Steam engine with no fire!

Okay, so perhaps this is a bit off the beaten track of model railroads – but I found it interesting and thought you may too.

“Al,

Here are some pictures of a steam engine which has no firebox.

It was parked at the power plant of NCR (National Cash Register) here in Dayton.

A pressure hose was attached from the factory’s steam line to the loco. Steam was pushed into the thermos flask (the main part of the loco), and used to move it around the yard switching 2 or 3 small rolling stock cars.

–Ben”



And now dear readers, some help is needed.

Wayne has got in touch. And I thought I’d ask the collective – that’s you – on his behalf. Please post comment below!

“I read your material everyday. I print it out and have put it in a binder. If you can get some feed back on what I should do? I thought I had it figured out.

I am a novice and just getting into model railroading. Sometimes you get things that your mind cannot comprehend. A friend’s husband passed and he had HO trains and layout with accessories, some installed and others not?.

I picked it up this AM and now I have a 4 track layout on a 4×4 HO Scale board with trap door in the middle. All four tracks are separate buy can switch cars from one to the other.

There are five engines and several cars…. Bachmann and Atlas material. Enough track to build another rail system on a separate board.

There is railroad crossing with lights and signs, end of 3 track switch with lights, etc.

I have the ability to build the hills and buildings as I do scroll saw stuff. Work a lot with plastic.

Attached is a picture of the stuff I have.

1. Do I start all over and build new?
2. Do I work with what I have>
3. Or do I get creative and build around what I have?
4. Should I just start with one engine, cars and work my way up?

Wayne”

So can you help Wayne out? What would you suggest? I’m asking because I know we’ve all been there!

Oh – and don’t forget the new ebay cheat sheet”

Keep ’em coming.

Best

Al

PS Beginner’s Guide is here.





Railroad layout school project!

I got this in and thought it a fantastic story!

“I’ve been following your blog for a while now, and I am inspired by all of the tips and techniques. I am the science chair at a middle school, and I recently was awarded an educational grant from a coal company for my idea to build an HO scale model train layout. We built the entire 8’x4′ layout in my storage room. It took many class periods to complete. The majority was done by 13 year olds. I only offered my help with laying the track, electrical components, final details, and trouble shooting.

The CSX specific train dumps coal using the old Virginian TYCO hoppers that we will paint later and affix CSX decals. We cut square holes into the layout base for coal to pass through grates into a peanut butter jar, and we are currently in the process of using a coin machine motor to build a gravity loader for the next fair. With this lesson, I taught not only concepts of coal, but I focused on scale, electrical circuits, and topography. I wanted to introduce students to the hobby of model railroading that I recently became interested in myself. Anyway, we finished most of it up in time for the CEDAR coal fair, and took home 2nd place which gave me, the coordinator of the project, a $600 check! I was wondering if you’d be interested in seeing the pictures or video of the project to post? Granted, I nor my students are hobbyists. Our techniques are probably crude and rudimentary compared with others on the site. Thanks.

Garron”

“Alastair,
I have an idea on how to make realistic looking roof material and not cost an arm and a leg. A lot of model buildings have a tarpaper look to them but I prefer to use Kleenex for the true look. I know how hard it is to try to cut Kleenex’s with scissors but thanks to my wife she had the perfect solution. She does a lot of sewing and she gave me a round cut blade that has a round wheel (fabric cutter wheel) that is as sharp as any e-acto knife and when using a metal ruler for a straight cut you can slice Kleenex to any width you need. The next step would be to place it permanently to where you need it. I simply lay the individual strips where I need it and then use any brush with flat black paint needed to stick it to the roof or and other application

Lee”

Here’s Patrick’s take on Roger’s flat bed load ‘how to’.

Patrick has just used stuff from the garden:

Latest ebay cheat sheetis here.

Keep ’em coming!

Best

Al


Paco’s suspended railroad!

Well, we’re all short on space, right? Well done to Paco – a great solution.

“Hi Alastair,

here is my promised layout suspended from the ceiling. Observe that everything is paper and cardboard structure, after all, I sleep under my train. One of my friends commented:

Paco, be sure is supported right, I don’t want to read in the papers ” Engineer squashed by his own train”

As describer before, the winch is in the closet. has a still cable of something like 250 lbs. strength, the nylon combination is also about 250 and the winch is 1000. The other factor is the anchored winch to a plywood structure bolted to the floor of the closet. By the way, this is my sixth design on this platform.

Next, I hope, is the highway with moving cars. If successful, I wish to find someone to associate with for production and sale.

After giving up the sailing in our little lake, am having a great time railroading. If you like, distribute this to anyone or any group you wish. I will love to receive comments.

Greetings,

Paco”

Latest ebay cheat sheet is here

Big thank you to everyone who has contributed to the site so far. Please do keep them rolling in.

Best

Al