Model trains newsletter



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“Hi Al

Thanks for making every day a little bit better. It’s a lot of work but I know how much pleasure we all get seeing what everyone is doing and getting tips and hints. I especially liked the model railroad club with a detailed inside on Mike’s railroad. Please pass along my kudos.

Thanks

Jack”


“Thanks so much for your model train emails Al. I really appreciate all your contributions to the Hobby. All your hard work is appreciated.

These emails of other model railroaders progress are so inspiring.

Thank you for sharing so much of your time. Cheers, Steve.”


“Hey Al haven’t been here for a very long but you have a really cool site just knew at building myself a couple boards and you really have some good tips here nice to meet you and thank you very much God bless

Joey”


“Hi Al:

Your blog has been a joy since I first happened upon it a few years ago when I dipped back into model trains with Lionel. Then you helped me through the transition to HO and more real estate. Now finally settling into n scale. Keep up the great work, your advice and suggestions make this the greatest hobby of all.

Cheers from Michigan across the pond.”


“Alastair, I am new to model railroading and I am learning. I have built 1/35 scale models for ever but, now that I may have a grandchild in the picture in a few years I’ve changed my focus. I am reading all that I can about railroading and I find your Guide to be very helpful. I will be starting on of your building shortly so I’ll let you know how it goes.

Your blog every day is brilliant. It appears to me that the rail scene that one produces is exceptionally personal and unique. Thank you.

Dave”


“Hi Al

I am 75 years old and have not messed with trains in probably 65 years. I have just started in the last year a 11×5 foot Ho layout

If it wasn’t for your WEBSITE and all of your IDEAS i would have been lost on how to start and create.

I have made your buildings,tunnels,homes and all of your friends ideas have been a big help

I checkout your site every day and sometimes more often than that.

THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.

Don
Melfa,Virginia (USA)”


“Al,

A great big Thank You for all the efforts you put into model railroading. Your emails are one of the highlights of my day.

DJfromNJ (aka Don)”


“Al, thank you for the extra brightness you bring to us daily!

Dennis M.D.
Scottsdale Arizona USA”


“HI Al,

Thank you for such a lovely newsletter. It’s always a treat to click through your post of everyone’s amazing work.

Chris”


“Al

Thanks for the info. I’m enjoying your blog very much.

Eric”


“Mr Lee, I just became a subscriber. I really do enjoy reading your emails and I learn so much from them.

Thank you so much.

Gary”


“I have been reading your emails the past 3 or 4 years, and regret I didn’t know of them 14 years ago when I started the train hobby at age 63.

So at 77 now, I commend you in your thankless job of bringing fresh insight into the train hobby for all of us who aren’t the perfect model train enthusiasts. You give us hope and help, and you are, as the saying goes, “The salt of the earth.”

Thank you for all you do and know that for the one knucklehead that criticizes, about 50 appreciate you and your work.

-Andy”


“Thank you so much for all you are doing for us to keep us informed. The e mails are great and I also thank those for submitting what they are doing. Please keep it up for I look forward to this e mail daily.

Lawrence”


“Hi Al,

I wanted to take a minute to thank you for your great reference guides, tips and tricks that you have shared with me.

Edie”


“Thanks. We all appreciate your time dedicated to this site.

Pat”


“Al:

Yes, in a world that seems to thrive on controversy, divisiveness and violence we look for the bright spots, of which there are many.

You provide one of those bright spots and for this I am thankful.

John”


“Hello Alastair;

I have been watching your interesting E-Mails for almost 2 years now. Very good to see how others work and to learn some new tricks. I have been wanting to make a train layout for years.

William”


“I look forward to your posts every day.

Phil”


“Hi Al,

I’m sure you will receive many similar messages but a big THANK YOU for all the hard work.

A common theme of the messages I see is how you’ve created a community that is all-inclusive. Sometimes people just want to run trains, others go the opposite extreme and model miniature worlds in amazing detail, where the trains are actually a side show.

Your site is a very broad church. Rest assured you’re on the right track (forgive the pun).

Very best regards,

Paul”


“Thank you Al for all of the amazing things you provide on here. It is appreciated.

Mike, from Indianapolis, Indiana, USA”


“Alastair I really get a kick out of your emails, very inspiring as a start my dive back into HO model railroading with my grandsons.

Michael”


“Dear Alastair,

Many thanks for your diligent efforts on behalf of our community. Your efforts are much appreciated by me and, obviously, by many others.

John”


“Thanks for keeping the child in me alive !

Ed”


“Hi Al.

Great blog.

I learn something new every time I check it out.

Some great and talented modelers contribute here.

I am proud to be among you all, though I do not have the skills that many of you do.

Seing all of the posts is helping me to improve my modeling skills.

Thanks.

Chuck”


“Hi Al, you provide so much entertainment, interest and usable skill material for us all.

For myself I’d like to say how much we appreciate your input. Just know that in model railway world you make a lot of people really happy.

Best regards

Peter from Oz”


“Al. Your site is brilliant, The expertise, The genius ability of fellow travellers to think out side the
Box to invent, solve challenges and achieve results.

