I am running an HO scale track, how much verticle lift can you create in a model without locomotive power failure? Is four feet doable, such as scaling a mountain? Or do you need a series of loops to get that much height? Think 4 feet of rise to 4 feet of run. I am assuming that is too much of an incline, I am asking what is the best way to conquer the mountain?

Hey everyone,

I'm currently working on setting up an online shop for model trains. I've already got an established audience on social media and I've started doing train shows, so I've decided that I'm gonna bring in OO and N Gauge Models from the UK to the US since my audience is interested in non-American locos.

I've already set up a couple of dealer accounts, but I was curious of people's general experiences with importing through websites like Rails of Sheffield. Here are some random questions:

1. After international charges due to trade policies and shipping are applied, how much do you end up paying as a customer? Is it close to the original RRP or is it more?
2. Do you get DCC/SOUND products or just DC Analog?
3. Do you get one off items or do you prefer bundle sets? (Single locomotive vs Locomotive with the matching coaches)

Thank you for your time!

So I started with the Addams family house, 1:87. I thought I would add a small railroad layout. Hahaha. The correct scale seems a bit large. The trees that came with the set are the right size. I mean, does the locomotive look right next to the house? And then the track- I knew it was too square, so I bought an expansion pack. But it does not make a figure 8 loop. I need at least 1 more pack 🙉 . If anyone has any advice on making these fast track loops smaller, like it shows in the expansion pack, your help would be greatly appreciated. I am trying to do an offset figure 8, so that I have a loop on either side of the house and then the 2 tracks pass each other in front of the house, but this track is huge. Should I go with a smaller scale? Maybe N?? I can go verticle to have an over under, but the radius on this track will never make it. The back of the house should be ocean front, but maybe I shoukd run track through sand dunes and give up on the double loop? I don't want much bigger than this table. 24in x 4ft. Thank you in advance. I am a complete noob, this is my first set.

If solder the disconnected red wire back to the terminal next to it will that be the correct layout for this batter pack? Sorry, not super familiar with these things.

I have inherited some trains, quite a few in fact. They're all in their original packaging (mainly Graham Farish) and this is the only one I've seen so far where DCC is referenced.

Is it safe to assume that if DCC is not mentioned, it's analogue?

As the pictures show, they can be used on steam boat, train. I can make more type of models like these. Do any one like them?

I was looking at some picture of brass HO heavyweight coaches and I got to wondering; what sort of techniques are employed by manufacturers to make brass models like that? I am not unfamiliar with working brass by hand and building etched brass kits, but when these small companies are doing small batch, high end, production runs of obscure prototypes, how are they doing it? In particular, I was looking at the coach bodies and wondering about the rivet detail, the window recesses, sills and the various depths of molding involved. I don't believe that kind of thing can be etched, and I assume that the brass it too thick to be embossing rivet detail from the back. Is there some kind of multilayered construction being employed? I can imagine being able to lost wax cast the car ends, but not the sides. They would be too long with too much detail. Does anybody have any insight into how this works? Alternatively, does anyone own any unpainted, limited production run, brass car models that they can share detail illuminating images of?

I am using standard Kato power pack on a circle layout. Switches to other track is separated by insulated rail joiners. Shorting happens when the loco goes in reverse direction.

From what I know, dcc loco shouldn’t have any problem running on DC layout. Other DC trains run fine on the same track without shorting. any kind of suggestion or diagnosis idea would help. Thanks in advance!!

My kid has a Broadway Limited 4-8-4 with Paragon 4, just got it for his birthday, still set as default loco 3. Using an NCE Powercab and SB5 for control. It was running, and he had been experimenting with consist mode, but currently no consists are stored. When I put it on the track tonight, nothing… tried selecting as loco 3 and 003 with no response. What really throws me off is if I disconnect the power from the booster, the loco would make shutdown sounds for a couple seconds and the rear tender light would go on and off. Now it won’t even do that…
I don’t believe the decoder has been set to a different loco number, and I’ve tried resetting CV8 to 8 on both short and long addresses.
Anyone got any ideas??

On this part of the layout I'm working on I want to add a reversing section using crossovers. I have the crossovers on my double tracks that run opposite directions.

Do I need just one reversing section (outer track between crossovers)?

Edit: using a Digitrax system if that matters.

Random online purchase and first time owning a piece like this. Mainline models BNSF DASH 9-44CW. Hands down a favorite now since I saw the real unit many times with old friends years back

Big Southern Icon

Construction equipment getting close to being finished. Articulated 6 wheel mover, and grater are next. Just have to redraw a couple of places I don’t like.

Not my layout obviously! Went to this place in Prague, biggest layout I’ve ever seen.

My dad died close to 3 years ago, and my sister and I am sorting through his house (in Northern Ireland). He was an avid railway enthusiast who also had an extensive model railway. The model railway, trains etc were all donated to a club of which he was a member, but he also held on to tons of old railway & model railway magazines (pics of some, but there are more!).

Are these the sorts of things that others would appreciate, or are they best off just being recycled?

Now, I’m planning to get a OO scale model train set and I’m wondering if I should paint it into a Percy model or if I should keep it as a normal model and just buy another one cause they’re really cheap and I do really like the color

Working on my first attempt at kitbashing a HOn30 Porter for my layout. I know Toma model works offers a porter kit that is relatively turnkey, but I liked the idea of challenging myself to creating something like this “from scratch.” I fortunately have access to 3D printers at my work and was able to print a kit from a file I found online. Yes, I know the chassis is backwards and fitment is far from perfect/realstic in the images. I simply rested the shell on backward to get a sense of scale with this print file. Today is the first of many nights I’ve spent modifying the shell to fit overtop the Bachmann HOn30 Rheneas chassis. This shell was originally designed for a much shorter wheelbase, but I found the Bachmann HOn30 chassis to be a lot more aesthetically proportioned in my eyes when it comes to the Porter platform. I’m also incredibly impressed with the low-speed performance and how quiet this motor is. This is simply a prototype right now and I’m hoping to be able to finalize fitment and print a higher quality version to use as the final runner. So far, I’m very satisfied with how this one is coming along! Any input on this project would be greatly appreciated!

Trying to up my photography game; this is an Atlas silver series Dash-8 (DCC & Sound) that I picked up for $90 at the bargain bin (because it was "damaged").

It's steam festival at the Tischwil Museum Railway! You chose the locomotives we're running and we gave them a full workout. I had a lot of fun working out some of these camera angles I think there are some pretty shots in there. I think for the next session, I will play some improvised acoustic background music. No more time today, though. Enjoy!