TRACK TALK LIVE: January 2017

Model Railroad Academy’s Clickety and Clack (Doug and Steve) fielded a wide variety of live questions from viewers on the latest edition of Track Talk Live. Among the topics discussed are DCC (use it!), flower foam for scenery (don’t!), creating smooth transitions for inclines (cookie cutter method), making basic turnouts DCC-ready (cut gaps), replacements for worn out plastic U-joints, and many others. They also shared projects they’ve been working on since last month.

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34 Responses to “TRACK TALK LIVE: January 2017”

  1. Dennis

    The lick and stick Campbell shingles have to be weathered. What is your recommended procedure to make them look aged, Slate grey and black, touch of age cedar shake?

    Reply
  2. Patrick

    There are good photos of the exterior of the Western Maryland Roundhouse at Hagerstown, MD. on pages 95, 96 and 97 and interior shots on pages 98 and 99 of the Images Of Rail Series- “The Western Maryland Railway, by Anthony Puzzilla, about $19 in bookstores.

    Reply
  3. MICHAEL

    Just did a search of the Deadwood Central Railroad from South Dakota and there are some good ideas and information from that and there are other railroads also mentioned. They say it closed in 1930 and they sold off some engines and got one back . Neet article. real easy search. Mike

    Reply
  4. Patrick Trainor

    Listening from Hong Kong where I live. Yes. Doug is correct. Sanborn did publish fire insurance maps….at least they did for Baltimore City and County, Maryland. Try googling “Fire Insurance Maps, or the word Atlas, followed by your city or county.

    Reply
  5. Rick

    Hi, I’m using Atlas code 83 track on a new shelf layout I’m building. My question is powering the frogs on the Atlas turnouts. Do they have to be powered or can I leave them as is ? I’m going to using medium size diesels in theory should pickup power before and after the frog on each truck.

    Reply
  6. TERRY W

    follow up on Angel hair clouds..I have Lightning and sound that needs to feed though the Angel hair

    Reply
  7. TERRY W

    Am creating 3D over-hanging clouds made of “Angel Hair” is there a way to darken the “white to a dark gray”?

    Reply
    • Rick

      I would think possibly using a air brush. This would give you light spraying and being able to blend the colors from dark to light gradually

      Reply
  8. Tom Lennon

    Try finding a copy of “Black Hills Narrow Gauge”. Maybe build a RailMaster Sn3 locomotive kit for motive power.

    Reply
  9. Frank G.

    Ho scale. Good couplers to use? Kadee magnetic? Problems with same? Other brands? I’m new to this hobby (after a 40 year layoff-kids are now grown).

    Reply
  10. bill kirkpatrick

    p have a 2-6-0 brass engine would like to make dcc what motor would you recamend

    Reply
  11. Chris/ Philly

    Hi, what is the easiest way to quarter wheels on a steam engine? Nscale thank you

    Reply
  12. Russell

    MTH Scaletrax has a VERY thin black center rail,that is why I’m working with it. Google Black Diamond Railroad to get a website showing it.
    And I too have a Scale BigBoy (actually 2, one old [MTH Protosound], one new [MTH ProtoSound 3])

    Reply
  13. John

    I am planning an indoor G scale layout and intend to control it with traditional analog control blocks for most of my engines. I would like to also use digital control on some of my newer engines. If I throw all of the blocks toward an alternate digital transformer is that enough to fully convert to dcc? Assuming that my analog engines are blocked offf.

    Reply
  14. MartinKolczyk

    How radical would you go doing a scene from Bavaria, Germany and farmstead in the Midwest side by side? I am from Germany and have locos and rolling stock from both sides! Or is this too far out?

    Reply
  15. Jeff

    I’m 42 years old and new to the hobby. I’ve collected 1/64 farm toys since I was a kid and always wanted to build a farm layout with a grain elevator. I knew the HO scale was too small as I had John Deere HO trains and then discovered S scale and originally was just going to have some static pieces on a layout but after joining my local S scale club my interest has really gotten out of control to build a train layout now. I like everything steam and diesel however being from South Dakota originally and loving spending vacations in the black hills i though this would be a nice area to model. Being a history buff I started thinking about Deadwood and looked to see about what railroads were there and discovered the Deadwood Central railroad which was a narrow gauge line and this has really intrigued me. My problem is the locomotives are not available in Sn3 and I’m ok with not having the exact locos. I’ve purchased a lot of S scale locos and rolling stock and am enjoying running them on friends layouts and our club layout. Originally I was going to do S and down the road build the Deadwood Central in Sn3 and maybe incorporate into the S layout. My question then is being new to everything should I just focus on building the Deadwood Central line in Sn3 and forgo the S scale layout completely or just maybe do something simple with the S scale in a big loop and incorporate the Deadwood Central into this? Seeing as how it takes a lifetime sometimes to create these layouts I’m wondering if I should just focus on one thing going forward. Thank you

    Reply
    • Jeff

      Yes it is the Burlington. It was dual gauge track and I have since purchased every book on the subject

      Reply
    • J Michael Luhouse

      Do you know anyone who has pics of the Western Maryland Hagerstown roundhouse?

      Reply
  16. Bill B.

    Where can I find the color schemes for the interior of passenger cars (spec PRR, B&O. D&H)?

    Reply
  17. Russell

    Have you worked with MTH Scaletrax? Any Pros? Cons? (I know the lack of switch types and have matched Ross Custom switches with it.)

    Reply