Harry”


“I read your blog every morning with my coffee and just can’t seem to start my day without it. I don’t always get to work on my trains, but at least I can have it in mind all day!

Greg”


“I just want everyone to know that I’ve enjoyed all of the tips and pics throughly. I’m still along way out from sending any pics or descriptions of my layout. though it’s small in size from others,but it will be surprisingly unique . thanks al for providing this blog, it’s truly very wonderful and great. thanks again.

Val in Utah”


“Ai , i have enjoy your site for many years now.

I enjoy your site and all the model railroaders on it.

THANKS THANKS

From Cairo New York USA”


“I enjoy checking out your blog and do so almost every day. At the age of 88 I was stimulated to rebuilding and expanding my layout during the last year as a result of seeing what others are doing on your blog.

Someday I hope to send you some pictures of my layout which I call. “A Railroad of Memorys”.

Bill”


“I have been a faithful, follower for years (ongoing 6 years). I look so forward to each e-mail and learn something new every day. As I have the creativity of a “Cinder block”, you helpful hints and responses from others have gone a long way to keeping me involved,. Thanks for everything.

Paul from NY”


“I thoroughly enjoy reading this blog every day. It’s inspirational and reassuring to read about and see what other modelers are doing.. the layouts I see and the efforts made, make me smile because those modelers are having FUN!! Thank you Al, for your diligence and persistence in making this blog happen for all of us..

Michael”


“Thanks for all the brilliant ideas and helpful suggestions that are part of your everyday postings. Out of the hobby for 50 years, but so enjoying being able to plan/develop the layout I have long envisioned. feeling like a complete “newby,” I have greatly benefited from seeing what others are doing with current materials and ideas. Thanks for all you do to encourage new/old guys like me!

Raymond”


“Hi Al and thank you for keeping me in touch with Railway Modelers around the world. Reading your emails with their tips gives me the confidence to keep going.

Kelvin”


“I have enjoyed your blog for a number of years, and have saved quite a few of your articles (mainly technical ones).

Please keep up the good work.

David”


“This blog is awesome. I have learned so much from all you “expert model railroad guys”. To be very honest, I don’t think my layout would be where it is today if it weren’t for the helpful hints and experiences I read about in the blog. It’s great! Don’t stop.

John”


“I look forward to seeing what shows up each day, whether tinplate or superdetailed scale. All have provided ideas and clues to how to construct my own layout.

The range of construction materials and results has been fascinating as well as the range of equipment and themes. Seeing them in practice has helped with my own design work.

Each day is something different. Many thanks for the blog.

Ray”


“my day would not be complete with out reading your blog!!!! please keep it comming!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Paul”


“Al

Like so many others I read your blog every day and really appreciate the information supplied by you, your contributors and the comments on the articles.

Bob”


“Hi Al

Have followed your blog since it began and look forward to it every day.

Your blog has encouraged me to send in videos and pictures of my layouts as you include everyone’s contribution from beginners to experienced modellers.

Lots of brilliant ideas and layouts from modellers all over the world.

Keep it coming Al – you and John are legends.

Best to all

Brian”


“i can’t say your blog is the first thing in the morning, but my day would not be complete without it.

I, too, have been away for too many years. My son, an Amtrak Northeast Corridor engineer found your site and put me on to it several years ago.

Dave”


“Al I sure enjoy reading your blog every morning. keep up the good work

Thank You

Ed”


“I’ve learned to I love running the trains, solving problems, learning how to wire and landscape. It’s a whole new world for me, thanks to you and your blog and your family of train enthusiasts. Thank you for that gift!

Regards, Steve”



Model train layout ideas

I do enjoy seeing your model train layout ideas pop up in my inbox.

And Peter has been in touch with a theme that I don’t think I’ve seen before – a train museum!

I liked it for two reasons:

1) It’s a great theme to put lots of trains in a small space.

2) Layouts with a clear theme always seem to turn out well.

I know I’m always banging on about making a start, but coming in a close second has to be picking a model train theme.

Now let’s have a look at Peter’s layout:

“You have published a few of my layouts in the past….all H/O continental layouts etc..and decal application:

I thought I would have a go at some UK modelling…

The pictures are of a ‘Steam Museum’ I knocked together in a few weeks..

After purchasing some second stock from E-Bay..mostly DC with a few DCC loco’s..

The tanker wagons are ‘Roco’ European not UK….but they sort of fit in ok..

The engine shed, just home made..

The led lighting from E-Bay ‘China’..very cheap.

Regards

Peter, Liverpool.”

Steam museum

model train layout ideas

model railroad museum theme

model train layout ideas

steam engine museum theme

model train layout ideas HO scale steam engine

model train layout ideas

steam engine smoke



model railway led lights

model train layout ideas steam engine water tower

model railway turntable

model railway sidings

rusty steam engine model railway



A big thanks to Peter.

Hope you enjoyed this one – your model train layout ideas always keep me entertained. There’s something about this hobby that gets deep under your skin – I got this from Ken that sums it up well:

“I don’t have any trains Al except a couple of used HO cars I bought at a 2nd hand store just because I could.

