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  1. J

    Anti-duck-under Lift -up Module

    Our HO Module group (NMRA "Hub" Group) uses just such a bridge -- and conveniently, our module coordinator just put a picture on the website: http://www.newenglandcustomrail.com/HubDivision/Hub%20Main.htm Go to "Modules" - then "Bridge" It is pretty heavy, but a two wheeler moves it easily, we...
  2. J

    How to best use this room??

    As you think about continuous running, use the minimum radius to help you plan. The absolute minimum is 18" making a 3' circle. It's MUCH better to go larger, 30" is nice, 24" is passable -- it depends on whether you want to be limited to 40' cars with small steam and 4 axle diesels. Also...
  3. J

    How to best use this room??

    How about a yard at the bottom of the stairs (perhaps with staging under?) leading along the long wall (could even have a penninsula come out at some point) -- then turn before reaching the pipe closet out into the room for a "blob" -- a turnaround spot. You could even have a helix out in the...
  4. J

    Beginners (very much) questions

    As far as the track, when you know what you want and are going to tack it down, is when I'd use flex track and good switches, solder the rail joiners together and have drops every 6' -- all mounted on a good solid surface (3/4" plywood or 2" foam comes to mind) with roadbed (I use cork, but...
  5. J

    Beginners (very much) questions

    Welcome back to the wonderful world of HO It's most important for your son to be able to build and re-build and the sectional track with roadbed and connectors is really the only way to go. Even then, to keep the frustration level low, it would be smart to provide a smooth level, carpet free...
  6. J

    What do ya'll think of these wheels?

    What I think of those wheels I very much like the Proto2000 metal wheels -- you should be using 33" wheels on freight equipment -- and smoothback is the "more modern" wheel.
  7. J

    What size do you recommend?

    You may want to consider using your 4x8' board in two 4x4' pieces as the "ends" (or "blobs" as John Armstrong called them) -- the curved circles that turn the trains around. Then you could connect them with some around the wall track on a much smaller shelf which would extend the distance the...
  8. J

    Need a Good Airbrush and Compressor

    I recently bought a Badger 155 "Anthem" airbrush and have been very happy with it. It is a more recent design, especially for acrylics, in that it is real easy to unassemble and clean (my prime criteria). It sprays a good pattern and would do well with all the stuff you listed. As far as a...
  9. J

    Picture Problem

    As a Mac user, you could also download iPhoto (for free) and use that to convert your photos.
  10. J

    Look Out New England We are Coming

    When you get to Boston, due to the incredible lack of foresight of our government, you cannot easily pass between South and North Stations [the fact that they just put the "Big Dig" right between South Station and North Station doesn't mean that they could put the rails alongside...] To do it...
  11. J

    DCC or DC to power trains

    ...another "vote" for DCC I, too, have found model railroading with DCC to be lots more fun than with DC. I have a small layout divided into 7 blocks (some as short as 3'). Running a train with DC was OK, but running a second train involved much more attention to be paid to the switches than...
  12. J

    Rookie needs advice

    Since you "require" two controls -- I'd use two separate power packs (as I did when I was DC). That way, two operators (you and your daughter) could operate without getting in each other's way. Of course, the down side of this is that, since it's DC and you want to operate two trains...
  13. J

    Kids are a great excuse to get back into trains...advice needed

    I totally agree with your choice to go with O scale for the kids at their ages. I have an HO layout at one end of the Christmas Room, but when my kids were small, I was lucky to find a box of old American Flyer O Guage trains (with metal cars!) at an out of the way junk store. What a great...
  14. J

    Newbie Question

    Yes those numbers are related to the wheels -- that is the Whyte system of steam engine classification. Each of the numbers is the number of wheels in each group (leading wheels, driving wheels, and trailing wheels). For smaller steam engines it's pretty easy -- an 0-4-0 would have no leading...
  15. J

    Ilumination

    I, too, recommend track lighting for this situation -- Even quartz bulbs at 120VAC would give a great light. Be forewarned, however, that virtually all of the offered options will have some effect on photos taken. -Daylight florescents have quite a green "spike", and may require some magenta...
  16. J

    Lubricant

    I also like and use Labelle lubricants -- however recently I have discovered new lubricants made by Aero-Car Technology, Inc.. They sell a kit with Conducta Lube (great for motor electrical contacts - brushes and commutator), Motor Bearing Lubricant, and "NG Gel" gear lubricant. These are...
  17. J

    It's LOUD now

    Please don't change the metal wheels -- they reallydo make the train run better and keep the track cleaner. All the responses are getttng the point that the sound is being transmitted through the ballast to the board, which is acting as a speaker. Increasing the mass of the supporting board...
  18. J

    What Water?

    I have heard horror tales of WS EZ water cracking or turning more yellow. I have used Envirotex (2-equal part epoxy) that doesn't smell, Casting resin (two-part, resin and hardener) that does smell, and WS "new" water (pourable "resin"?). If you have a deep area to cover, use one of the...
  19. J

    Fascia

    Faschia I would get some finishing washers (these are raised washers that look good as a final finish) and oval head screws (less than 1" long) from my local hardware store. If the screws and washers look good, there's no problem in not hiding them.
  20. J

    HO with N Forced Perspective

    Perspective in scales On my small HO layout, 5' deep at its' widest, the left side is dominated by a hill (around and under which most of the track runs). The foregraound of the hill is a field with sparse trees, cows, sheep, horses, etc - all HO scale. As you move further back, the trees get...
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