Photo 1 On the gravel division of the author’s Aggie (a 7/8″ railway at 1:13.7 scale), work piles up, but it’s time to take a break on the front steps. Lake Phillips welded steel stairs and wrap-around decking for the ceramic mine office, modeled after one in Wales by Chris Greenwald (C&N Designs—candndesigns@msn.com). The raised […]
On prototype signals there is usually a utility box to hold the signal interfaces and power. The latest thing is to include solar panels to minimize the infrastructure that must be installed to support the signals. I am going to include the solar panels because I am getting tired of ripping up my wiring when […]
Click on the links at left to download the wallpaper. Urban switching and street running are the highlights of Carroll Street on Paul Dolkos’ HO scale Baltimore Harbor District. Click on the links below to download the image sized appropriately for your computer screen. Download the 1600 x 900 image Download the 1600 x 1000 […]
Having trouble viewing this video? Please visit our Video FAQ page The track, wiring, and electronics are finally in place for the lower (hidden) level of our Canadian Canyons N scale layout! In this video, David raises his game to build the benchwork for the upper (visible) level of the layout. The first order […]
Having trouble viewing this video? Please visit our Video FAQ page In this new episode of Off The Rails, our host goes out of his way to prove that “one modeler’s junk is another modeler’s treasure”! This time, Gerry Leone makes good use of coffee creamer packaging, potato chip canisters, and even discarded computer […]
Having trouble viewing this video? Please visit our Video FAQ page There’s nothing quite like a summer in Wisconsin to make David want to return to his warm and dry basement for more work on expanding the Olympia Logging Co. On30 layout! In this video blog, David sheds the hat and gloves and picks […]
Ben Lake’s staging yard turnout control project efforts on the N scale Canadian Canyons layout culminate with the wiring and installation of a pushbutton control panel. […]
Installing bus wiring is the next task for MRVP’s Ben Lake to tackle. After that, Ben shows how to wire the Digitrax components used to form the circuit-based detection system on our N scale Canadian Canyons layout. […]
Having trouble viewing this video? Please visit our Video FAQ page Who takes a summer break from modeling when it’s constantly raining outside? Certainly not David, ’cause he’s busy rock’n out in his basement! In this episode, he tackles the challenges of adding new rock formations to the expanding Olympia Logging Co. On30 layout. […]
Click on the links at left to download the image sized appropriately for your computer screen. New York Central no. 6024, a 4-8-4 Niagara, departs Ellison Union Station with the afternoon express, while no. 9403, a class A-2a Berkshire, enters the yard with a manifest freight on Lee Gasparik’s O scale layout. This trackside photo, […]
For part two of this mini-series, MRVP’s Ben Lake moves forward with the staging yard turnout control installation on our Canadian Canyons N scale project layout. Now that the switch motors are installed, wired, and programmed, Ben shows how to make a stylized, fascia-mounted control panel to house the associated pushbuttons and LED indicators. […]
Railroad signals have been around for a very long time. Signals are an important safety feature on railroads. As usual, I enjoy the journey of making my own. These signals may not be to scale — I just need them to look right on my railroad. Using commonly available T-1 ¾ LEDs, the design revolves […]
