Hints & Tips No.1245
Setting Realistic Goals with Model Railways/Railroads Pt 2

By Corey Willard (Minnesota)

My goal was to have track that is good enough to walk away from the throttle and not be afraid of a derailment. I like to watch the trains 'roam' the layout while I walk around and watch it move through different scenes. I think I've achieved that. I also wanted track that was good enough that when my nieces and nephews goosed the throttle it wouldn't worry me. Granted, I get nervous when they do that and have tried to teach them not to, but who doesn't get nervous seeing their precious trains running at 100mph?

Hints & Tips No.1246
Using Real Rocks

By Rob Spangler

Real rock is of limited use for cliffs and such. In addition to weight, there is the problem of integrating the rock so it looks appropriate with adjacent scenic shapes and textures. More often than not, when I have seen real rocks used for this purpose they do not look good at all.

Rock as ground texture and talus is another matter, and I make extensive use of it. The exact color does not matter, as it can easily be dry-brushed to match the color of the surrounding scenery.

]Hints & Tips No.1247
Starting With Planning a Layout Pt 1By Jim Weatherly


I have just started to expand my layout. I wanted a railroad with a lot of operations so this was how I started.
1. Make a few scale drawings of your available space.
2. Make a scale drawing of the layout. Play around with the arrangement of the main line. This might take a few drawings until you get the one you like. Establish the mainline of your railroad on the drawing. Build your open grid whether shelf, peninsula etc. Do not put the deck on it until your have your wire bus, accessory bus run, and your track leads soldered on connected to the bus. This will save your aching back from bending and crawling under the layout.
3. Next decide what era you want to model.
4. Next look in a catalog for the main structures and industries that fit your era. Either buy the models or get the footprint of the structures. You can get these online in most cases.
5.Make a cardboard cutouts of the footprints. Be sure to label the foot print. Include where the tracks and spurs will be placed in relation to the structures. Don't forget about trucking and vehicular roadways.

Hints & Tips No.1248
Starting With Planning a Layout Pt 2

By Jim Weatherly

6. Now lay the footprints on the deck in relation to your mainline.

7. Once you know where all your structures are to be placed, you can draw in your spurs, sidings, passing sidings, other non railroad highways, streets, parking lots, truck loading pads, etc.

8. Figure where you want you other landscaping features to be placed, such as hills, mountains, valleys, ravines, rivers, trestles, bridges etc.

9. Now before laying track over revines and rivers, be sure to landscape those areas so they are pretty complete. Do this before bulding your trestles, and bridges unless they can be lifted out. It's hard to landscape around those structures once they are permanently placed.

9. If making tunnels, be sure you can get to the track. Example have lift out mountains. If its a short tunnel and you want it permanent, be sure to lay and test your track before builing the tunnel.

There are so many things to think of and I didn't go into detail much here. But surf the internet for layouts that you like and try to mirror those, or at least parts of them.

If you are like me, I get antsy and want to get my mainline running, But take your time and take into account some of the pitfalls I suggested here.

Hints & Tips No.1249
Recycling Steel Rails

By Ted Janson

Like most modellers, I hate throwing out anything. I saw some steel rails from some old Bachmann track which strangely enough became a load of rusty rail on a flat car. Some time after, I was given some old Triang track where the rail was no where near scale for track but it looks appropriate on the model of a steel frame starting on a building site. The sleepers of the Triang track look OK as garden bed edging and culvert timber and scraped of the “dogspikes” as a pile of sleepers.

Hints & Tips No.1250
 Striping on Hand Rails By Bob Boudreau (New Brunswick)
 

 The one time I added stripes to handrails I cut an extremely thin strip of masking tape, and wrapped it around the handrails. Just painted the open space between the tape. Worked fine for me.
 

Hints & Tips No.1251
Giving a layout a “Just Rained on” look

By Barry Pickering

I have scenes on my layout that give an “it was raining 10 minutes ago” look. I simply put a coat of varnish over much of the layout and thickened it where the puddles accumulate. It looks OK.

Hints & Tips No.1252
Simulating Paved Areas between Rails Pt 1 By Crandell Overton
You can use styrene sheets cut to fit or use plaster of Paris, some would use Durham's water putty or Durabond.
I would use Plaster of Paris dyed with a suitable powder or liquid paint. I would mix and pour, level, let it cure, and then clear away what needs it with a Dremel cut-off disk or grinding stone in disk shape, maybe picks or hobby blades, even a needle file.

Hints & Tips No.1253
Simulating Paved Areas between Rails Pt 2 By Richard Cowman


I like using Plaster of Paris but I would put a strip of styrene next to the inside of each rail (where the flanges will run) then pull it out when your surface is dry. This saves time and the possibility of scratching the track up, while trying to get flange ways cleaned out. I have also seen this method used for level crossings.

Hints & Tips No.1254
Simulating Paved Areas between Rails Pt 3 By Mike Lehman


I use 1/32" basswood and plywood for paving between tracks and painted as appropriate. It is roughly the same height as the code 70 rails on Micro Engineering track when laid to bridge across the tie ends between tracks. Since I model an older era, I often use wood planking between the rails. .

