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Xref: bloom-picayune.mit.edu rec.models.railroad:2701 news.answers:4571 Newsgroups: rec.models.railroad,news.answers Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!enterpoop.mit.edu!spool.mu.edu!uunet!brunix!brunix!rjm From: rjm@cs.brown.edu (Ralph Johnson Marshall) Subject: rec.models.railroad Fortnightly FAQ Message-ID: <rec-models-rail_724313704@tahiti.cs.brown.edu> Followup-To: rec.models.railroad Sender: rjm@cs.brown.edu Supersedes: <rec-models-rail_723142262@tahiti.cs.brown.edu> Organization: Brown University Department of Computer Science Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 06:15:11 GMT Approved: news-answers-request@MIT.Edu Expires: Mon, 11 Jan 1993 06:15:04 GMT Lines: 1276 Archive-name: model-railroad-faq This is the rec.models.railroad list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ). It is maintained by Ralph Marshall (rjm@cs.brown.edu) All contributions and corrections are welcome, but I'm ultimately responsible for what appears here. Contributors are acknowledged at the end of the file. New sections since last posting: More verified listings of historical societies Definitions ----------- Q. What does prototype mean? It has several meanings, but typically refers to real-world trains (in contrast to scale models of them). Also called 12"-to-the-foot. Q. What is the difference between scale and gauge? Scale is the ratio between the model and the prototype; for example, N scale is 1/160th of the size of the real world. Gauge is the distance between the two rails. Standard gauge in the United States is 4'8.5", with 3' and 2' as fairly common narrow gauges. Q. What sizes (actually scales) do models come in? The standard scales, listed in approximate order of popularity, are: HO 1/87 (actually 3.5mm to the foot, or 1/87.1) N 1/160 (1/152, 2mm per foot in the UK) O 1/48 (but see below) G 1/22.5 or 1/24, or whatever the manufacturer decides S 1/64 OO 1/76.2 (4 mm to the foot, mostly used in the UK) Z 1/220 No. 1 1/32 People build models in other (typically larger) scales, but they tend to be mostly scratchbuilt. 1/8th scale (1.5" to the foot) is a common size for outdoor models large enough to carry people. Several other people have assembled exhaustive listings of every gauge ever known to have been used, but I've omitted them due to space considerations. In O scale, track has been traditionally laid to scale 5'0" gauge instead of standard. O scale modelers divide into three groups according to how they handle the discrepancy between gauge and scale: a. most O scalers live with the discrepancy. b. some model at 1/45 scale, keeping the traditional O gauge. c. some model at 1/48 (known as Proto:48) and narrow the traditional guage to standard, but these models will not interoperate with the other two groups. Q. What is HOn3 scale? This is HO scale equipment (1/87th) running on narrow gauge rails spaced 3 feet apart. Narrow gauge in other scales is represented in a similar fashion. There are similar notations for models whose gauge is based on non-English measurements, such as HOm (HO scale, one-meter gauge) and HOe (HO scale, 0.75 meter guage). Q. What do scratchbuilt and kitbashed mean? These terms have somewhat vague boundaries, but basically indicate that a model was not built directly as suggested from a kit. Scratchbuilt usually means starting with wood, cardboard, plastic, or other basic materials and then designing and cutting all of the necessary pieces. Kitbashing refers to starting with one or more commercial kits but assembling the pieces in a different fashion, often adding other material or recutting the original pieces. Both of these methods allow you to build models for which no kits are available. Q. What is a traction layout? The term as used in model railroading refers to streetcars, trolleys, and electric-powered interurban lines. Q. What is hydrocal? This a plaster product commonly used for creating terrain. The easiest sources seem to be model railroad stores, since I've yet to find a building supply store that has any idea what I want. The advantage of hydrocal is that it is very strong once it sets up, as opposed to plaster which needs something underneath it to support it even after it dries. Hydrocal needs support while setting but cardboard strips do just fine. Regular plaster requires chicken wire and wood supports for shaping -- it's a lot more work, and a lot more weight. Organizations ------------- Q. What is the NMRA? This is the National Model Railroaders Association. They set standards, host conventions, and generally promote the hobby. Memberships are available, with discounted rates for students. NMRA, Inc. Headquarters Office 4121 Cromwell Rd. Chattanooga, TN 37421 (615)892-2846 Q. What is NTRAK? This is a national organization devoted to modular railroading in N scale. They publish a set of standards for modules which can be connected to each other. Clubs can use this standard to allow members to build modules at home and then connect all of them into a large layout during meetings. There are similar organizations in the other scales but none of them seem to have the same widespread acceptance. Jim FitzGerald, editor NTRAK 2424 Alturas Rd. Atascadero, CA 93422 (805)466-1758 Magazines --------- The following is a list of magazines which carry articles of interest to model railroaders. Model Railroader and Railroad Model Craftsman seem to be available in most of the hobby stores I've been to; the others depend partly on where you live and partly on how good the store is. Railroad Model Craftsman (monthly) Subscription Dept. 2610 Box 700 Newton, NJ 07860 Phone (201) 383-3355 1 yr. $25, 2 yrs. $47, 3 yrs. $67, Canada add $6/year, foreign $8/year Model Railroader (monthly) Kalmbach Publishing 21027 Crossroads Circle PO Box 1612 Waukesha, WI 53187 Phone (800) 533-6644 (subscriptions, open 24 hrs) (414) 796-8776 (editorial) 1 Yr. $28.95, $34.95 Canada, $39.95 Foreign. Payable in US funds. (Canada add 7% GST to total) Trains (monthly) Same ordering address and phone number as Model Railroader 1 Yr. $28.95, 2 Yrs. $55 3 Yrs. $78 Extra postage: Canada $17.75 Mexico $18.50 Europe and South America $36.15 Central America $26.20 All other foreign coutries $46.20. Loco Revue Editions Loco Revue SARL BP 104 F-56401 Auray CEDEX France 320.