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Q: I’ve tried many methods to uncouple my rolling stock automatically rather than use a manual tool. Permanent magnets were far from satisfactory even when I devised a way to raise them at the appropriate time to a position closer to the couplers. I’ve modified an HOn3 electromagnet to fit between the rails, and this […]
Q: What are the drawbacks of extruded-foam insulation board benchwork? Much has changed with model railroading since my childhood. As a retiree, I’m re-entering the hobby with a modest HO scale layout in a 10 x 15-foot room in my garage. I’ve consulted several articles, books, and videos on benchwork, but I’m still uneasy about […]
Q: I would like some advice on cleaning an airbrush while weathering. I use an older Paasche airbrush to weather my N scale rolling stock. Since N scale models take very little paint, the painting process usually only takes a few seconds to a minute per color. But cleaning the tip, the air point, and […]
Q: Can you help me decide how high to place a layout backdrop? I am a long time modeler and have used backdrops on a prior double-deck HO layout. I’m now faced with planning backdrops for a single-deck N scale layout with rolling hills. How do I handle a scene that drops on a 2% […]
Q: I’m planning my first layout and I need to learn about train movements and switching a model railroad. Specifically, how are cars spotted on facing-point turnouts versus trailing ones? How do I plan for trains running in both directions? – Jesse Brinson A: For those who are new to switching a model railroad, let’s […]
Q: I was recently given some older HO scale hopper cars that apparently had snap-on trucks. What method do you recommend to fill in the hole so I can replace snap-on trucks with the screw-on type? I gather I would use 2-56 screws? – Artie Krass A: What you use to fill in those holes […]
Q: A fellow club member and I just started running the Walthers troop cars on the club layout. We are having problems with the troop sleeper cars derailing on the 36″ curves. Can you suggest a solution to this problem? – Alan Cox A: If those are the only cars having derailing problems on those […]
Q: How exactly do switch heaters work? And how can I model a switch heater? – Bob Kolankoski A: Over the years, railroads have tried many different methods to keep switch points from getting clogged with ice and compacted snow. One of the earliest was placing burning smudge pots between the rails. Later, more permanent switch […]
Q: I have acquired a vintage Suydam “Purina Chows” feed mill kit. What would be contained in the silo part of the building (grain or feed) and how did those feed dealers receive grain? Dumping grain from a boxcar seems a bit messy, and covered hoppers were not in use until the mid-1950s. I model the […]
Q: I’m writing you to ask how to weather steam locomotives as well as my log cars, bobber cabooses, and other railroad cars. I would also like to weather some of my buildings. Can you give me some ideas on what to use in weathering my layout? – Russell C. Brenchley, Cottage Grove, Ore. A: […]
Q: I live in Tennessee. We do not have train shows in our state. I am 84 years old. What can I do to get train shows near me? – M. Collins A: As one 84-year-old hobbyist, probably not much. But as a member of a group, you might be able to do more than […]
Q: I started model railroading in 1961, when I was a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. Two years later, my family and my career began to grow to the point I wasn’t able to pursue my hobby. I packed up my model trains in 1963 and didn’t open the box until recently. To my surprise, it […]