Hints & Tips No.1255
Easing Air Pulses on an Airbrush. 
By Owen Drew (Geelong Australia)


There is a cheap way of stopping the air pulses of a small air brush compressor. Buy another airbrush hose or two and use the hose as a tank. The extra hose length will help cut down on air pulse and you can hide the extra hose under your bench.

If you have a truck wrecker near by, see what the cost of a air cylinder from the air brakes of a truck,

Hints & Tips No.1256
Gluing Scenery Methods and Ideas Pt 1 
By David Rex


I have tried several different ways of gluing the basic foundation for my scenery (grass, dirt, small rocks, etc.) to include using diluted glue in a spray bottle, which does not seem to work well. I tend to get glue everywhere I do not need it and it also seems to create clumps with the material.

Hints & Tips No.1257
Gluing Scenery Methods and Ideas Pt 2 By Bob Baxter


I am not a fan of spraying alcohol or glue. If it is fine stuff, I apply the diluted glue mix with a small paint brush and then sprinkle on the material. Next I apply 70% isoprophyl alcohol, touch up if necessary and then another application of the glue mix. Doing it this way there is very little waste.


If the scenic material is real coarse, eliminate the painting with the brush since it will stay put. Individual shrubs, bushes, and trees will stick using tacky glue.

Hints & Tips No.1258
Gluing Scenery Methods and Ideas Pt 3 By Eric Cothern (Oregon)


I am a 50/50 glue water with foam brush person myself.. and then when it is dry I will spray it with light coat of cheap hairspray. If I am filling in an existing area, then I just hit it with hairspray.

Hints & Tips No.1259
Gluing Scenery Methods and Ideas Pt 4 By Elmer McKay (Virginia)


I do not spray the glue-water mix because it does make a mess.

Hints & Tips No.1260
Gluing Scenery Methods and Ideas Pt 5 By Richard Cowman


I do my first layer of ground foam scenery when I paint the layout surface with my earth tone interior latex paint. Paint a square foot or so, then sprinkle on several different colors and textures of foam before the paint starts to dry.


I have found an empty Elmers or other brand PVA glue bottle to be a good applicator of diluted glue, mentioned above, as well as many other liquid applications. The tip can be adjusted so that very little comes out or opened to allow a good flow if you are doing a large relatively flat area.

Hints & Tips No.1261
Cleaning Track Alternatives Pt 1 By Steve Hunter - (Ontario)


I would strongly recommend against using any type of sandpaper, as it will leave minute scratches that will collect oil and grunge. I am not fond of Bright Boy blocks either which are available in North America but similar to Fleischmann blocks, for the same reason. They are highly abrasive.

If you are sure you want to follow this path, a good quality of ink eraser might work as well as the Bright Boy with slightly less scratching.

My preferred method is to lightly wipe down the rails with a soft cloth and rubbing alcohol. This will remove any oil and crud on the rail, without damage. By doing this every few months as well as keeping the wheels clean, I have rarely had any need for more aggressive methods.

Above all, be careful to avoid excessive lubrication of locomotives and other rolling stock. This excess oil is what attracts and holds dust, causing crud to build up on the rail and wheels.

Other points include using metal wheels wherever possible (plastic wears, creating dust that can cause contact problems), and avoid using brass or steel rail no matter how cheap it may be.

Hints & Tips No.1262
Cleaning Track Alternatives Pt 2 By Steve Turner (British Columbia)


I use Alcohol for loco wheels and track. I use two centreline track cleaning cars. The odd time that I do need to use an abrasive, I use on edge a worn out extra fine sponge sander that can be got from Reject, $2 and Pound shops depending on where you are. It fits on its edge and just covers rails. No need to press - just a very light scuff then an alcohol clean

Hints & Tips No.1263
Using a Vacuum for scenery item retrieval By Dennis Dubois (Alberta)


When you want to clean up the excess material, just stuff a nylon knee hi part way into the vacuum cleaner hose, tape the excess nylon to the outside of the hose then just go over the area with the “vac” after the "stuff" is dried whether it is ballast or ground foam or scatter.

Hints & Tips No.1263
Cleaning Track Alternatives Pt 3 By Keith Webb


You will probably have seen by now that the general view is not to use anything abrasive, and that is good advice. I do confess to having a little block I use in a real emergency. This is designed for cleaning gold-plated contacts (no-one wants to scratch-away gold!), but you would need to get this through the electronics industry.

The best idea is to painstakingly go around your layout once with a lint-free cloth (disposable washing-up cloth) and Goo-Gone (or similar), then weekly or monthly use a Centre-Line track cleaner. If you get two, you can use them as `wet and dry'. They are expensive, but they work the best out of all the track-cleaning devices. For stubborn parts you may get away with Brass cleaner, or better still, silver cleaner.

I have found that after painting track, an immediate wipe with a piece of balsa wood works very well followed by a wet and dry run with Centre-Line track cleaners once the paint is dry. Do Not use the Peco track cleaner (cleaning block) as it gums up the points and scratches the track.

Oh! One other important point, ban all plastic wheels from your layout. Metal wheels not only help keep the track clean by polishing it, but do not generate static electricity like plastic ones – which of course is why all that crud gets on them and then gets all over the track in in-between the point blades!