- FF/year international This magazine is in French. It covers mainly French railways (SNCF). It has a very good modeling section (how-to, detailing, electronics, ...). Eisenbahn Amateur Buhler Druck AG Postfach CH-8027 Zurich Switzerland 89.- CHF/year international (add 40.- CHF for air mail) This magazine is mostly in German, with some articles in French. It covers mainly Swiss railways (SBB/CFF and private-owned ones). It has only a small modeling section. Canadian Railway Modeller N. Kildonan RPO Box 28103, 1453 Henderson Highway Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R2G 4E9 (204) 668-0168 Voice/Fax $23.54 for 1 year (6 issues) Inside Canada, $28.00 Outside Canada Focusses on Canadian prototypes and Canadian modellers. The following magazine listings are from the same source as the bulk of the historical societies, with the same guarantee. The number in parentheses is the number of annual issues. Corrigenda (and reviews/summaries from readers) are always appreciated. Bus World (4) POB 17018, N. Hollywood, Ca., 91615 CN Lines 2488 Paige Janette Dr., Harvey, La., 70058 Diesel Era (6) Withers Publ., 528 Dunkle School Road, Halifax, Pa., 17032 3.95/20 Electric Lines (6) NJ International, 77 W. Nicholai St., Hicksville, NY, 11801 3.95/1950;36.75 Extra 2200 South (4) Flimsies (26) Western Lines Prod., POB 6776-W, Orange, Ca., 92613 1/25/49/72/88/100 Garden Railways (6) POB 61461, Denver, Co., 80206, 303-733-4779 The Shop Machinist (6) Dept z-20, Box 1810, Traverse City, Mi., 49685, 800-447-7367 Journal of Container Transport (2) c/o DG Casdorph, POB 2480, Monrovia, Ca., 91017 Journal of Passenger Transport (2) c/o DG Casdorph, POB 2480, Monrovia, Ca., 91017 Journal of Railway Tank Cars (2) c/o DG Casdorph, POB 2480, Monrovia, Ca., 91017 Key, Lock & Lantern (4) Sandy Van Hoorebecke, 73 Pitch St., Bloomfield, NJ., 07003 Live Steam Dept z-19, POB 629, Traverse City, Mi., 49685, 800-447-7367 Locomotive & Railway Preservation (12) Dept. 50, POB 246, Richmond, Vt., 05477 Locomotive Quarterly (4) Metaphor, Dept 1089T, POB 383, Mt. Vernon, NY, 10552 Maine 2-foot Modeler Newsletter (6) 6017 W. South Range Road, Salem, Ohio, 44460 Mainline Modeler (12) Hundman Publ., 5115 Monticello Dr., Edmonds, Wa., 98026, 206-743-2607 Model Railroading (12) Rocky Mountain Publ., 2854 Larimer St., Denver, Co., 80205 2.95/28 Motive Power Review (4) c/o DG Casdorph, POB 2480, Monrovia, Ca., 91017 Motor Carrier & Truck Transport Journal (2) c/o DG Casdorph, POB 2480, Monrovia, Ca., 91017 Narrow Gauge & Short Line Gazette (6) Benchmark Publ., 399 Main St., los Altos, Ca., 94022 New Electric Railway Journal (4) 717 Second St. NE, Washington, DC, 20002, 202-546-3004 5.95/20 Northwest Railfan (12) 13118-163rd Av. SE, Snohomish, Wa., 98290 N Scale (6) Hundman Publ., 5115 Monticello Dr., Edmonds, Wa., 98026, 206-743-2607 NTrak Newsletter 2424 Aturas Road, Atascadero, Ca., 93422 O Gauge Railroading (6) POB 239F, Nazareth, Pa., 18064 Pacific Rail News (12) Interurban Press, POB 6128, Glendale, Ca., 91225, 818-240-9130 Passenger Train Journal (12) Interurban Press, POB 6128, Glendale, Ca., 91225, 818-240-9130 Private Varnish (12) Interurban Press, POB 6128, Glendale, Ca., 91225, 818-240-9130 Prototype Modeler (12) POB 7032, Fairfax Station, Va., 22039-7032 Rail Classics (12) POB 16149, N. Hollywood, Ca., 91304, 818-760-8983 Railfan & Railroad (12) Carstens Publ., POB 700, Newton, NJ., 07860, 201-383-3355 The Railfan Photographer (2) POB 2558, Littleton, Co., 80161-2558 Rail Model Journal (12) Golden Bell Press, 2403 Champa St., Denver, Co., 80205, 303-296-1600 Railpace (12) POB 927, Piscataway, NJ., 08854 Rails (26) Texas-Wolverine Co., POB 50612/MS101P, Denton, Tx., 76206 Rail Services Update (52) 2110 Sheridan Dr., Madison, Wi., 53704 Rail Travel News (21) POB 9007, Berkeley, Ca., 94709 The Scale Coupler (12) Green Lantern Press, POB 7032, Fairfax Station, Va., 22039-7032 Scale Model Traction & Trolleys Quarterly (4) c/o Vanishing Traction Prod., POB 04016, Milwaukee, Wi., 53204 "S"cale Railroading (5) 1446 Fremont Av., Los Altos, Ca., 94024 S Gaugian Heimburger House Publ., 7236 W. Madison St., Forest Park, Il., 60130 Short & Narrow Rails (12) POB 6579, Conton, Ohio, 44706 The Short Line (6) POB 607-R, Pleasant Garden, NC., 27313 Sn3 Modeler (2) 7236 W. Madison St., Forest Park, Il., 60130 Timberbeast (4) POB 3695, Eugene, Or., 97403 Traction (6) POB 526, Canton, Ohio, 44701 Historical Societies -------------------- A number of private (mostly volunteer) groups exist to help exchange historical information about railroading. Most, but not all, of these clubs deal with defunct railroads, although many include information about successor lines. Note that many of these organizations are run on a shoestring and thus may have moved or ceased operation since I last wrote to them. Also, if you write to ask for specific information it is considered good form to either join the club or at least send a small donation - the person answering your letter isn't getting paid to do so. **************** Pennsylvania Railroad Technical & Historical Society PO Box 389 Upper Darby, PA 19082 They publish "The Keystone" quarterly, an excellent glossy magazine. Magazine subscription only: $20/year, $25/year for Sustaining Membership, $50/year for Contributing Membership. $10/year extra postage to foreign countries. Back issues