CSW CSX Rail Train

CSW CSX Rail Train

A loaded CSX ribbon rail train traverses the, in-progress, Chesapeake, Susquehanna and Western RR on HARM night. HARM (Harford Association of Railroad Modelers) is a round robin group celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Located in northeast Maryland, members meet every Tuesday evening. This train is based on the CSX prototype often seen on the […]

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Scott Gould’s concrete roadbed

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Scott Gould Scott Gould Cape Elizabeth, Maine, Zone 5 Concrete strong Sixteen years ago or so I built a layout that loops atop a mound of rock in the center of our backyard. I was agile then, but still had difficulty reaching tracks above a pond. Now, with my 75th birthday rapidly approaching, only my […]

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Rails in New England woods

model steam train on garden railway

Rails in New England: I lived in New England for 40 years. On a recent trip back to the northeast corner of the USA, I visited garden railways, mostly on the coast where trees often grow up to the shore. I also chanced upon some full-scale historic railways, which seemed to crop up everywhere. Predating […]

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Blue star juniper

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Nancy Norris Common name: Blue Star juniper Latin name: Juniperus squamata ‘Blue Star’ Plant type: Dwarf conifer USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-9 Cultural needs: Moist, well drained, neutral or slightly acidic soil; sun or part shade Plant size: 2′ x 3′, spreading Blue Star juniper is a selection from Asian parentage, the Himalayan juniper. A plant […]

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Alscad Design push-cart kit

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Kevin Strong 1:20.3 scale, push-cart kit Alscad Design Allen Pomeroy III PO Box 52 Winchester NH 03470 Price: $19.85 + s&h Laser-cut wood, metal, and styrene kit for small track-worker’s push cart. Dimensions: 4 3/4″ long over the handles, with the bed measuring 4 1/8 ” x 3″ Pros: Well detailed; easy-to-follow instructions Cons: Cast […]

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MyLocoSound “Blue” steam sound system

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Kevin Strong MyLocoSound Available in the US from: G Scale Graphics 4118 Clayton Ct. Ft. Collins CO 80525 Price: $79 Website: www.mylocosound.com MyLocoSound “Blue” sound system; economical system; provides a variety of typical steam-engine sounds; can be run with track power or battery R/C; not DCC compatible. Dimensions: 2 1/4″ x 1 3/8″ x 1/2″ […]

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NorthWest Short Line replacement wheels

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Marc Horovitz Replacement wheels for Aristo-Craft diesels NorthWest Short Line PO Box 1349 Hamilton MT 59840 Price: $49.95/8 wheels Website: www.nwsl.com Solid nickel-silver wheels (#2609-6) to replace plated wheels on Aristo-Craft diesels; direct replacement for factory wheels; will fit Dash 9, SD-45, GP-40, and other locomotives with tapered-axles. Dimensions: 1.379″ over tread; .214″ tread width; […]

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Soundtraxx Tsunami 2

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Kevin Strong Four-amp DCC sound/motor decoder Soundtraxx 141 Burnett Drive Durango CO 81301 Price: $179.95 Website: www.soundtraxx.com Soundtraxx Tsunami2 TSU-4400; many sounds to chose from; diesel, steam, and electric boards available; many control variables. Dimensions: 2 3⁄4″ x 1 3⁄16″ x 5⁄8″ Pros: Good sound fidelity; multiple options for various sounds programmed on the board; […]

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