Posts Tagged ‘Rail’
Anders Via RAil Passenger Model train
this is anders model train set with a passenger train going around the table
04.01.09 How I built the river on the SoCal Desert Rail Division train layout by Al Mayo
Enviortex Lite is the VERY best Water making solution on the market hands down. Just about every experienced model railroader uses this stuff to get the best water effects. Yes people still do paint water and clear gloss coat over it to simulate water but for the model railroaders who want to have depth and much realism use Enviortex Lite. That is what I used to make the river on my layout. They sell Enviortex Lite and SIMILAR product at all Hardware stores. It is about the same prices …
Are there any model railroaders out there who chose to run 3 rail o gauge trains…?
…without the fancy modern digital sound effects and the complicated digital control? I’ve asked a question similar to this about a Lionel Santa Fe set and I was wondering if I was the only nut job out there that would prefer to run “old school” without all the “fluff.” (don’t take the nut job comment personally, it’s meant to be funny)
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Guide to Common Rail Wiring for Model Toys Electric Train Sets
For those interested in model toys, particularly that of the model train, one thing they will inevitably come across when commencing their hobby is the issue of how to wire their railway.
One of the most popular ways to do this is through the device called common rail wiring, the basic concept of which lies in always insulating the same piece of rail, while leaving the other one still connected. Sketch and/or draw a layout of your system that shows the dual tracks while marking the outer and inner rails as “plus” and “minus” respectively. In the example of an oval track layout, this means that the outer rail will always be positive no matter where it goes, and the inner rail will therefore also always be negative. The benefit of this is, once you have insulated the inside rail on every siding (even those controlled via on-off switches), the outer rail therefore becomes akin to common ground, while the inner rail resembles hot switched lead. This is why this method has become known as “common” rail wiring for the model train. Two different power packs are recommended for this system, both insulated from each other (such as in the cases where an oval is inside an oval), as they can then have the ability to control different areas of the layout in the same instances. Both packs need at least one wire to be attached to the common rail, with a second to go to either the insulated rail of the oval or to the sidings in order to be controlled.
The common rail system is a very popular one, primarily because it enables the system to pass on control from one of the packs to the other, with the model train on the track thus gaining power from the right side of the front truck at the same time as it is getting it from the left side of the rear truck. Minus the common rail, the model train would otherwise regard the insulated joint as a malfunctioning switch and would thus then just stall on the track. Just be prepared for the possibility of the model toys surging unexpectedly fast when crossing over the joint!
One last point – remember to double insulate on the section of the track where you require the train to reverse back on itself – this means that the positive rail will suddenly run smack bang into a negative rail, and thus an insulating gap and plastic joiner are essential here. A DPDT (double-pole, double-throw) switch will be required for this operation.
Aside from this, however, the common rail wiring should be the best solution for your model train toys system.
Joe Kanooga is a father of two kids, a successful business owner and the author of numerous articles about model toys. Click here to download a free model train guidebook filled with hobby tips, ideas and information.
Rail Runner Ho Train Set
Product Description
Set includes GP38-2 ATSF low nose diesel locomotive with working headlight, 5 railroad cars including matching eight-wheel caboose, 65 x 38″ track oval with Power-Loc track system and terminal rerailer, U.L. listed power pack with forward and reverse, operating dual crossing gate, three trackside shanty kits, seven vehicles, 10-piece bridge and pier set, 91 realistic railroad, street and road signs, 12 utility poles, plug-in terminal wired, extra couplers and illust… More >>