available. The following listings have been sent to me recently are thus are more likely to still be valid by the time you read this. **************** Anthracite Railroads Historical Society POB 119, Bridgeport, Pa., 19405 Our (almost) quarterly magazine is called FLAGS, DIAMONDS, AND STATUES. This group focuses on railroads serving the anthracite coal mining region of northeast Pennsylvania, with emphasis on: Central of New Jersey Delaware, Lackawanna, & Western Lehigh & Hudson River Lehigh & New England Lehigh Valley Reading **************** B&O Historical Society P.O. Box 13578 Baltimore, MD 21203 **************** Delaware & Hudson Bridge Line HS, Box 7242 Capital Station, Albany, NY 12224 It's a fairly new society (2nd or 3rd year). Has a nice monthly "Bulletin." $15.00 Regular 12.50 Employee (of D&H Soo or CP Rail) 20.00 Family 17.50 Employee Family 50.00 Corporate **************** Monon RR Historical-Technical Society c/o Ed Lewnard 410 S. Emerson St. Mt. Prospect, IL 60056 Dues $15/20 year, back issues about $2.50 each. **************** The following information was sent to me as shown, and has not been checked for accuracy. It did include an out-of-date listing for the PRRT&HS, so expect some of these to be wrong. Please send any corrections (including defunct groups) so that I can improve the value of the list. RR Name (or region) Society/museum name,address,phone General interest ---------------- California State RR Museum, 115 I St., Sacramento, Ca., 95814, 916-324-4724 Early American Railroading Group, POB 101-Z, Allegan, Mi., 49010 Early Piggyback SIG, c/o Mark Vaughn, POB 24223, Chicago, Il., 60690 Locomotives in Parks SIG, c/o Dick Nedrow, POB 501, Manchester, Wa., 98353 Mid-Continent Railway His. Soc., North Freedom, Wi., 53951, 608-522-4261 National Railway His. Soc., POB 58183, Philadelphia, Pa., 19102 National Trust for Historic Preservation, 1785 Massachusetts Av. NW, Washington, DC., 20036 RR Club of Chicago, c/o Richard C Young, POB 4920, Chicago, Il., 60680 RR Prototype Modelers, POB 7916, Laverne, Ca., 91750 RR Station HS, 430 Ivy Av., Crete, Ne., 68333 Railway & Locomotive HS, c/o H Arnold Wilder, Treas. 46 Lowell Road, Westford, Ma., 01886 Society of Freight Car Historians c/o DG Casdorph, POB 2480, Monrovia, Ca., 91017-2480 Teen Association of Model Railroaders, c/o Loan Eagle Payne, 1028 Whaley Road, RD #4, New Carlisle, Ohio, 45344 Railroad Historical Societies ----------------- Amtrak POB 1019, Saint Johns, Az., 85936-1019 Ann Arbor (also Michigan Northern and Tuscola & Saginaw Bay) POB 51, Chesaning, Mi., 48616 Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Santa Fe Ry HS, POB 92887, Long Beach, Ca., 90809-2887 Santa Fe Modelers' Org., 1704 Valley Ridge Road, Norman, Ok., 73072 Atlantic Coast Line / Seaboard Air Line Southeastern RR HS c/o Joseph L. Oates 4007 Paddlewheel Dr., Brandon, Fl,. 33511 Boston & Maine c/o Membership Secy., POB 2362, Harwood Staion, Littleton, Ma., 01460 Burlington Northern c/o DG Casdorph, POB 2480, Monrovia, Ca., 91017-2480 Canadian National (in Canada) Alf Goodall, 112 Mapleton Dr., Winnipeg, R2P 1C9, MB, Canada (in USA) RD #1, Box 295, Alum Bank, Pa., 15521-9658 Central Vermont Ry 5806 Edith Court, Virginia Beach, Va., 23464 Chesapeake & Ohio POB 79, Clifton Forge, Va., 24422 Chicago, Burlington & Quincy (also Colorado & Southern) Burlington Route HS, POB 456, LaGrange, Il., 60525 Chicago & Eastern Illinois POB 606, Crestwood, Il., 60445-0606 Chicago & Illinois Midland c/o Shane Mason, POB 3882, Springfield, Il., 62708-3882 Chicago & Northwestern c/o Lou Hamilton, 1519 S. Mohawk Dr., Roselle, Il., 60172 Chicago North Shore Line Shore Line Interurban HS, POB 346, Chicago, Il., 60690 Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Rock Island Tech. Soc., c/o David J Engle, 8746 N. Troost, Kansas City, Mo. 64155 Colorado RR Museum, POB 10, Golden, Co., 80402 Colorado Midland 1731 N. Cooper, Colorado Springs, Co., 80907 Conrail Conrail Tech. Soc., POB 568, Maspeth, NY., 11378 Conrail HS, POB 1019, St. Johns, Az., 85936 Cotton Belt (St. Louis Southwestern) POB 2044, Pine Bluff, Ar., 71613 Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range Missabe HS, 719 Northland Av., Stillwater, Mn., 55082 East Broad Top Friends of the EBT, POB 551, Riverside, NJ., 08075 East Tennessee & Western North Carolina c/o John R. Waite, 604 N 11th, DeSoto, Mo., 63020 Erie Lackawanna c/o Tim Stuy, 56-J Village Green, Budd Lake, NJ., 07828 Fonda, Johnstown & Gloversville c/o Walt Danylak, 115 Upland Road, Syracuse, NY., 13207-1119 Great Northern (originally the Fraternal Order of Empire Builders) 1781 Griffith, Berkeley, Mi., 48072 Gulf, Mobile & Ohio POB 24, Chicago, Il., 60499 HJ Heinz c/o Bill Dippert, 2650 NW Robinia Lane, Portland, Or., 97229-4037 Illinois Central Membership Dept., c/o Jim Kubajak, 14818 Clifton Park, Midlothian, Il., 60445 Illinois Terminal POB 251, Washington, Il., 61571 Illinois Traction 19 Sunset Acres, Farmersville, Il., 62533 Kansas City Southern POB 5332, Shreveport, La., 71135-5332 Louisville & Nashville POB 17122, Louisville, Ky., 40217 RR HS of Maine, POB 6647, Portland, Me., 04104 Maryland & Pennsylvania Ma & Pa RR Preservation & HS, c/o George W Fitch Jr., 3609 Schoolhouse Lane, Harrisburg, Pa., 17109 Milwaukee Road Milw Road Railfan's Assoc., c/o Wendell Murphy, 7504 W Ruby Ave., Milwaukee, Wi., 53218-5458 Milwest (Milwaukee Road Lines West), c/o Ron Hamilton, 2506 SW Fissure Loop, Redmond, Or., 97756-9486 Missouri & North Arkansas M&A RR Museum, POB 44, Beaver, Ar., 72613 Katy RR HS, c/o Roy V Jackson II, 732 Via Miramonte, Mesquite, Tx., 75150 Missouri Pacific (also Texas Pacific) MP HS, POB 187, Addis, La., 70710 New Haven (New York, New Haven & Hartford) POB 122, Wallingford, Ct., 06492 New York Central POB 745, Mentor, Ohio, 44061-0745 Nickel Plate Road POB 44222, Cincinnati, Ohio, 