Olympia 2, The Log Blog: Part 6 – Track deliberations

David Popp and the Olympia layout

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page David is eager to get out of the basement and enjoy the summer weather! But before heading into the great outdoors, he’s bound and determined to sort out a few track, scenery, and benchwork issues on the expanding Olympia Logging Co. On30 layout. […]

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Olympia 2, The Log Blog: Part 6 – Track deliberations

David Popp and the Olympia layout

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page David is eager to get out of the basement and enjoy the summer weather! But before heading into the great outdoors, he’s bound and determined to sort out a few track, scenery, and benchwork issues on the expanding Olympia Logging Co. On30 layout. […]

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Canadian Canyons Series: Part 9 – Laying flextrack

David Popp holding flex track

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page Trackwork continues on our N scale project railroad. In this installment of the ongoing Canadian Canyons series, David Popp shares techniques for laying down more sections of flextrack, specifically around the curves of the staging yard. […]

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Canadian Canyons Series: Part 9 – Laying flextrack

David Popp holding flex track

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page Trackwork continues on our N scale project railroad. In this installment of the ongoing Canadian Canyons series, David Popp shares techniques for laying down more sections of flextrack, specifically around the curves of the staging yard. […]

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Canadian Canyons Series: Part 8 – Staging yard turnouts

David Popp next to layout

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page David dives into laying track in the staging yard on our N scale project railroad, but before he even opens that brand-new box of flextrack, there’s a lot of other work to do, including painting the roadbed, drilling holes for the switch motors, […]

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Canadian Canyons Series: Part 7 – Installing cork roadbed

David Popp next to layout

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page The plywood panels are now in place, and the track centerlines are all marked! In this episode of the Canadian Canyons series, it’s time for David to begin the track laying effort by first installing cork roadbed. Follow along, as he demonstrates tips […]

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Canadian Canyons Series: Part 8 – Staging yard turnouts

David Popp next to layout

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page David dives into laying track in the staging yard on our N scale project railroad, but before he even opens that brand-new box of flextrack, there’s a lot of other work to do, including painting the roadbed, drilling holes for the switch motors, […]

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Broken rails: an unexpected pain

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The manufacture and maintenance of rail is as old as railroading — and so are broken rails. Though today’s rail is much harder, stronger, and of higher quality than rail made even 40 years ago, railroads and metallurgists have just recently begun to understand why rails still are breaking. As railroads installed new rail in […]

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The fine science of friction control

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Hydraulic flange greasers are activated when a wheel rolls over an actuator, as shown on CSX’s Indianapolis Line Subdivision. Two photos, Eric Powell Forgive the pun, but it’s a slippery slope that railroads have to deal with, in terms of rail and flange lubrication. Too much or too little grease on the track can cause […]

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Canadian Canyons Series: Part 7 – Installing cork roadbed

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page The plywood panels are now in place, and the track centerlines are all marked! In this episode of the Canadian Canyons series, it’s time for David to begin the track laying effort by first installing cork roadbed. Follow along, as he demonstrates tips […]

Read More…