Recent content by E Mo Ry

I'd urge you to send your letter to Athearn, Walthers and Model Railroader. MR in particular is always looking for ways to bring young people into the hobby, i can't think of a much better way to do it than the way you are pursuing.

What have you had good results with cleaning track using an Aztec track cleaning car? Various folks have suggested Goo Gone, Nail polish remover, etc...Nail polish remover has acetone, which is both highly flammable and damages plastic, so i don't want to go there. Even non-acetone nail polish...

It's called the Knuckle Buster, looks a bit like a dentist's mirror and has a small circular magnet at the end that you hold next to the outside of the rail and it pulls kadees (and other magnetic couplers i guess) apart....most of the time. I have one and like it enough, but i still use wooden...

Most recent edition of MR has a story on Rail-marine and maritime operations. Here's a link to various manufacturers of marine-related models...good luck, i've flirted with building a rail barge into my layout, but i just couldn't fit everything (not to mention that it didn't work in St. Louis...

Thanks for the tip on the Bragdon powders Val. I'll be looking for them..appreciate your help. Fabulous looking paint job on the switcher...almost makes me want to see one of them "kidnapped" and working in St. Louis yard... :thumb:

Acela Express Website I think you'll find a lot more pix and information on this layout at the link below, which i stumbled across last week on NMRA's layout page. I particularly like the police escort the Krispy Kreme delivery has...

Adhesive powders Please go take a look at those powders and share the brand name with us...sounds like an interesting idea (adhesive weathering powder) and i sure would love to forego the Dullcoat spraying if possible. Thanks.

Stripwood and scale lumber fences.... Fences are a great way to "personalize" a layout...I decided to build a few and put ads and posters on them from friend's companies, my childhood, etc...here are the results, next to a Earl Smallshaw's tenaments on my E. Mo. Ry. Anyone from NJ recognize...

You just never know what's going on behind Popa Wheelies.... But i have a good idea now why those kids are always scrambling to get up on the roof of the Sunset Ford dealer next door!

A busy day icing down the reefers in St. Louis.... on my Eastern Missouri Railway.

I have that same Fuel Tank on my E. Mo. Ry... It services the yard crew working out of the shack at the St. Louis yard...you can see it behind the two fellows chatting in this picture...

Ya know what, i have 160 feet of mainline running and I still have inadvertent "meets" at the diamonds a lot more often than you'd think...looking into signalling systems that i can tie into my DCC and laptop to avoid these going forward...

This is one of the coolest ideas i've seen in some time... i can't wait to get my sheet of 1/64" plywood and try it. Of course there will be he** to pay if my wife is picking splinters out of her color printer next week, but that's the price you pay when your a model railroader, right! Thanks...

thanks... Good suggestions all...i'll try each and report back.

I'm printing out signs from my computer on standard white paper and (after cutting them out) trying to adhere them to styrene sheet with Elmer's white glue...it seems they do adhere, but then easily peel off...is there a better way to go?