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There is a good article on gloss medium in this month's (August's) Railroad Model Craftsman for anyone who is interested. Involves a very small application of gloss medium and dabbing with a tissue to get the ripple effect. Repeat if required. Good article and probably one I will use when I...

I have been using the technique from the book, Trackwork and Lineside Detail, which has turned out very nice. Basically, you take three colors of spray paint (the author suggests using Krylon over other brands). Colors are Ruddy Brown Primer, Ultra Flat Black, and Grey. Using a q-tip, put a...

I did this and it works wonders. Surprisingly very few fumes as well. Toughest part is getting the result somewhat level, but nothing a little sanding can't solve. Excellent suggestion! Scott

Hey all, 2" foam resting on "bed frame" benchwork (95% of the foam is accessible from below) Atlas #65 (or #66) switch machines. Idea #1) Extending the throw pin somehow, but was not sure what the best way to do this was. Idea #2) Digging into the foam about 1 1/2". Not sure...

I like TrainClown's idea a lot. I tried the hot foam, but like Kim said, horrible fumes quickly filled the basement, so I abandoned that idea real fast. The wire brush I will have to try. And I need to look into the rasp. Thanks all for your great ideas! Scott

I have just run into this dilemma on my layout. At first I tried attaching a long wire to the top of the throw, which worked a few times, but not consistently enough to be reliable. Any ideas on how to make these switch machines work with 2" foam? Also, do the tortoise switch machines have...

That's a great answer billk. Thanks a lot! Scott

I think I didn't explain what I needed well enough. The groove in the middle of the foam will start at the top (2" elevation) and go down to a 1" elevation. But the edges will still be at 2". (Picture a biscuit slot perhaps) I have a hobby knife that works well, but not for this particular need.

Anyone who can help, Things are progressing well on my layout, but I have hit a snag. I am using 2" foam as a base and need to cut a downward grade into it. Kind of like a small canyon. It will not extend to the edge of the foam, just a 4" (or so) groove in the middle, where the sides are...

I just bought a bunch from WholesaleTrains.com. Cheaper than cork and apparently quieter too. I'll let you know how I like it when it arrives. Scott

Wow, great responses everyone. The layout is being constructed in my basement, which, although not finished, is fully heated and air conditioned. The temp down there is very close to the temp upstairs -- no noticeable difference. The home is only 2 years old, but I've only been in it 6...

Damn, time to build a good workbench... back to the lumberyard! I put them back in the garage where it is currently 25º with the hopes it will warp itself back. If not, I'll find something to clamp it to I guess... With the lumber I just bought today I was able to assemble 4 beautifully...

Thanks Ron. I guess there is a learning curve to this. I bought the original lumber from an outdoor lumberyard and it sat in my basement about a week before I got to it. (Maybe I'll just put it back out in the garage!) Today I went to a place where the lumber is stored indoors and made...

Mine is similar to UP Junkie... My girlfriend said "yes" on Christmas Eve after everyone left and the fireplace was still going... Perfect. Scott

Hey all, I just got home with a few 1x4s, 1x2s, and 2x2s to get started on my benchwork. From Linn Wescott's book "How To Build Model Railroad Benchwork" I was debating between L-girder and Butt-joint style. The problem is that my 1x4s are very slightly twisted. If I try to make an...

Thanks for the advice Russ. I'll test those out first. I've read a little about "blue box" locomotives, but I have no idea what they are. I'll search the forums for it, but can anyone elaborate? I gotta stop researching for a while and just start building! Thanks all! Scott

Okay, at least I'm headed in the right direction. There seems to be plenty of wire to splice into, but I don't see any sort of computer chip at all. It's just hard wired to the motor, and the headlamp wires connect directly to the same place on the motor. I'm looking to buy a DCC system soon...

Thanks for your help guys. I opened up a few of the locos to see how they were wired, and each of them (so far) are the same. One wire feeds from the front truck and is soldered to the motor, and the other wire goes from the motor to the rear truck. A headlamp is wired in parallel. That's...

Anyone use Woodland Scenics? Hey 3phase, as far as the foam you didn't like... what kind/type of foam is it that you didn't care for? I was thinking about using Woodland Scenic's Track-Bed (link here) because I saw the demo of it in my LHS. Or if anyone has had any experience with this...

Hey all. I am at the very beginning of starting a railroad with my grandfather's old HO scale trains. The locomotives I have confirmed working are all made by Life-Like and AHM, are all diesels, and were manufactured in the 70s. I am very interested in creating a layout run by DCC. The big...