I can find all kinds of videos showing and possibly proving some locomotives will or can operate over HO 18 inch radius curves. Not something you will find me recommending. Not after some of the things I learned from my layout similar to the one above. I think I hear someone asking what is a radius? It the measurable point from the center of the circle, in a straight line to the outer edge of said circle. Clear as mud yet? Now with model railroading that radius is determined from the center of the circle to the middle of the track. What do I recommend? Keep in mind these are just guidelines. What experience has taught me: OOO The exception to the rule as they measure from one side of the circle to the other. 72" Minimum radius curve. S Measuring from center of the circle to the center of the track. 32" Mainline 28" Minimum radius curve. HO 30" Main Line Curves 24" minimum N 24" Main Line Curves and 15" minimum. Z 20" Main Line Curves and 11" minimum. Best curves on any layout, are the wide curves. You can use and experiment with the tighter radius curves. You will eventually learn why I chose the larger radius....long story... and enjoy your layout more. When your trains derail through track switches, jack knife and derail in reverse moves and stall or loose electrical contact, it's not fun. I have some pictures in my archives illustrating the differences of various curves in N scale. I had them posted in a album at one time and I think they disappeared about the time they shut something down here. Now I have to find them....again.
If you want ideas for different things you'd like to do with your layout visit: http://www.trainboard.com/grapevine...g-Just-For-The-Sake-Of-Railfanning&highlight= I started a thread on railfanning your own and others railroads. Little advice and lot's of fun.
If you are just getting started one of the resources I would point you to is Model Railroaders, monthly wig wag. Here's a sample of what you can find. Courtesy Jenny Maaske. [video=youtube;1Sqpoi2_nZY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Sqpoi2_nZY[/video]
Now back to some practical How To's. How to install a motorized switch. Courtesy ArthurHuston3 [video=youtube;NthGtL0F_No]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NthGtL0F_No#t=87[/video] Published on Nov 17, 2012 This is part II of installing and setting up a tortious switch machine on a NCE-DCC Layout that is remote controled thrugh the NCE system with a Switch IT. I show all the steps I take when installing the machine into a specific loaction.
DCC Friendly Switches There are many videos out there that will leave you with the impression that it's very difficult to find or make DCC friendly switches. The solution is simpler then you think. For the sake of discussion some of us use "Switch," to describe what many refer to as a "Turnout". A long story and I won't take the time here to discuss it. Besides you can find my take on this website and other's if you be inclined to search for it. How to make any switch DCC friendly. You can do this the hard way and spend many aggravating hours wiring in each switch or you can do it the easy way and use insulators or cut in isolator gaps (not shown in the video). Isolate both rails coming off and from the frog and you have a DCC friendly switch. It's that simple. Courtesy IMRROcom [video=youtube;eHtK5uf0IHo]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHtK5uf0IHo[/video] Uploaded on May 22, 2011 http://tinyurl.com/DCC-Extras Blocks, Track Insulators & DCC Friendly Turnouts (Switches). How to check for proper electrical operation of your turnouts on your Model Railroad, submitted by IMRROcom. Oh gosh there's that "T" word again. Grin! I need to add here that some switches are power routed switches. In other words when the point is against a rail the + or - power from that rail will power route down the moveable switch points to the frog and out to the the rail behind the frog. Isolate both rails coming off the frog, eliminates the possibility of a short and makes the switch DCC friendly. Not to confuse you. Peco electrofrog switches the power routes out both rails leading from the frog. Isolate both rails and you have a DCC friendly switch. One more thing to consider. I don't recommend using plastic rail joiners. They will dry out, twist and turn and cause derailments. I prefer to use a Dremel tool with a fine cutting disc, gap filling cyanoacrylate, and cut in my isolater gaps. Never been happier. One negative. One thing that bothers me about this video is he doesn't use the verbiage we model railroaders have typically been known to use. A different spin on things. However, that may speak to many newbies just getting started. There is much you can learn from his video's so tune in. I hope you not only enjoyed it but found it helpful..
From here on out we are going to be getting into complicated and difficult procedures for building a model railroad. Call it the advanced or experienced model railroaders How To's. It will be increasingly difficult to find videos that simpify things and are easily understood. Hang in with me and don't be afraid to submit a video that impresses you or has helped you. After all this thread is for you and that includes sharing your own ideas. Go for it. Hint, you can go back to any of the video's and tune into other videos produced. Ie., Mike Fifer, on of TB's own. He has videos on how he's built his railroad. I'd highly recommend your tuning into his You Tube Channel and soak up everything you can. Check this out: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=mike+fifer+model+railroad I thought you'd say that. If this thread died right here you'd have enough information and resources mentioned to start a model railroad. So, why you sitting here reading this? Go get started. Grin!
