Q: I’m building a new layout using Kato HO scale Unitrack. I have read many different opinions on whether to solder all track joints. What’s the best practice? Some say that using terminal joiners on Kato Unitrack for connection to the DCC bus is OK, while others say they’re unreliable. I use terminal joiners every […]
Tag: Ask Trains
Am I modeling the wrong industries and locomotives?
Q: I have a 5’-6” x 6’-0” HO scale layout modeling south-central Oregon in the years 1950 to 1979. I want to model the industries that I grew up around in that area – potatoes, wheat farming, cattle ranching, and logging. The members of the train club I’m in say that the railroads quit hauling […]
DCC locomotive won’t move under DC
Q: I’ve been a model railroader for many years, and my layouts have all been direct current. My daughter gave me a used Life-Like Proto2000 EMD E6 diesel that she purchased at a train show. The box says it’s equipped with a DCC plug, but an included card said “factory installed sound.” I don’t know […]
Spotting EMD vs GE diesels
Q: In the good old days, it was fairly easy to distinguish among the major diesel locomotive players, especially the carbody units from Alco, Baldwin, and Electro-Motive Division (EMD). They all had distinctive noses and cabs. My question: Are there some features that will help with spotting EMD vs GE diesels I see on railroads […]
Tracking down a short in a locomotive truck
Q: I have an N scale Athearn EMD F45 locomotive with factory DCC and sound, released in 2016. I bought it new, and it worked until I activated different sounds, after which it shorted out. As soon as track power is turned on, my circuit breaker trips. When I tried bypassing the circuit breaker, it shorted […]
Have railroads considered side-view or backup cameras on locomotives?
Have railroads considered side-view or backup cameras on locomotives? Cody discusses locomotive-mounted cameras, their purpose, and whether or not railroads have considered side-view or backup cameras on locomotives. Are you looking to learn more about your model railroad, or do you have questions about full-size trains? Send us an email at: AskTrains@trains.com ………………………………… Ask Trains […]
How are repairs performed in remote areas?
How are repairs performed in remote areas? Cody discusses how railroad repairs are performed in remote areas following derailments, where road access can be limited. Are you looking to learn more about your model railroad, or do you have questions about full-size trains? Send us an email at: AskTrains@trains.com ………………………………… Ask Trains is a regular […]
How is plywood shipped by rail?
How is plywood shipped by rail? Cody discusses how plywood is shipped by rail. Looking to learn more about how lumber is transported by rail? Read Jeff Wilson’s The Model Railroader’s Guide to Industries Along the Trakcks, Vol. 4, available from the Kalmbach Hobby Store. Are you looking to learn more about your model railroad, […]
What instrument would have been used as a railroad dinner chime?
What instrument would have been used as a railroad dinner chime? Cody answers a reader’s question about what instrument was often used as the railroad dinner chime prompted by an article in the the January 1941 issue of Trains magazine titled “Meals en route.” Are you looking to learn more about your model railroad, or […]
Can you help find a specific X-Acto cutting mat?
Can you help find a specific X-Acto cutting mat?: Cody helps a viewer find a specific X-Acto cutting mat with 1/8″ or 1/10″ cutting squares as seen in a Model Railroader story story from January 2023. Are you looking to learn more about your model railroad, or do you have questions about full-size trains? Send […]
How do I find out of production locomotive wheelsets?
How do I find out of production locomotive wheelsets? Cody provides tips for finding out of production locomotive wheelsets at various locations, from online bidding sites to the consignment section of a local model railroad shops. Are you looking to learn more about your model railroad, or do you have questions about full-size trains? Send […]
How do I add terrain to open grid benchwork?
Q: I have built three HO scale railroads and am in the planning stages of my fourth, which will be my last. I want to do this one right. I have seen many articles about how to construct open grid benchwork, but none provide instructions about how to install structures, roads, fields, etc. into the […]
