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Charlie, Another way is to use HOn3 track, which is now commercially available in the US. There are cars, brass and plastic locomotives, and lots of pieces for this scale and gauge. The Walthers catalog is one source. Naturally, there isn't as much selection of commercial stuff as in HO...

Good idea, George. In these days of online book stores, a book about your favorite prototype railroad is easily accessible to a relative--they just need to know what book or books you'd like. Books somehow seem OK for a present, even to a non-railroader. Bob

Good advice, George. After several years of giving me railroad kitsch, my mom-in-law asked my wife what I'd REALLY like. My wife asked me on the sly. After determining her budget range, I passed the word through my wife that what I would REALLY like was a Rivarrosi locomotive (the Y6b, $35.95...

Andrew, I can't help with the painting due to time constraints, but here are a few tips. The skills to paint small model structures can be gained mostly through practice, assuming one has a reasonably complete set of fingers in moderately good working order, and no major tremors (severe palsy...

My favorite was the toothpick farm, which "grew" toothpicks, planted in the plaster scenery. There was a neighboring farm of smaller toothpicks, which supplied children. The toothpicks were harvested and used in construction projects all over the layout. Great fun! Bob

Drew, you're probably referring to the model of the Firth of Forth bridge. It's the correct HO scale length (which works out to 30 feet or so actual length and TWICE the scale height, I'd estimate 20 feet high. Since the prototype is a whopper, the model is unbelievable. The whole layout has...

I had read about Northlandz in Model Railroading (Sept. '95, I believe), and had to drive through New Jersey over the weekend, so I stopped by. In short, it's amazing! Northlandz is the largest model railroad in the world, as far as I know. It's 52,000 square feet, but up to 30 feet high, so...

reg.nz, No problem--that's why we're all here. I think I've gotten more help than I've given, so I'm still indebted to all here. Good luck with the buildings. I'm interested (and I'm sure I'm not alone) in the process of modeling in another country. It's so easy for us in the U.S. to take for...

Shamus, In the 'old days' when I hand-layed track, I used them where American prototype railroads did--across from frogs, on bridges and viaducts, and in situations where great harm could come if there were a derailment. Not being an expert, I wasn't sure what the rules were, so I just did it...

Reg, The largest of our local hobby shops is Charles Ro & Co., which is truly huge. They will ship international orders, and have a multi-page ad in most issues of Model Railroader magazine, with a lot of stuff listed. National Hobby Supply, in Marietta, GA. ships abroad, too. Another very...

Gosh, if you're in the USA, the Walthers catalog has hundreds (maybe more) building kits available. Also, I've found that several hobby shops in my area (Boston, USA) have lots of older building kits that aren't made any more, and with a few exceptions they're still charging the old (lower)...

...or run the end under the table and hang one of those fishing weights from it to keep it taut... Bob

For what it's worth, I've read (but not tried) that some use very fine nylon fishing line, avoiding any shrink or stretch. I believe they used a tiny drop of glue at each connector, applied with a toothpick. I don't know how small fishing line comes, but if it's available small enough it might...

Ah, the religious wars. Come on, guys. We're all on the same side here--railroads! I respect each of you, and I hope you can all show respect for each other. Just because someone else picks another scale doesn't mean one of you has to be right and the other one wrong. Perhaps the ultimate irony...

Watash and Shamus, What computer software do you use to lay out structure plans on your computer for printing? That sounds like an interesting approach, especially as there is a tiny water works building a couple of miles from our house that my wife thinks would make a wonderful building for...