I read about this procedure years ago in a model railroad wig wag. I don't remember which one so I can't get give proper credit. Dirt! Courtesy of Joey Ricard. [video=youtube;vWqM5Dv1MA0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWqM5Dv1MA0[/video] Published on Feb 21, 2014 This is part two of utilizing real dirt for your model railroad ground cover. A fun and inexpensive project to make use of real dirt for a realistic effect in your modeling. Here's the first installation. [video=youtube;fJCZ5oFr1U0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJCZ5oFr1U0#t=16[/video] I'm on a set budget with little or no play money. These videos caught my eye and appealed to me. Here's the one I should have started with. [video=youtube;DrHmPf62A_g]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrHmPf62A_g#t=38[/video] Published on Mar 7, 2014 In this video I show how I create some of my realistic model railroad scenery. Painting and weathering flex track with inexpensive and budget supplies are the focus of this video. I lied. The above How To Video's aren't that difficult. I hope you were as impressed, as I was.
Those two are cute and fun to watch. I pumped into a discussion on Tangents, Easements and Transition curves. I wish I had a video illustrating such. What I do have is two links to definitions, that are worth reading. Here they are: http://www.tcd.ie/civileng/Staff/Bri...cture%2013.pdf And: http://www.trackplanning.com/easements.htm I use these on my model railroad although they are minimized due to the wide radius curves I use. I once had someone hand me an 11" piece of sectional track to use as a transition track. My minimum radius on the layouts main is 15". An eleven inch radius isn't going to cut it. To tight. Better to use flex track and create your own easements. If I find a video showing us How To, I will bring it here or you can. Wouldn't hurt my feelings any.
Super Elevating Track Super elevating tracks on curves. I haven't found a video... yet....that shows how to accomplish this. Here is a sort of How to, a review of a Model Railroad article. How To: http://www.building-your-model-railroad.com/model-train-track-2.html [video=youtube;Cereg59l03k]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cereg59l03k[/video] Published on Sep 15, 2012 My uncle just finished putting super elevated curves on the mainlines, here a CP Ethanol Train holds before the crossovers while a BNSF Earth Worm rolls by on the other main. Notice how the train tilts as it leans into the curve. Now you have a video example of Super Elevated Curves. Courtesy of toomuchraintrain.
Animation of certain scenes can bring uncertain life to your model railroad. Check out this next video. [video=youtube;PynNUlXhXX4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PynNUlXhXX4[/video] Smallest HO Scale Model Animation? Geoff Bunza Published on Oct 4, 2013 This is a short animation demonstrating a different technique for using LEDs for scale model animation lighting. It uses a combination of a Ultraviolet Light Emitting Diode (LED) and Testors' Pactra Racing Yellow Fluorescent paint to create a small but noticeable, critter! As submitted by and courtesy of Geoff Bunza. The only thing that would make this video better. Actually seeing the train crew arrive to pick-up the caboose and moveable crossing gates. Now, if you haven't already caught on, count the lights in this scene. Are you ready for this? [video=youtube;iNOVUZa20SQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNOVUZa20SQ[/video] Published on Mar 13, 2014 This is a short video of building virtual HO 1/87 scale animated virtual rooms for inclusion in structure models. Images are presented on a 1.8 inch color LCD display with an Arduino Pro Mini reading from a micro SD memory card. Random movement intervals and speeds are used to break up a repetitive display. [video=youtube;ty-mT7HK-Xo]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ty-mT7HK-Xo#t=27[/video] Pretty cool stuff Geoff, I've also heard of using slides to bring interiors to life in buildings. Never mind actual interiors with automated figures. But let's not steal anything from what Geoff is presenting here.
With regard to superelevating track, from a trick I learned years ago, I save bread sack plastic clips for that. Haven't needed to superelevate anything for a while now, but have a fair supply accumulated, and for free.
First off Thanks Ken for your input here. Betting you could make some awesome how to video's. Well, I was going to swear off my addiction to the threads I've posted here on TB, and declare my independence. Until...well...take a look at this next video. I enjoy watching DJ as he explains his how to's. DJ and I are both old school...for sure. I will be wiring in my Kato switches with momentary spring back to off, DPDT electrical toggle switches. A bit more work then shown in DJ's video. Check it out. Model Railroad Control Panel, Wiring a KATO Switch, and Train Layout Room Ideas djstrains [video=youtube;wR-Y9eaIe3c]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wR-Y9eaIe3c[/video] Published on Oct 31, 2012 http://www.djstrains.com to purchase my n scale scratch built stuff. Subscribe for new videos every week. Halloween 2012 video tackles lighting the underside of your layout, wiring a Kato switch with toggle switches, and make a small control panel for my Alleghany Industrial District. Submitted by: DJS Trains. I'm not the only one addicted to trains and model railroading. Exception: What I did differently. I wired in a friends layout the same way he does here with one exception. I used, one DPDT to reverse the current and used my push buttons, momentary on push buttons, to throw the switches. Did I confuse you? Where he placed the DPDT's I placed push buttons and where his push button is I placed one DPDT reversing toggle electrical switch. Need the points in the switch, thrown a certain way throw the toggle and hit the button. Wallah it works. Keep it coming DJ. Like he said, If he can do this, so can you. On another note. I have a number of things that have to be taken care of so, I will be away for awhile. That does not mean this or other threads I've posted here on TB needs to die. You can keep it going with your favorite how to's. So post away.