45244 Norfold & Western 638 Jefferson St., Ashland, Ohio, 44805 Northern Pacific c/o Duane D Durr, #10-32nd Av NE, Fargo, ND., 58102 Northwestern Pacific POB 721, Larkspur, Ca., 94939 Ontario & Western Box 713, Middletown, NY., 10940 Pacific Electric (also Los Angeles Railway) Orange Empire Railway Museum, POB 548, Perris, Ca., 92370-0548, 714-657-2605 Piedmont & Northern c/o Craig A Myers, POB 5481, Greenville, SC., 29606 Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern RD #1, Box 361, Alfred Station, NY., 14803 Reading (Philadelphia & Reading) c/o Robert L Danner, POB 15143, Reading, Pa., 19612 Rio Grande Southern POB 3358, La Mesa, Ca., 92044 Rutland POB 6262, Rutland, Vt., 05701 Frisco Modeler's Interest Group, c/o Charles Dischinger, 2541 W Allen Dr., Springfield, Mo., 65810 Frisco RR Museum, POB 276, Ash Grove, Mo., 65604, 417-672-3110 Southern c/o BF Roberts, POB 4094, Martinez, Ga., 30907 Southern Ry His Assoc., POB 33, Spencer, NC., 28159 Southern Pacific SP H&TS, POB 2180, Huntington Beach, Ca., 92647 Soo Line H&TS, c/o Michael Harrington, Treas., 3410 Kasten Ct., Middleton, Wi., 53562 Spokane, Portland & Seattle 6824-19th W. #134, Tacoma, Wa., 98466 Susquehanna POB 272, Netcong, NJ., 07857 Terminal RR Assoc (of St. Louis) TRRA H&TS, POB 1688, St Louis, Mo., 63188-1688 (Three Rivers area [Allegheny, Monongahela & Ohio Rivers]) Three Rivers Narrow Gauge HS, 8 Cleveland Ct., Rockville, Md., 28050 Toledo, Peoria & Western 615 Bullock St., Eureka, Il., 61530 Union Pacific POB 5653, Arvada, Co., 80005-0653 Wabash c/o Vance C Lischer Jr., Secy., 535 Dielman Road, St Louis, Mo., 63132 Western Maryland WM RR HS, Inc., Union Bridge, Md., 21791 Western Pacific Feather River Rail Society, POB 8, Portola, Ca., 96122 Train sets ---------- Q. What should I buy as a gift for somebody who is new to the hobby? (This answer is tailored to HO, since that's what I know about) The cheap packaged sets make by Bachman and Life-Like are not a good way to get started in the hobby. The equipment is cheaply made and as a consequence will tend to stall and derail frequenctly, and is also likely to break early. While you'll spend slightly more by buying individual items, you can assemble a starter set from better equipment and still spend under $100. The following list is a suggestion of specific items which will make a nice set for somebody new to the hobby, either adult or 8+ year old child. - Athearn diesel locomotive with "superpower" drive. They make a wide range of locomotives, so pick whatever looks good. The "superpower" drive means it has flywheels and a heavy weight, both of which make it run better, and it only runs about $5 more than the base models. $26-33 - Several Athearn car kits. They make both freight and passenger, so pick whetever interests you (or the recipient). Freight cars are about $4-5, passenger $7. - MRC Tech II Railpower 1400 power pack. You'll need a few feet of wire and an Atlas terminal track section to attach it to the track. $41 (+ $2 for the terminal) - Enough Atlas Nickel-silver track to make an oval. 4 packs of 18" curves and 2 packs of straight will do. $2.80/pack - A copy of Model Railroader magazine. The December issue always has articles aimed at newcomers, but most issues will have introductory-level articles. $2.95 The stuff above will make the minimum starter set, for just over $100, depending on the engine and cars purchased. If you want to go for something slightly more advanced consider adding some of the following items: - 2 or so Atlas Snap turnouts (track switches), $6 each unpowered. Get both left and right handed. - An Atlas pier set combined with one of their bridge kits. To make an over-under figure-8 layout you'll also need another package of curved track. $10 for the pier set, bridges are $4-10. - Some building kits. The Atlas passenger station kit is a classic kit which is well manufactured and can be built into a nice looking kit with a little time. Probably not too good for a young child since it has lots of parts. Kits run $5-15 for simpler ones, much more in some cases. Include some Testor's liquid glue [in a cubical glass bottle. The thicker version in a orange/white tube is junk] (also not great around young children; for that matter, it give me a headache sometimes) and an X-Acto knife. I have picked these items from personal experience - there are undoubtedly equally good choices from other manufacturers. Everything listed here should be available at most hobby stores which carry train equipment. Your best bet is to find a hobby store which specializes in model railroads and tell them you want to assemble something like this. They should be able to show you the items listed here as well as alternatives which you might prefer. Q. What should I buy if I'm willing to spend more money? Higher quality locomotives can be purchased from Atlas, Stewart, and KATO (who make the mechanisms for some other brands as well). These models run very well, have more accurate and refined details, and will cost about $100 for a single locomotive. Life-Like has a premium line called "Proto 2000" and Bachman has one called "Spectrum" which offer medium level products in the $50-75 range. In addition to Athearn, MDC (Model Die Casting, also known as Roundhouse) makes good quality kits in the $5-10 range, and they are about as easy to find as Athearn. They make more of the modern equipment than does Athearn. Q. What if I just won the lottery? Brass models are regularly imported by a small collection of companies based in Japan and South Korea. These are limited run (~100 units) models of specific prototypes, hand-made from brass. They are usually delivered unpainted but some runs offer factory painted units at an extra cost. The majority of these models are of locomotives, with steam more abundant than diesel or electric. Passenger