Perhaps consider track re-railers following some turns. This assists to re-rail the cars which can come off the track around the curves. However, if you do need to have re-railers on either side of your curves then you might have a problem with your layout. Either you are operating way too fast for the layout design or the trackwork is BAD.

2. I think it is a good idea to install a wire guard rail or flexi glass to protect the trains from serious damage as they could accidentally derail and smash to pieces on the floor.

3. Running the trains often helps keep the track clean, as will a track cleaning car. High level layouts can be harder to clean and can accumulate dust and even rust more quickly.

4. I painted my baseboard black. This way everything is highlighted on my black baseboard.

Painting Scenery And Rolling Stock

noodles — Tue, 07 May 2013 16:38:55 +0000

Toning Down Colors

Here’s something I’ve discovered. I no longer use white or black paint on my layout without mixing in other tones. I find pure white and pure black a little stark and unreal as those colors stand out too much! I also stick with matt paints (not gloss) on most things. Gloss might look ok on a shiny new loco, but it looks too unreal on most things. To tone down black or white paint I usually add a small drop of another color such as diluted brown just to take the starkness away. Remember with white to just add a tiny dab of another color, because if you add too much you’ll have to add a big quantity of white to overcome the problem. If you add too much brown for example, you might be best to pour it out and start mixing again.

Easy Steps To Good Rail Yard Design

noodles — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 16:38:08 +0000

Here are some excellent suggestions sent in by Harold who is a member of my popular online Model Train Club:

Most of us have far more cars (rolling stock) and locomotives than we can possibly operate at once. One option is to simply store excess cars and locomotives in boxes or on display shelves or cabinets. It is possible, however, to store all of your extra equipment on tracks in a yard that may, or may not, be part of the visible operating portion of your layout.

Here are some tips if you are planning on building a rail yard:

1. Try to incorporate at least one staging track with it connected to the main track at both ends. If you have room for two, then even better. The purpose of yard (apart from storage) is to collect incoming cars, rearrange them and get them on trains that will take them to their destinations. The key is to have enough space to do this efficiently.

2. Try not to cram too many tracks into a small space. If the tracks are too close together it could cause a domino effect if a car derails.

3. Always plan an escape route and avoid having spur tracks that could trap your locomotive behind a line of freight wagons.

4. Keep your yard design simple. A complex design can lead to more potential problems even with a simple mistake.

A yard should be relatively easy to get in and out of. Keep the design simple and the operation will be simple too.

Double Header Steam Trains

noodles — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 16:36:11 +0000

Double heading (two locos pulling a train) was used to provide the power to pull heavy loads, climb gradients or meet a tight schedule. With steam trains, each engine was operated individually by its own crew, which took skill, cooperation and concentration to avoid wheel slipping which could stall a train or cause a derailment.

Double heading with diesels is different because all the locos working in multiple are controlled by the driver in the cab of the leading engine.

Double heading is always fun to watch especially on a model train layout, and especially with smoke unit equipped steam locos.

Converting Horn Hook Couplers To Knuckle Couplers

noodles — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 16:29:40 +0000

Many folk in the hobby don’t particularly like horn-hook couplers and often can’t wait to replace them with knuckle couplers. The view of many is that knuckle couplers are more realistic and they work really well with magnetic uncouplers.

Converting to knuckle couplers takes time and some effort and patience. If you are going to do this it is best to convert your rolling stock one at a time. Some mix them in consists until they are all eventually converted.

Regardless of what train couplers you use, they need to be mounted at the right height for them to work correctly.

If a coupler is sitting too high, then you can lower the coupler by inserting a shim between the bottom (of the car floor) and the coupler pocket. If, on the other hand, the coupler is too low, then you can add a washer (or two) between the truck and the car base.

2 Train Tips

noodles — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 19:37:25 +0000

1. To make realistic looking culvets try using drinking straws. Cut short pieces from the bendable sections of the plastic straws, paint them gray, to use as metal culvert drains.

2. Put operating signals at crossings. Use either a set of crossing flashers or a flasher and drop-arm combo. Kids (and adults too) are mesmerized by these ‘lights and action’ items. Other ideas like a working grain elevator, water tower, coal loaders, or a control towers help complete a scene.

Be creative, but specific, with your scenery.

Train Scenery Painting

noodles — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 19:53:53 +0000

When selecting adhesives to use in the creation of scenery for your model railroad there are many to choose from in hardware stores and hobby shops/craft shops. Most adhesives will do the job that is claimed, but they are not all suitable for the same job.
When building scenery try using an acrylic matte medium or white glue as both of these modeling adhesives are water soluble. However, a contact cement may be more suitable in some applications.

Rail Joiners

noodles — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 20:39:51 +0000

Ballasted track adds more scenic realism to a model train layout.

However, you need to make sure that the electrics are all sorted out and that all the rail joiners are tight fitting before you start ballasting. Otherwise you may find that after you have ballasted your track, some sections of model train track wont work properly.

Derailments

noodles — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 20:35:34 +0000

Cutting track the right way is important for a good fit and to prevent derailments. If you cut track on your layout and fail to remove all the shavings, then they will eventually find there way into your engine gears and moving parts. This will create additional headaches for you later on.

Using a hacksaw will create metal dust which is hard to clean up. Wire cutter pliers will save you the shavings, but will create angles on your ends which you’ll need to file square to prevent rolling stock from jumping the track. You can buy special track cutting tools with a flat edge on one side so that the resulting cut is straight instead of tapered to a point.