Well I'm back and with a big sigh of relief. The next video reminds me of my first experience with tunnel making. Although, the presenter does this with a few tips...I wish I'd thought of. Adding a Rock Tunnel Portal to the Display Layout by Cal Freight N Scale John G [video=youtube;6p6kTOK-BpI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6p6kTOK-BpI[/video] Published on Aug 2, 2013 Hi and Welcome to Cal Freight N Scale on YouTube... I am making progress on the display layout and this rock tunnel portal is a little different than what I would usually do, so I thought it might be of interest to some of you too... My batteries die half way through the construction process, so I will do a full rock carving video very soon... I do 99% of the work while the material (I use a product from Home Depot called Fix-All) is still wet and easily workable. As submitted by John G. You can find more information on You Tube by clicking on You Tube in the picture frame. John talks about another video he did as a follow-up but I haven't found it ....yet! Fianlly, tunnel portals that don't look like everyone else's.
Air Bruishing - Basics 101 Do you want to try something that seems tricky....at first? Not to worry I'm right there with you. For the first time in my life I have a compressor and several different types of air brushes. Long story as to how I got all the airbrushes. Some given to me while I purchased others. Let me just say here it works a lot better when you toss the aerosol air blasters and use a good compressor. You can hand paint as in brush paint on anything you want and it will look like it. Ask me????? I don't want to steal the presenters thunder so would someone turn the projector on and hit the lights? Before I forget, on my screen I had to bump the pixels up to 360 to get a clear picture. Enjoy! [video=youtube;FCBsjnPp1Rs]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCBsjnPp1Rs[/video] Basics of Airbrushing - Part 1 psmrcmr Published on Mar 18, 2013 Basic terminology and tool descriptions for airbrushing model railroad gear.. Here are the times for the various sections of part 1: 01:18:00 airbrush terminolgy 22:39:10 air sources 31:24:05 hoses 35:46:03 regulators and gauges For more detailed information on this and related model railroad topics see: http://psmrc.org/public/education/ind... The only thing I want to add here is...cleaning, cleaning and unless I forgot cleaning your air brush when you are done. I hope you enjoyed the video and didn't find it boring.
So, did you find that last video helpful? Hungry for more? Maybe he didn't quite answer your questions the way you had hoped. The guys he was teaching certainly had advanced questions. Yes, that can happen in a presentation. You can go to the links he provided to see more of his presentations. No it isn't perfect but better then anything I could find....for years. When I first started, I needed information about the various types of equipment and how they worked. My money has never come easy and before I shelled out those hard earned bucks...I think you get my drift. Here's one more introductory video and then I will see if I can find one with someone actually painting something. How about a hot model? I took a cosmetic airbrushing course...well...let's leave that alone for now. This one will answer some additional questions that I had at one time and you might find helpful. I know this isn't model railroading but you can still learn some basics. [video=youtube;pcIzOfP6X8Q]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcIzOfP6X8Q[/video] Getting Started Using an Airbrush (Airbrushing Intermediate Part 1) The Wargamers Consortium Published on Dec 26, 2012 In this video, we're going through the stuff you may need to start airbrushing once you've got your set up. For more information about other links mentioned in the video check out my blog post at http://goo.gl/Iu4np. We feature Badger Airbrushes in this video like the Krome as well as talk a little about minitaire paints. We also talk a little about Iwata, Harder and Steinbeck, Paashe and Grex. We take a look at tools like an airbrush cleaning station, mixers, air compressors, thinning paints, spray booths and more!
Wow , Thanks Rick for putting me in here with all these great videos. YouTube is a great modeling tool we sometimes over look. Mike
You are welcome, Mike. You have some of the best presentations. Good stuff. I will be back to visit your You Tube and any suggestions you might have with regard to choices of videos from your selection, for our viewers to see would be welcomed.
LOL As you should be. Add me to your list of groupies uhh...err... Fans. You can click on the emblem in Mike's address and it will take you to his website. There you can find a list of videos. Help yourself and check them out.