cars and cabooses are also fairly common, with occaisonal freight and maintenance-of-way cars offered. The main appeal of these models is that well-made ones will be exact models of particular prototypes with a high level of detail. They also come with high quality drives, something quite difficult to find in cheaper steam locomotives. The cheapest brass locomotives in HO are offered by Sunset Ltd., with most models in the $200-300 range. They are reportedly good runners with a fairly low level of detail. Highly detailed models are offered by the other importers, with steam prices in the $450-1000+ range, diesels in the $200-400+ range. O scale models can run twice as much as these prices. The best bet is to find either a local dealer or a reputable mail-order importer who can advise you on what looks good for the money. Most of these items are sold by advance reservation, so by the time the model actually arives there may not be any left for sale. The models are advertised in advance of production so that you can place an order in time. Used models can be purchased and can be a good value if purchased from a reputable dealer who is honest about the quality. Q. What companies make good equipment in G scale? [The description of G-scale equipment was written by John Haskey] In my opinion, Bachman track should be avoided like the plague. If you don't want to spend big bucks on LGB track, check out the REA track. REA makes very decent track and is usually cheaper than LGB. The Bachman track will do nothing but disappoint you. On the other hand, the Bachman Locos and rolling stock are a very economical way to get into G-scale railroading. Their locos are noisier than their LGB counterparts but consider this: a Bachman 4-6-0 can be had for as little as $80 mail-order and it comes with lights, smoke, & sound. A similiar LGB loco will cost over $500. Granted, the LGB loco will probably last a lifetime but for someone getting started the Bachman loco represents a good value. Make sure you avoid the Bachman battery powered remote controlled locos though. I have friends who have been less than thrilled with them. Bachman's rolling stock is serviceable out of the box and, as others have mentioned, can be vastly improved by replacing the trucks and couplers. Their kits have great potential for kitbashing, etc. I personally own both Bachman and LGB and don't regret purchasing either brand. If you're rich and have disposable income, by all means go out and get that LGB starter set, a few hundred feet of LGB track, and lots of cars and locos. On the other hand you could start with a loop of REA track, a MRC throttle, and a Bachman train and be well on your way as well. Introduction to diesel locomotives ---------------------------------- Q. I am trying to gain some very basic knowledge about diesel engines so that I can buy the models with some intelligence. Could someone give me the basic rundown of the different classes of diesel engines and what they were used for? [This answer was edited from material written by Fred Ochs] A. Locomotive manufacturers EMD: Electro-Motive Division of General Motors GE: General Electric Alco: Americal Locomotive Works Baldwin: Baldwin Locomotive Works Lima: Lima-Hamilton BLH: Baldwin,Lima,Hamilton (Baldwin, Lima, and Hamilton are all towns in Ohio. These companies started out making steam locomotives. They never really succeeded in the transition to diesel, and even after merging eventually went out of business.) MLW: Montreal Locomotive Works FM: Fairbanks-Morse Only EMD and GE are still producing railroad locomotives. A. A few naming conventions. Diesel locomotives are designated by the number of powered axles, divided into trucks. The letters A,B,C,D stand for 1 through 4 axles, so an EMD FT (see below) with 2 trucks with two driving axles is a B-B. Early locomotives were made with A1A trucks (2 axles, the center one unpowered). A units have a cab with controls for the engineer. B units are basically A units with no controls. Slugs are a cut-down frame filled with concrete. They have only traction motors, and receive power from an attached engine. A. Names of locomotives EMD's first main model was the FT which I'm sure stood for freight. (Commonly referred to as "the Diesel That Did It" since it was the first practical replacement for mainline steam power.) It had 1350 HP(horse power) They were designed to be semi-permanently coupled and sold usually as sets. (Initially most railroads numbered them as one locomotive with unit designators such as A,B,C,D to get around union rules requiring a full crew for each locomotive.) This was followed by the following engines: F2A,F2B 1350HP F3A,F3B,F7A,F7B 1500HP F9A,F9B 1750 HP We also have the E unit, similar in appearance to the F unit, except it has A1A trucks. They also have 2 diesel engines in them, to give them more HP. EA,EB,E1A,E1B,E2A,E2B 1800HP E3A,E3B,E4A,E4B,E5A,E5B,E6A,E6B,E7A,E7B 2000HP E8A,E8B 2250 HP E9A,E9B 2400 HP Before making the F7, EMD introduced a new model type, called the BL1 It stood for Branch Line, had 1500 HP, and had the same motor that the F7 and GP7 (which I will explain) did. They followed this by the BL2, although it is argued what the change was. This engine had most of the cab style, with notches along each side, that would allow the engineer to see behind him better. This was followed by the GP7 (and concurrently produced with the F7) The GP series stood for General Purpose, and had walkways along each hood. It camein both passenger and freight versions. Passenger versions had a steam generator in the short hood (typically called the nose) to heat the passenger cars. This engine had B trucks and 1500 HP here is a list of GP style engines: GP7 1500 HP GP9 1750 HP GP15 1500 HP GP18 1800 HP GP20,GP28,GP38 2000 HP GP30 2250 HP GP39 2300 HP GP35 2500 HP GP40 3000 HP