I’ve love trains since I was a kid in the 50’s growing up in a small town in lower Michigan with a freight line running through and a spur for the feed mill.

My brother and I walked the rails for miles in the summers. In 1960 we moved to another small down and our bedroom window was 50 feet from a DT&I line that ran a freight thru at nite around 2 am.

My brother would get a flash light out and give a couple of quick blinks to the engineer who the started doing the same. Some times we opened our curtains quietly and turned the room lights on so they could see us waving. Got the same from the cab. Made our nite and hopefully brightened up the crews nite.

When we both went to college, the line was torn out so our younger brothers missed out.

To this day, i have lived close enough to lines to hear the whistles and horns through the day and night. Always seems to be a comfort to me and a reminder of special days and nites.

Ken”

If you feel like Ken, and a tinkering with a layout is an itch you really want to scratch, my advice is pick a theme and make a start.

The start is everything.

Here’s Peter’s start:

laying track  model railway

Look what he ended up with! On quite a small space too.

That’s all for today folks.

And if today is the day you press the fun button to see what you can do, the Beginner’s Guide is here.

Best

Al

PPS More HO scale train layouts here if that’s your thing.





model train answers

Model railroad details

Henry has been in touch with some thoughts on model railroad details:

“Hello Alastair

Have you ever thought about what makes a layout stand out from the crowd?

To me there are two things, a layout that runs reliably that includes locomotives not stalling, no derailments and turnouts and signal systems that work.

To achieve this, planning is necessary before we even start building a layout. Care in laying the track, testing and more testing. Also setting minimum standards, like all metal wheels, all couplers at the correct height and so the list goes on.

The second thing that comes to mind is detail.

A little detail makes a HUGE difference. I include some photos of small detail scenes, some which are hidden inside buildings, but surprises a curious visitor who peers inside the building expecting to see empty spaces, and then discovers interior detail!

It does not have to cost much either, many of my detail scenes is created simply by how and where the figures are placed to tell a story.

Another area where a little detail makes a big difference is with roads. All roads show signs of wear and tear and their repairs.

When it comes to parking lots, why not add a handicapped parking bay? Or parking meters? Look to the real world for inspiration.

I include some photos of little detail scenes on my layout.

Regards

Henry”

model railroad details engineering factory

model train bar scene

model train bar people

model railroad details bbq

model railroad details restaurant

model railroad details car park

model railroad details housing



model train mechanic

model train parking lot

model railroad parking meters

model railroad details passengers

model railroad bar pool players

model train roads

model train tracks

A big thanks to Henry – I couldn’t agree with him more when it comes to model railroad details.

Some well placed figures on a layout bring it to life and give lots of seperate independant scenes.

Take Bill’s switching layout post for example – did you spot the moonshiners? They had me smiling from ear to ear.

And just to really hammer a point home on model railroad details, here’s Brian’s latest – two kit builds for his layout, but look at the detail he’s added.

“Hi Al,

two projects that I have been working on.

The Foss Launch Co is now 99% complete. Only lights and figures to be added until it is bedded onto the layout.

A reminder about the Launch Co that is is a waterfront building and is showing lots of wear and tear on it. Ageing – (Done on purpose)

Here it is on the wharf at the waterfront. (A few people mentioned way back that they saw this wharf at the back of the layout and wondered if it was ever going to be used) This is the one below.

HO scale wharf

Adding the details to it on by workbench.

adding detail to model

All the bollards were cast by me in resin as I will need a lot of them along my vast waterfront

model from resin cast

model from resin cast

Some of the detail inside.

model railroad detail to HO scale wharf

adding model railroad detail to HO scale wharf

All the signage on this kit are dry transfers supplied in the kit.

signage for waterfront model railroad detail

Here is the second kit – a Water Tank and Tool shed. A plus/minus 40 year old kit. Built straight from the plans (very unusual for me not to kit bash it)

water tank tool shed HO scale wharf

added the scribed siding around the tank.

weathing waterfront model

Not an easy task to add shingles to a cone shaped roof. Peaked roof is easy.

adding roof tiles to model

Touching up the ‘individual’ planks on the shed

weathering planks on model

Getting the right colour on the roof shingles.

HO scale wharf roof

This is the most time consuming part of any kit – painting and weathering the details on the HO scale wharf.

weathering HO scale wharf

Making sure that all the details look good in place before gluing them in down.

adding details model train waterfront

adding details model train waterfront

Overhead view showing the interior detail in place.

interior of model train tool shed

All the details have been weathered.

HO scale wharf weathering

HO scale wharf weathering

weathering model train waterfront

Brian – the HOn3 guy in Knysna RSA”

A big thanks to Brian and Henry for sharing their model railroad details.

By they way, you can see Brian’s last post, his workshop build, here.

That’s all for today folks.

Please do keep ’em coming.

And if today is the day you decide to buy a ticket for the fun bus, the Beginner’s Guide is here. Come and join the fun.

Best

Al

PS Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.