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 the train around the track supplied. As soon as you expand the track, that power pack has to drive the power a longer way and this is where the problems start.

If the power pack is not strong enough, you may have a very low voltage at the furthest point away from the power pack. This results in your engine running slow or stalling at that point. You also run the risk of burning out your power pack, or it overheating, by doing this. This can be dangerous and should be avoided.

Another common model railroad wiring problem is using electrical cables that are too small. By using wiring that is too small, it restricts the electricity flow getting to the end of the wiring. This results in a voltage drop at the end of the cable. It is important to check what current you will be drawing at full load and use the electrical wiring that is designed to carry that full current with some extra capacity.

I have many other model railroad wiring tips which I’ll share in other articles.

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Weathered Boxcar

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 everyone and there are those that wouldn’t dream of damaging or devaluing their prized locomotives in any way. For years, model railway trains have been collector’s items and some are incredibly valuable.

However, other people look at value in a different way and ask what the value is on a personal level. Not in terms of money, but the value it will give you in satisfaction. Now that may sound like a massive cliche, but value does mean different things to different people.

Closeup of weathered boxcar

For some people, creating a perfectly life like model railroad scene will hold far greater value than watching their shiny locomotives going round the track, so you have to ask yourself which group you fall into.

The good thing is that now, it is possible to pick up model railroad trains fairly cheaply on eBay now, and you can use these for you weathered wagons and keep the collectors items separately. This way you can have the best of both worlds if you so want.

If you’ve decided that you do want to weather your model railway trains (and it doesn’t just have to be the trains, this technique can be applied to anything to add a level of realness to it), then there are a number of ways to go about doing this and plenty of guides which are available to help you with this. There are also a lot of specialist products on the market too. However, you can also just use a lot of things you already have for you railway scenery, or would find around the house.

A couple of things I want to mention here are that if you’re new to weathering, always practice on a cheap train first. This way, if it doesn’t go to plan, you haven’t ruined on of your favourite trains! Also, rather than trying to get it right first time, build your weathering up in layers.

This means that you can work out what works and what doesn’t and is also actually more realistic too. In the world, a train carriage doesn’t just go from clean to dirty straight away, but the filth and grime builds up over a period of time. Therefore, applying lots of layers will help to create this effect better.

Finally, one important thing to remember when weathering you trains is to make sure that you are doing it for the environment in which your model railway trains will be running. For example, if you have build a 1950s recreation, then your train won’t have modern day graffiti tags on the side of them, whereas if you have built an inner city New York scene, the trains might well do. Another example would be a modern passenger train is going to be less dirty than a freight wagon as they are cleaned more often.

A great tip that I picked up for helping to get this right is to collect photographs from the particular scene or time your model railway trains are meant to be set in and then base you weathering on this research. As with anything to do with your model railroad and as I always say, the more research that you do, the better.

I hope you now have a greater understanding of the model train weathering. For more model railway trains tips, visit my website by clicking the link below.

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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 time is that the club is about ready to fold because of lack of active members.  They have a huge layout which was started back in 1975, however, over the years original members have died or moved away and they can’t seem to attract new members.  So I have about decided to start with a small modular layout and expand from there.  My problem at home is a lack of space to build a large layout. -Alan S.

Mike wrote to share his biggest challenge:

My biggest challenge, and I have not even begun to build, is selecting size of table. I don’t want to go 4×8 and add…I want to know what my total space is, and go from there. I was thinking of a T or maybe _=_ if you can imagine the top of the = a sideways 4×8. Another concern I have is the train will be built in my Florida room. Screened from rain, but humidity and Temp are factors.

All things to consider, should begin building the tables next Monday. It’s my hobby, but I am building tables 2 feet off the ground for my 2 girls to watch and learn. (ages 2 and 4).

Thanks for all the videos and stuff!! –Mike

I’m sure your daughters will enjoy watching the trains; perhaps they’ll even catch the model railroading bug!

Kevin from down under writes:

Hi Rick, Yes I am going on eighty but had a lot of model trains as a youngster so at this stage I am interested in starting up again and yes I think it is a fabulous hobby

I live alone now as my dear wife of 46 years has passed on owing to cancer. My Daughter and her husband and child live some 300 miles away in Sydney so apart from golf I would like to have another interest. Regards, -Kevin C.

Leon wrote this in response to my message about reading model railroading magazines:

Even thou I’m retired 5 years (down to 1 part-time job), it seems the only time I can catch up on my train reading is when I go on vacation.  I finally found my dream layout; a variation of the letter “M” in the January 1995 issue of Classic Toy Trains.

So far, I’ve got 5 – 4×8 tables built.  I made the mistake of building them at a 36″ height when they should have been around 42″ high.  So I’ve decided a good portion of the outer perimeter of the 36″ level will be subway with freight including turntable and roundhouse on the 2nd level.  Who knows, there might be a partial 3rd level of passenger and mining! –Leon

Tyron from South Africa shared a couple of his frustrations with the hobby:

Hi Rick, thanks for the e-mail. I’ve just started modeling (don’t even have a layout yet).

My two greatest frustrations are the lack of model railroading merchandise in South Africa and also the inability to access reasonable layout plans. (Because I have just started, I don’t have any friends in the hobby who can assist). Kind Regards, -Tyron R.

Tyron, I hope you find friends here.

Kim C. from Illinois wrote:

Hello, Rick!

Well, I didn’t know you were asking about the hobby. I Love it… I do NOT have a layout yet, but I keep working on the cars, and locomotives, so that one day soon, when I have one, I will have all the rolling stock, and locomotives for the layout. Last count, I think I had over 800 cars, 104 locomotives (I collect them in 3′s, or 4′s depending on the make, and model I see here on the local BNSF main route I live on…), and I have plenty to do, converting to DCC, and designing things for signaling, and control, and other things that the hobby needs. I get frustrated by the stuff that no o one wants to SHARE… like, how to make ditch lights look better, work better, and painting tips, tips on putting on decals etc…. OR how to build or design a lay out for your needs, for the space that you have….

Otherwise, I think that the hobby is one of the most relaxing hobbies I have ever been involved in, and I enjoy it immensely! I would LOVE to share my 30 years of experience, with railroad modeling and things and ideas I have, and do use to make it more realistic, and operationally fun!!

I have TONS of neat ideas, and have tons to offer. Some I sell, and make a little for my hobby, and others, I freely share….

Be Well, and Thanks for your help, and interest!

Sincerely; Mr. Kim C.

Again, this is just some of the feedback and comments I received. I’ll share more soon. How about sharing your experiences in the comments area below?

Rick

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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 on how to design a good model railroad yard layout. Without the resources, model railroaders are forced into a lot of guesswork.

Model Train Yard Layout Compression

Apart from the lack of available information on model railroad yards, another cause for less than satisfactory model railroad yard designs, is the need to compress a model railroad layout into the space available. ‘Compression’ is the model railroaders enemy, but in most cases, necessary.

Let’s start by looking at the make up of real classification yards. Generally, they are huge. They often consist of many smaller special-purpose rail yards, that collectively, add up to a complex array of train track.

It is commonplace for there to be three separate double-ended rail yards strung one after the other. These are designed to move train traffic efficiently and usually comprise: an arrival yard, a classification yard, and a departure yard.

The Arrival Yard On Model Train Layouts

The arrival yard is where arriving trains drop off the cars of their train. The cars are then moved to the classification yard, being switched back and forth as necessary to get the right cars onto the right trains.

The trains are then built out and moved to the departure yard. After getting a new caboose and locomotive, they then proceed to their next destination.

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