GP40X 3500 HP GP50 3500/3600 HP GP60 3800 HP (current model) The next frieght style is the SD series, which stands for Special Duty. These have C trucks, instead of B trucks, and are typically a lot heavier then their GP counter part. here is a list of their models: SD7 1500 HP SD9 1750 HP SD18 1800 HP SD24 2400 HP SD28,SD38 2000 HP SD35 2500 HP SD39 2300 HP SD40 3000 HP SD45 3600 HP SD45X 4200 HP SD50 3500/3600 HP SD60 3800 HP (current model) SD70 4000 HP (newest model, in initial production) Then there is the later F series, which was basically like the GP and SD, but had cowling over the engine, instead of walkways. This cowling is not part of the structural support, like the earlier F series. These engines include: F40PH 3000 HP standard Amtrak engine everyone knows and loves :) F45, FP45 3600 HP (the FP had a steam generator in it) SD40F,SD50F and SD60F which are SD40,SD50/SD60's with cowling over them instead of walkways. Bought by Canadian RR's. Now to the switchers, another long list! A switcher is typically, small, lightweight, and has a cab at one end, and no nose, instead it usually has large windows for visibility. EMD started out with the NC which had 900 HP, and was experimental. then followed with the following models: SC,SW 600 HP (SC stood for cast frame, SW stood for welded) NC, NC1, NC2, NW, NW1, NW1A 900 HP (C for cast, W for welded) NW2,NW4 900 HP SW1 600 HP NW3,NW5 1000 HP SW8 800 HP SW600 600 HP SW900 900 HP SW7 700 HP SW9,SW1200 1200 HP SW1000,SW1001 1000 HP SW1500, MP15 1500 HP (MP stands for Multi Purpose, still looks like a switcher though, and is the current production model) The other odd model EMD produced was the DD series, which had DD trucks. These were double ended diesels, and were roughly like 2 engines put together in one. They had the following: DD35A,DD35B 5000 HP DDA40X 6600 HP Only Union Pacific had the DDA40X and the DD35A. Both UP and Southern Pacific had the DD35B GE is a bit easier to describe. They started with the U series, which stood for Universal. They are either B or C, based on the type of trucks. All GE models use their HP in hundreds as part of the model designation, along with the type of trucks and the engine series. The U series had the following models: U18B 1800 HP U23B,U23C 2250 HP U25B,U25C 2500 HP U28B,U28C 2800 HP U30B,U30C 3000 HP U33B,U33C 3300 HP U36B,U36C 3600 HP There was also a U50 and U50C which was a double U25, with either 2 sets of B trucks on a span bolster (U50) or on C trucks (U50C) Sometime in the late 70's (1977 I think) they dropped the U series, and went to the -7 series, all models produced there after looked like this: B23-7,C23-7 2300 HP B30-7,C30-7 3000 HP B36-7,C36-7 3600 HP B32-8,C32-8 3200 HP B36-8,C36-8 3600 HP B38-8,C39-8 3900 HP (current model) B40-8.C40-8 4000 HP (current model) They have also flipped the designation to DASH-8 40B and DASH-8 40C There is also a modification on the current production of engines, that being a cowl (like described before) or a safety cab. For EMD's the wide nose is designated by adding an M after the model name (like SD60M or GP60M) on GE is is a W, (Like CW40-8,DASH-8 40BW) They also have the full width cowl with a W (DASH 8-40CW) bought only by Canadian National and BC Rail (British Columbia Railway) Most of this information is in the _Second Diesel Spotters Guide_ or _Diesel Spotters Update_ Q. How does a diesel locomotive work? A. Actually, this is a trick question. Locomotives come in diesel-electric, diesel-hydraulic, and as a test a steam-electric engine was built. The first part of the name indicates how the power is generated and the second how it is transmitted to the driving wheels. The diesel engines are huge internal combustion engines (sometimes more than one per locomotive), named after Rudolf Diesel who patented the concept in 1892. In a diesel-electric they are used to power electric generators, and the electricity is used to drive electric motors. These are called traction motors and one is attached by a gear system to each powered axle. I don't know the details of how diesel-hydraulic engines work, but basically something like an automatic transmission is used to connect the diesel motors to the axles via driveshafts (I'm making this all up, so feel free to correct me!) It turns out to be very difficult to build these to handle the large loads involved, so all modern locomotives are of the diesel-electric variety. Finally we have the steam-electric. I don't have the references in front of me, but I believe the New York Central experimented with an engine which looked like an F3 but which had a coal-powered steam boiler which as used to run a generator, with the rest of the system as in a diesel-electric. This is even more speculative than the diesel-hydraulic description, so don't bet any money on it. Q. What are "dynamic" brakes A. As described in the previous question, diesel-electric locomotives have motors attached to each axle. Normally power is supplied to the motors causing the wheels to pull the train. However, due to the magic of electromagnetics, if the wheels are turned by an external force (such as gravity pulling a train down a hill) the motors will run as dynamos, generating electricity. Since energy is conserved, this electric power has to come from somewhere, which in this case is the kinetic energy of the engine. In simple English, running the motors as dynamos will put a drag on the engine, which can be helpful when running a very heavy train down a long grade. The amount of electric power generated is substantial, and it has to be used up somehow to cause a drag on the wheels. This is done by placing a bank of resistors on the top of the locomotive which convert the electricity to heat which is then radiated away. These resistors on the top appear as a bulging grille near the center of most engines. Model