DC Control Wiring Basics For Your Model Railroad

Easy Model Railroad Wiring

By Dan B Morgan Model railroad wiring for DC control systems can be confusing for the model train beginner. This is because, unlike DCC, you have to create electrical sections of track to run 1 locomotive at a time. The majority of model train layout problems come from a lack of sufficient electrical power on certain parts of the track. This is usually caused by a power pack that is too small for the model railroad track you have built. Most starter train sets are manufactured to achieve an entry level price. The power packs in these starter train sets have just enough power to drive … [Read more...]

Model Railroad Scenery – How To Make Trees

Trees

Guest post by Dan B Morgan Trees are a great addition to any model railroad and the more you have the better it looks. However, if you had to go and buy these trees from a hobby shop it would cost you a lot of money. Here are 2 simple ways to make your own model railroad trees: 1) Find them in your back yard or go for a walk and find them. Small twigs have a similar structure to the branch structure of large trees. So, go for a walk and look for the twigs that look like trees. In an hour you will find enough twigs to create hundreds of trees. Look for the dried twigs as this will avoid … [Read more...]

Wondering Whether To Weather Your Model Railroad Trains?

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By Timothy McCarthy First of all, some of you may be reading this wondering what weathering model railroad trains is, so I'll start with an explanation. Weathering is basically the process of making something look old and used and is a technique applied to model railways to make them look more realistic. In the real world, nothing stays shiny and new for long. Trains will pick up dust and dirt as they travel around, paint will get scratched, metalwork rusts over time and so many model train builders will want to recreate these looks on their models. Of course, this isn't for … [Read more...]

More Model Train Tips Reader Feedback

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A couple of weeks ago, I posted an article with some of the comments and feedback I’ve received from readers and subscribers. Here is more of the feedback and comments I’ve received. Alan from Little Rock, Arkansas wrote and shared this: Building a model railroad is something that I have wanted to do since I was a kid with my first toy train set.  Now that I'm 55 years of age, all four of the kids are out of the house and my wife said that I needed a hobby.  I live in Little Rock, Arkansas and sought out a model railroad club in the area to get me started. My frustration at this … [Read more...]

How Model Train Classification Yards Work

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Most model railroaders have far more cars (rolling stock) and locomotives than they can possibly operate at once. One option is to simply store excess rolling stock and locomotives in boxes or on display shelves or cabinets. It is possible, however, to store all of your extra equipment and trains on tracks in a yard that may or may not be part of the visible operating portion of your model train layout. However, design mistakes are a common feature of model railroad yard layouts. Yards don't always work out as well as they should. A major cause is the lack of available information … [Read more...]