shells are often made with these bulges (sometimes removable), although they of course have no function. A given prototype locomotive is usually available both with and without dynamic brakes. Q. How do steam locomotives work? A. Another trick question! I'm not really familiar with all of the details, so I'm really writing this in the hopes of getting netters to provide more authoratative answers. Steam engines came in three basic varieties: reciprocating pistons, geared drives, and experimental turbines. All work by boiling water to make pressurized steam, and the energy in this steam is used to move the engine. The earliest engines burned wood for fuel. Most steam engines used coal, and towards the end of the steam era oil was used, primarily to get around air pollution regulations. In a reciprocating piston design the pressurized steam is sent into expansion cylinders, which were usually mounted on the outside front end of the frame. The steam expands to push a piston back, and the piston is connected via a crosshead to the main driving rods. These rods connect the linear motion of the piston to the circular motion of the driving wheels. There are many variations on this design, such as using multiple cylinders to increase the amount of energy extracted from the steam but they all fall into the category of improvements to the basic design. Note that once the steam has been used it is exhausted to the atmosphere, which is why the tender on a steam locomotive is mostly water and a relatively minor amount of fuel. Note that this design with lots of exposed moving parts is also significantly sexier than a diesel electric... I have no idea how geared locomotives work - perhaps some logging expert will write a few paragraphs on the issue? As a PRR fan I will attempt to describe their turbine engines - other experiments may have differed in the details. As before steam is produced, but rather than using pistons is was fed through a rotating turbine which was directly geared to the driving wheels. Apparently the design did a fairly good job of producing power efficiently, but the steam had minute particles of coal ash in it which rapidly destroyed the finely balanced turbine blades, making it impractical to maintain. Track ----- Q. Nickel-silver vs. brass: what are the issues? Nickel-silver is a copper-nickel alloy (mostly copper), considered to be metalurgically similar to brass but superior in corrosion resistance. Brass oxidizes rapidly to a non-conducting surface, which means that power will not reach the locomotives or cars, resulting in stalls. Both forms of track will accumulate other gunk on them, requiring some form of cleaning. In general, nickel silver is much better than brass, and is worth the small extra cost. The more recently developed alloys used in high-quality G scale track are much less corrosion-prone. Brass is sometimes favored over nickel-silver for outdoor use, because it expands and contracts somewhat less with changes in temperature. Q. What does the number associated with a turnout mean? What's the difference between, say, a #4 turnout and a #6 turnout? The number is based on the angle between the straight and diverging tracks. Skipping the exact definition, a #4 turnout is generally the sharpest practical size and is equivalent to an 18" curve. #6s and #8s are more gradual and are typically used on larger layouts both because they look more realistic and because longer equipment will work better on them. Traction models and models in the smallest scales (N and Z) can often get good results with much smaller turnout numbers, down to #2.5 in common usage. Q. What does the "code" associated with track mean? This is the height of the rail, expressed in thousandths of an inch. Code 100 rail (common in HO) is 0.100 inches high. This is equivalent to prototype rail weighing 152 pounds per yard, which is larger than almost all rail used in this country. Advanced modelers typically use rail sizes closer to that used on the prototype, as shown below: Nominal | Mass | Scale | Scale | Scale | Scale | Market | Mainline | Branch | Mining | --------------------------------------------------- G, #1 | .330 | .250 | .175 | .125 | --------------------------------------------------- O | .175 | .148 | .125 | .100 | --------------------------------------------------- S | .148 | .125 | .100 | .086 | --------------------------------------------------- HO/OO | .100 | .083 | .070 | .055 | --------------------------------------------------- N | .080 | .055 | .040 | n/a | --------------------------------------------------- Z | .062 | n/a | n/a | n/a | --------------------------------------------------- Q. When handlaying track, how/when do you folks glue down the ballast? Ballast is added in the same fashion for both handlaid and prefabricated track. The roadbed is prepared and the track laid in position using your favorite method before any ballast is added. The method described below also works just as well for grass, dirt, etc. in the rest of the layout. There are several methods, but the basic idea is to spread the ballast in place (I use a cheap 1" paintbrush to shape it), soak it with some sort of wetting agent, and then flow a fixative into it. Variants abound - this is a FAQ in the model railroading magazines as well, so look there for alternatives. The most common wetting agent is tap water with a drop or two of standard dishwashing liquid added to cut the surface tension (the water will just bead up otherwise and won't soak the ballast). This can be sprayed on with a *fine* mister or carefully dripped on with an eye dropper. The most common fixative is a 50-50 mixture of white glue and water, again with a drop of detergent. This is dripped onto the ballast and allowed to dry. All of the water will evaporate, so the ballast should be as wet as possible without floating it away; otherwise you may just glue down a top crust which will chip away later. Q. Also, who makes good ballast material, and do you mix/combine several coarsenesses or make it uniform? Woodland Scenics is probably the most popular brand, but at least one poster described it as looking like kitty litter; a bit harsh but not far from the mark in my opinion. Their finest grade should be used by N and HO scales, and it's really too coarse for N. The other major source is actual rock. You can just walk outside if you live in the area you model, you can try the local quarry or gravel operation to see if you can get a small sample, or you can order it from several operations which advertise in the model railroading magazines. If you use real rock you must crush it, sift it to size, and then remove any ferrous particles with a magnet. Note that most real railroads use ballast that is available locally, so the color of your ballast will differ based on the area modelled. Most of it is a standard gray, but iron ore roads have a distinct reddish hue, and RMC just finished a series about a marble quarrying railroad which used marble chips! Roadbed ------- [The following description of Homasote was written by Gregg Fuhriman] My Experiences -------------- Homasote is a material made of densely compressed newsprint, and is usually sold in 4' x 8' x 1/2" sheets. It is also available to the model railroad hobby as precut roadbed strips. My experience is with the large sheets, which I purchased from a building supply store. In 1987, one sheet cost around 25 dollars. I cut it into many 8' strips, using a rotary saw set at 45 degree angle to get the "ballast slope". The ascii drawing below shows an edge-on view of how I cut the Homasote sheets: | |<---- wide enough for track ___________________________________________________________ |\ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \| ----------------------------------------------------------- <---------- 4' ----------> These strips were then used as-is for straight roadbed. To make curves, I cut dozens of kerfs crossways about 3/4 of the way through the strip and about 1/2" apart. The strip could then be "bent" into the desired curvature by compressing the kerfs on the inside of the curve. The purpose of this exercise was to reduce wasted Homasote; it is not a cheap material. The homasote strips were then glued to plywood sub-roadbed using carpenter's glue and clamps. I also drove small nails through the Homasote into the plywood to help hold things in the right position while the glue dried. Special shapes, like around switch stands, were shaped by hand using a utility knife to carve the homasote. Summary of My Experience and Netter's Comments ---------------------------------------------- Benefits of Homasote are that it holds spikes and nails well, and it is a sound-deadening material to reduce train noise. It glues easily, as it is a porous material. It is relatively "soft", so it cuts easily. Cutting this material with a power saw generated piles of fluffy, gray dust that went everywhere and proved to be a pain to clean up. I reccommend wearing a dust filter to avoid breathing in the dust and fluff. Cutting with a utility knife is neater, but more difficult and tedious as the homosote tends to "grab" the blade (just as it "grabs" spikes and nails). Forming curves with the kerf-and-bend method was not 100% successful. At least half the time the strip would break in two. Also, the resulting curve is not super smooth ... they are actually several short straight sections. Heavy sanding can smooth out some of this (but with more dust). Other netters have suggested painting the Homasote with a latex paint to help seal it against moisture (introduced mostly during ballasting, but also to guard against ambient humidity). Its dimensional stability with respect to temperature and humidity has been panned, though I have not noticed problems with my layout so far. Miscellaneous ------------- Q. What are Kadee couplers and why should I use them? Most locomotives and rolling stock come with an industry-standard coupler - for HO they are X2f (commonly called horn-hook) and for N they are Rapido. These couplers are only suitable for those who don't plan to do much switching and coupling/uncoupling of the cars, their primary advantage being that they are free and require virtually no adjustment. Kadee makes a line of more prototypical looking couplers that are available in all common scales and which are used by most serious modelers. They are magnetically operated, allowing you to uncouple cars without touching them. Uncoupling ramps made of permanent magnets or electromagnets can be positioned at strategic places on your layout to perform this uncoupling. Rix (another company) sells an inexpensive magnetic rod which can be held between the cars to uncouple them without removing them from the tracks. Note that Kadee couplers are not compatible with the standard couplers, so once you switch you'll have to convert all of your equipment. In HO the most common size (#5) costs $2.95 for a package of 4 (2 cars). Credits ------- While I take all responsibility for anything you don't like, I haven't put this together all by myself. Portions of this file have been contributed by the following people: Baird_David@Tandem.com (David G. Baird) smb@ulysses.att.com (Steven Bellovin) dibble@zk3.dec.com (Ben Dibble) billg@bony1.bony.com (Bill Gripp) zehntel!gregg@decwrl.dec.com (Gregg Fuhriman) johnh@genghis.borland.com (John Haskey) andre@king.slc.mentorg.com (Andre' Hut) msjohnso@donald.WichitaKS.NCR.COM (Mark Johnson) johnson@arc.ab.ca (Mark Johnson) [same person?] vek@allegra.att.com (Van Kelly) Jean-Pol.Matheys@cern.ch 737ochs@gw.wmich.edu (Fred Ochs) mattp@cscihp.ecst.csuchico.edu (Matt Pedersen) Joe.Russ@mixcom.com slambo@ucrmath.ucr.edu